diff --git a/src/context/read-mode.tsx b/src/context/read-mode.tsx
index 534e3498..c36bfbff 100644
--- a/src/context/read-mode.tsx
+++ b/src/context/read-mode.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import {
+    IDocumentDriveServer,
     InferDocumentLocalState,
     InferDocumentOperation,
     InferDocumentState,
-    IReadMoveDriveServer,
+    IReadModeDriveServer,
     ReadDocumentNotFoundError,
     ReadDrive,
     ReadDriveContext,
@@ -25,17 +26,18 @@ import {
     useState,
 } from 'react';
 import { drivesToHash } from 'src/hooks/useDocumentDrives';
+import { useUserPermissions } from 'src/hooks/useUserPermissions';
 import { logger } from 'src/services/logger';
 import { DefaultDocumentDriveServer } from 'src/utils/document-drive-server';
 
-export interface IReadModeContext extends IReadMoveDriveServer {
+export interface IReadModeContext extends IReadModeDriveServer {
     readDrives: ReadDrive[];
-    setDocumentDrive(documentDrive: IReadMoveDriveServer): void;
+    setDocumentDrive(documentDrive: IReadModeDriveServer): void;
 }
 
 // decorator method to ensure server is defined before calling it
 function checkServer<
-    T extends IReadModeContext & { server: IReadMoveDriveServer | undefined },
+    T extends IReadModeContext & { server: IReadModeDriveServer | undefined },
     U extends any[],
     R,
 >(
@@ -72,14 +74,18 @@ function bindClassMethods(instance: any) {
 }
 
 class ReadModeContextImpl implements Omit<IReadModeContext, 'readDrives'> {
-    private server?: IReadMoveDriveServer;
+    private server?: IReadModeDriveServer;
 
-    constructor(documentDrive?: IReadMoveDriveServer) {
+    constructor(documentDrive?: IReadModeDriveServer) {
         bindClassMethods(this);
         this.server = documentDrive;
     }
 
-    setDocumentDrive(documentDrive: IReadMoveDriveServer) {
+    getServer(): IReadModeDriveServer | undefined {
+        return this.server;
+    }
+
+    setDocumentDrive(documentDrive: IReadModeDriveServer) {
         this.server = documentDrive;
     }
 
@@ -156,6 +162,7 @@ class ReadModeContextImpl implements Omit<IReadModeContext, 'readDrives'> {
     ): Promise<ReadDrivesListenerUnsubscribe> {
         return this.server!.onReadDrivesUpdate(listener);
     }
+
     /* eslint-enable @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion */
 }
 
@@ -175,6 +182,25 @@ export const ReadModeContextProvider: FC<
 > = props => {
     const [readDrives, setReadDrives] = useState<ReadDrive[]>([]);
 
+    const { isAllowedToCreateDocuments, isAllowedToEditDocuments } =
+        useUserPermissions();
+
+    // updates drive access level when user permissions change
+    const readMode = !(isAllowedToCreateDocuments || isAllowedToEditDocuments);
+    useMemo(() => {
+        const accessLevel = readMode ? 'READ' : 'WRITE';
+        const server = ReadModeInstance.getServer();
+        if (
+            server &&
+            typeof (server as IDocumentDriveServer)
+                .setAllDefaultDrivesAccessLevel === 'function'
+        ) {
+            (server as IDocumentDriveServer)
+                .setAllDefaultDrivesAccessLevel(accessLevel)
+                .catch(logger.error);
+        }
+    }, [readMode]);
+
     useEffect(() => {
         const unsubscribe = ReadModeInstance.onReadDrivesUpdate(newDrives => {
             setReadDrives(readDrives =>
diff --git a/src/hooks/useDocumentDriveServer.ts b/src/hooks/useDocumentDriveServer.ts
index c443db8f..2918f40b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useDocumentDriveServer.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useDocumentDriveServer.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@ import { useConnectCrypto, useConnectDid } from './useConnectCrypto';
 import { useDocumentDrives } from './useDocumentDrives';
 import { useUserPermissions } from './useUserPermissions';
 
-export const FILE_UPLOAD_OPERATIONS_CHUNK_SIZE =
-    parseInt(import.meta.env.FILE_UPLOAD_OPERATIONS_CHUNK_SIZE as string) || 50;
+export const FILE_UPLOAD_OPERATIONS_CHUNK_SIZE = parseInt(
+    (import.meta.env.FILE_UPLOAD_OPERATIONS_CHUNK_SIZE as string) || '50',
+);
 
 // TODO this should be added to the document model
 export interface SortOptions {
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLoadInitialData.tsx b/src/hooks/useLoadInitialData.tsx
index fe0f708b..d45d6c6f 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLoadInitialData.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/useLoadInitialData.tsx
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ export const useLoadInitialData = () => {
     );
 
     useEffect(() => {
-        updateUiDriveNodes(readDrives.concat(documentDrives)).catch(
+        const drives: DocumentDriveDocument[] = [...readDrives, ...documentDrives];
+        updateUiDriveNodes(drives).catch(
             console.error,
         );
     }, [documentDrives, readDrives, updateUiDriveNodes]);
diff --git a/src/utils/reactor.ts b/src/utils/reactor.ts
index 5661bd89..84bc6f3f 100644
--- a/src/utils/reactor.ts
+++ b/src/utils/reactor.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-import { DocumentDriveServerOptions } from 'document-drive/server';
+import {
+    DefaultRemoteDriveInput,
+    DocumentDriveServerOptions,
+} from 'document-drive/server';
 
 const DEFAULT_DRIVES_URL =
     import.meta.env.PH_CONNECT_DEFAULT_DRIVES_URL || undefined;
@@ -8,12 +11,13 @@ const defaultDrivesUrl = DEFAULT_DRIVES_URL
 
 export const getReactorDefaultDrivesConfig = (): Pick<
     DocumentDriveServerOptions,
-    'defaultRemoteDrives' | 'removeOldRemoteDrives'
+    'defaultDrives'
 > => {
-    const defaultDrives: DocumentDriveServerOptions['defaultRemoteDrives'] =
-        defaultDrivesUrl.map(driveUrl => ({
+    const remoteDrives: DefaultRemoteDriveInput[] = defaultDrivesUrl.map(
+        driveUrl => ({
             url: driveUrl,
             options: {
+                accessLevel: 'READ',
                 sharingType: 'PUBLIC',
                 availableOffline: true,
                 listeners: [
@@ -38,16 +42,19 @@ export const getReactorDefaultDrivesConfig = (): Pick<
                 triggers: [],
                 pullInterval: 3000,
             },
-        }));
+        }),
+    );
 
     return {
-        defaultRemoteDrives: defaultDrives,
-        removeOldRemoteDrives:
-            defaultDrivesUrl.length > 0
-                ? {
-                      strategy: 'preserve-by-url',
-                      urls: defaultDrivesUrl,
-                  }
-                : { strategy: 'preserve-all' },
+        defaultDrives: {
+            remoteDrives,
+            removeOldRemoteDrives:
+                defaultDrivesUrl.length > 0
+                    ? {
+                          strategy: 'preserve-by-url',
+                          urls: defaultDrivesUrl,
+                      }
+                    : { strategy: 'preserve-all' },
+        },
     };
 };