diff --git a/lib/ace/editor.js b/lib/ace/editor.js
index 5b387f98..4cf4ef80 100644
--- a/lib/ace/editor.js
+++ b/lib/ace/editor.js
@@ -694,6 +694,9 @@ var Editor = function(renderer, session) {
      * called whenever a text "paste" happens.
      **/
     this.onPaste = function(text) {
+        // todo this should change when paste becomes a command
+        if (this.$readOnly) 
+            return;
         this._emit("paste", text);
         this.insert(text);
     };
diff --git a/lib/ace/multi_select.js b/lib/ace/multi_select.js
index 9cbc5417..eeae8039 100644
--- a/lib/ace/multi_select.js
+++ b/lib/ace/multi_select.js
@@ -502,7 +502,11 @@ var Editor = require("./editor").Editor;
         return text;
     };
 
+    // todo this should change when paste becomes a command
     this.onPaste = function(text) {
+        if (this.$readOnly) 
+            return;
+
         this._emit("paste", text);
         if (!this.inMultiSelectMode)
             return this.insert(text);