diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index dbd60e3f3e..754a422a63 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -4103,10 +4103,15 @@ int bdrv_img_create(const char *filename, const char *fmt,
         if (backing_file && backing_file->value.s) {
             uint64_t size;
             char buf[32];
+            int back_flags;
+
+            /* backing files always opened read-only */
+            back_flags =
+                flags & ~(BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_SNAPSHOT | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING);
 
             bs = bdrv_new("");
 
-            ret = bdrv_open(bs, backing_file->value.s, flags, backing_drv);
+            ret = bdrv_open(bs, backing_file->value.s, back_flags, backing_drv);
             if (ret < 0) {
                 error_report("Could not open '%s'", backing_file->value.s);
                 goto out;