diff --git a/aider/args.py b/aider/args.py
index ff061c4b1..a12998972 100644
--- a/aider/args.py
+++ b/aider/args.py
@@ -420,6 +420,12 @@ def get_parser(default_config_files, git_root):
         metavar="FILE",
         help="specify a file to edit (can be used multiple times)",
     )
+    group.add_argument(
+        "--read",
+        action="append",
+        metavar="FILE",
+        help="specify a read-only file (can be used multiple times)",
+    )
     group.add_argument(
         "--vim",
         action="store_true",
diff --git a/aider/main.py b/aider/main.py
index a7c3ac808..6cfb44a5c 100644
--- a/aider/main.py
+++ b/aider/main.py
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ def main(argv=None, input=None, output=None, force_git_root=None, return_coder=F
 
     all_files = args.files + (args.file or [])
     fnames = [str(Path(fn).resolve()) for fn in all_files]
+    read_only_fnames = [str(Path(fn).resolve()) for fn in (args.read or [])]
     if len(all_files) > 1:
         good = True
         for fname in all_files:
@@ -501,6 +502,7 @@ def main(argv=None, input=None, output=None, force_git_root=None, return_coder=F
             io=io,
             repo=repo,
             fnames=fnames,
+            read_only_fnames=read_only_fnames,
             pretty=args.pretty,
             show_diffs=args.show_diffs,
             auto_commits=args.auto_commits,