diff --git a/fastboot/device/utility.cpp b/fastboot/device/utility.cpp
index 7c6ac89..4c84798 100644
--- a/fastboot/device/utility.cpp
+++ b/fastboot/device/utility.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@
 
 }  // namespace
 
-bool OpenPartition(FastbootDevice* device, const std::string& name, PartitionHandle* handle) {
+bool OpenPartition(FastbootDevice* device, const std::string& name, PartitionHandle* handle,
+                   bool read) {
     // We prioritize logical partitions over physical ones, and do this
     // consistently for other partition operations (like getvar:partition-size).
     if (LogicalPartitionExists(device, name)) {
@@ -89,7 +90,8 @@
         return false;
     }
 
-    unique_fd fd(TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY(open(handle->path().c_str(), O_WRONLY | O_EXCL)));
+    int flags = O_EXCL | (read ? O_RDONLY : O_WRONLY);
+    unique_fd fd(TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY(open(handle->path().c_str(), flags)));
     if (fd < 0) {
         PLOG(ERROR) << "Failed to open block device: " << handle->path();
         return false;
diff --git a/fastboot/device/utility.h b/fastboot/device/utility.h
index 3b71ef0..c2646d7 100644
--- a/fastboot/device/utility.h
+++ b/fastboot/device/utility.h
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@
 std::optional<std::string> FindPhysicalPartition(const std::string& name);
 bool LogicalPartitionExists(FastbootDevice* device, const std::string& name,
                             bool* is_zero_length = nullptr);
-bool OpenPartition(FastbootDevice* device, const std::string& name, PartitionHandle* handle);
+
+// If read, partition is readonly. Else it is write only.
+bool OpenPartition(FastbootDevice* device, const std::string& name, PartitionHandle* handle,
+                   bool read = false);
+
 bool GetSlotNumber(const std::string& slot, android::hardware::boot::V1_0::Slot* number);
 std::vector<std::string> ListPartitions(FastbootDevice* device);
 bool GetDeviceLockStatus();