diff --git a/src/array.rs b/src/array.rs
index 40b8eb361..cdaead703 100644
--- a/src/array.rs
+++ b/src/array.rs
@@ -420,6 +420,9 @@ impl<T: Element, D: Dimension> PyArray<T, D> {
 
     /// Creates a NumPy array backed by `array` and ties its ownership to the Python object `container`.
     ///
+    /// The resulting NumPy array will be writeable from Python space.  If this is undesireable, use
+    /// [PyReadwriteArray::make_nonwriteable].
+    ///
     /// # Safety
     ///
     /// `container` is set as a base object of the returned array which must not be dropped until `container` is dropped.
diff --git a/src/borrow/mod.rs b/src/borrow/mod.rs
index a1cb203e3..bcfb4028c 100644
--- a/src/borrow/mod.rs
+++ b/src/borrow/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 //! ```rust
 //! # use std::panic::{catch_unwind, AssertUnwindSafe};
 //! #
-//! use numpy::{PyArray1, PyArrayMethods};
+//! use numpy::{PyArray1, PyArrayMethods, npyffi::flags};
 //! use ndarray::Zip;
 //! use pyo3::{Python, Bound};
 //!
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ use crate::array::{PyArray, PyArrayMethods};
 use crate::convert::NpyIndex;
 use crate::dtype::Element;
 use crate::error::{BorrowError, NotContiguousError};
+use crate::npyffi::flags;
 use crate::untyped_array::PyUntypedArrayMethods;
 
 use shared::{acquire, acquire_mut, release, release_mut};
@@ -453,6 +454,18 @@ where
         unsafe { &*(self as *const Self as *const Self::Target) }
     }
 }
+impl<'py, T, D> From<PyReadwriteArray<'py, T, D>> for PyReadonlyArray<'py, T, D>
+where
+    T: Element,
+    D: Dimension,
+{
+    fn from(value: PyReadwriteArray<'py, T, D>) -> Self {
+        let array = value.array.clone();
+        ::std::mem::drop(value);
+        Self::try_new(array)
+            .expect("releasing an exclusive reference should immediately permit a shared reference")
+    }
+}
 
 impl<'py, T: Element, D: Dimension> FromPyObject<'py> for PyReadwriteArray<'py, T, D> {
     fn extract_bound(obj: &Bound<'py, PyAny>) -> PyResult<Self> {
@@ -494,6 +507,23 @@ where
     {
         unsafe { self.array.get_mut(index) }
     }
+
+    /// Clear the [`WRITEABLE` flag][writeable] from the underlying NumPy array.
+    ///
+    /// Calling this will prevent any further [PyReadwriteArray]s from being taken out.  Python
+    /// space can reset this flag, unless the additional flag [`OWNDATA`][owndata] is unset.  Such
+    /// an array can be created from Rust space by using [PyArray::borrow_from_array_bound].
+    ///
+    /// [writeable]: https://numpy.org/doc/stable/reference/c-api/array.html#c.NPY_ARRAY_WRITEABLE
+    /// [owndata]: https://numpy.org/doc/stable/reference/c-api/array.html#c.NPY_ARRAY_OWNDATA
+    pub fn make_nonwriteable(self) -> PyReadonlyArray<'py, T, D> {
+        // SAFETY: consuming the only extant mutable reference guarantees we cannot invalidate an
+        // existing reference, nor allow the caller to keep hold of one.
+        unsafe {
+            (*self.as_array_ptr()).flags &= !flags::NPY_ARRAY_WRITEABLE;
+        }
+        self.into()
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "nalgebra")]
diff --git a/tests/borrow.rs b/tests/borrow.rs
index 08e6abcc2..356046c65 100644
--- a/tests/borrow.rs
+++ b/tests/borrow.rs
@@ -348,6 +348,20 @@ fn resize_using_exclusive_borrow() {
     });
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn can_make_python_array_nonwriteable() {
+    Python::with_gil(|py| {
+        let array = PyArray1::<f64>::zeros_bound(py, 10, false);
+        let locals = [("array", &array)].into_py_dict_bound(py);
+        array.readwrite().make_nonwriteable();
+        assert!(!py
+            .eval_bound("array.flags.writeable", None, Some(&locals))
+            .unwrap()
+            .extract::<bool>()
+            .unwrap())
+    })
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "nalgebra")]
 #[test]
 fn matrix_from_numpy() {