diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 3170aff42..5e25b5061 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -87,8 +87,7 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   end
 
   rescue_from Discourse::ReadOnly do
-    # can this happen on a not .json format?
-    render json: failed_json.merge(message: I18n.t("read_only_mode_enabled"))
+    render status: 405, json: failed_json.merge(message: I18n.t("read_only_mode_enabled"))
   end
 
   def rescue_discourse_actions(message, error)
@@ -283,8 +282,8 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     end
 
     def block_if_readonly_mode
-      return if request.put? && request.fullpath == "/admin/backups/readonly"
-      raise Discourse::ReadOnly.new unless request.get? || !Discourse.readonly_mode?
+      return if request.fullpath.start_with?("/admin/backups")
+      raise Discourse::ReadOnly.new if !request.get? && Discourse.readonly_mode?
     end
 
     def build_not_found_page(status=404, layout=false)
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 41c6b0b00..fab6e5ef6 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ en:
   backup:
     operation_already_running: "An operation is currently running. Can't start a new job right now."
 
+  read_only_mode_enabled: "The site is in read only mode. Interactions are disabled."
+
   too_many_replies:
     one: "We're sorry, but new users are temporarily limited to 1 reply in the same topic."
     other: "We're sorry, but new users are temporarily limited to %{count} replies in the same topic."