diff --git a/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.cpp b/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.cpp
index 66e51252317..a6f34758b81 100644
--- a/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.cpp
@@ -1244,10 +1244,12 @@ QString QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem::proj4FromSrsId( const int theSrsId )
   return myProjString;
 }
 
-int QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem::openDb( QString path, sqlite3 **db )
+int QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem::openDb( QString path, sqlite3 **db, bool readonly )
 {
   QgsDebugMsgLevel( "path = " + path, 3 );
-  int myResult = sqlite3_open( path.toUtf8().data(), db );
+  int myResult = readonly
+                 ? sqlite3_open_v2( path.toUtf8().data(), db, SQLITE_OPEN_READONLY, NULL )
+                 : sqlite3_open( path.toUtf8().data(), db );
 
   if ( myResult != SQLITE_OK )
   {
diff --git a/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h b/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h
index 91965e1afed..850288a20ad 100644
--- a/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h
+++ b/src/core/qgscoordinatereferencesystem.h
@@ -398,9 +398,9 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsCoordinateReferenceSystem
      */
     RecordMap getRecord( QString theSql );
 
-    // Open SQLite db and show message if ccannot be opened
+    // Open SQLite db and show message if cannot be opened
     // returns the same code as sqlite3_open
-    static int openDb( QString path, sqlite3 **db );
+    static int openDb( QString path, sqlite3 **db, bool readonly = true );
 
     //!The internal sqlite3 srs.db primary key for this srs
     long    mSrsId;