diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-thin.c b/drivers/md/dm-thin.c
index 493478989dbd..07705ee181e3 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-thin.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-thin.c
@@ -3385,6 +3385,12 @@ static int pool_message(struct dm_target *ti, unsigned argc, char **argv)
 	struct pool_c *pt = ti->private;
 	struct pool *pool = pt->pool;
 
+	if (get_pool_mode(pool) >= PM_READ_ONLY) {
+		DMERR("%s: unable to service pool target messages in READ_ONLY or FAIL mode",
+		      dm_device_name(pool->pool_md));
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (!strcasecmp(argv[0], "create_thin"))
 		r = process_create_thin_mesg(argc, argv, pool);