diff --git a/lib/discourse.rb b/lib/discourse.rb
index 79e59845982..d36f46c2b26 100644
--- a/lib/discourse.rb
+++ b/lib/discourse.rb
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ module Discourse
     # extend the expiry by 1 minute every 30 seconds
     unless Rails.env.test?
       Thread.new do
-        while readonly_mode?
+        while readonly_mode?(key)
           $redis.expire(key, READONLY_MODE_KEY_TTL)
           sleep 30.seconds
         end
@@ -309,8 +309,8 @@ module Discourse
     true
   end
 
-  def self.readonly_mode?
-    recently_readonly? || $redis.mget(*READONLY_KEYS).compact.present?
+  def self.readonly_mode?(keys = READONLY_KEYS)
+    recently_readonly? || $redis.mget(*keys).compact.present?
   end
 
   def self.last_read_only
diff --git a/spec/components/discourse_spec.rb b/spec/components/discourse_spec.rb
index b9ef0df7d9f..64d3c6c112b 100644
--- a/spec/components/discourse_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/discourse_spec.rb
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ describe Discourse do
       it "returns true when user enabled readonly mode key is present in redis" do
         Discourse.enable_readonly_mode(user_readonly_mode_key)
         expect(Discourse.readonly_mode?).to eq(true)
+        expect(Discourse.readonly_mode?(readonly_mode_key)).to eq(false)
 
         Discourse.disable_readonly_mode(user_readonly_mode_key)
         expect(Discourse.readonly_mode?).to eq(false)