diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/IndexMetaData.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/IndexMetaData.java
index e4ab12b3941..18ec6e0e9a2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/IndexMetaData.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/IndexMetaData.java
@@ -56,9 +56,15 @@ public class IndexMetaData {
             .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS)
             .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_AUTO_EXPAND_REPLICAS)
             .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_READ_ONLY)
+            .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_READ)
+            .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE)
+            .add(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_METADATA)
             .build();
 
     public static final ClusterBlock INDEX_READ_ONLY_BLOCK = new ClusterBlock(5, "index read-only (api)", false, false, RestStatus.FORBIDDEN, ClusterBlockLevel.WRITE, ClusterBlockLevel.METADATA);
+    public static final ClusterBlock INDEX_READ_BLOCK = new ClusterBlock(7, "index read (api)", false, false, RestStatus.FORBIDDEN, ClusterBlockLevel.READ);
+    public static final ClusterBlock INDEX_WRITE_BLOCK = new ClusterBlock(8, "index write (api)", false, false, RestStatus.FORBIDDEN, ClusterBlockLevel.WRITE);
+    public static final ClusterBlock INDEX_METADATA_BLOCK = new ClusterBlock(9, "index metadata (api)", false, false, RestStatus.FORBIDDEN, ClusterBlockLevel.METADATA);
 
     public static ImmutableSet<String> dynamicSettings() {
         return dynamicSettings;
@@ -116,6 +122,9 @@ public class IndexMetaData {
     public static final String SETTING_NUMBER_OF_REPLICAS = "index.number_of_replicas";
     public static final String SETTING_AUTO_EXPAND_REPLICAS = "index.auto_expand_replicas";
     public static final String SETTING_READ_ONLY = "index.blocks.read_only";
+    public static final String SETTING_BLOCKS_READ = "index.blocks.read";
+    public static final String SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE = "index.blocks.write";
+    public static final String SETTING_BLOCKS_METADATA = "index.blocks.metadata";
     public static final String SETTING_VERSION_CREATED = "index.version.created";
 
     private final String index;
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataUpdateSettingsService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataUpdateSettingsService.java
index e486310354c..599ac0f7197 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataUpdateSettingsService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataUpdateSettingsService.java
@@ -175,6 +175,38 @@ public class MetaDataUpdateSettingsService extends AbstractComponent implements
                             }
                         }
                     }
+                    Boolean updateMetaDataBlock = openSettings.getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_METADATA, null);
+                    if (updateMetaDataBlock != null) {
+                        for (String index : actualIndices) {
+                            if (updateMetaDataBlock) {
+                                blocks.addIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_METADATA_BLOCK);
+                            } else {
+                                blocks.removeIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_METADATA_BLOCK);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    Boolean updateWriteBlock = openSettings.getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE, null);
+                    if (updateWriteBlock != null) {
+                        for (String index : actualIndices) {
+                            if (updateWriteBlock) {
+                                blocks.addIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_WRITE_BLOCK);
+                            } else {
+                                blocks.removeIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_WRITE_BLOCK);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+
+                    Boolean updateReadBlock = openSettings.getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_READ, null);
+                    if (updateReadBlock != null) {
+                        for (String index : actualIndices) {
+                            if (updateReadBlock) {
+                                blocks.addIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_READ_BLOCK);
+                            } else {
+                                blocks.removeIndexBlock(index, IndexMetaData.INDEX_READ_BLOCK);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
 
                     // allow to change any settings to a close index, and only allow dynamic settings to be changed
                     // on an open index
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
index 429b39296f4..a732225af97 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
@@ -262,6 +262,15 @@ public class GatewayService extends AbstractLifecycleComponent<GatewayService> i
                         if (indexMetaData.settings().getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_READ_ONLY, false)) {
                             blocks.addIndexBlock(indexMetaData.index(), IndexMetaData.INDEX_READ_ONLY_BLOCK);
                         }
+                        if (indexMetaData.settings().getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_READ, false)) {
+                            blocks.addIndexBlock(indexMetaData.index(), IndexMetaData.INDEX_READ_BLOCK);
+                        }
+                        if (indexMetaData.settings().getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE, false)) {
+                            blocks.addIndexBlock(indexMetaData.index(), IndexMetaData.INDEX_WRITE_BLOCK);
+                        }
+                        if (indexMetaData.settings().getAsBoolean(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_METADATA, false)) {
+                            blocks.addIndexBlock(indexMetaData.index(), IndexMetaData.INDEX_METADATA_BLOCK);
+                        }
                     }
 
                     // update the state to reflect the new metadata and routing
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/readonly/ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/blocks/SimpleBlocksTests.java
similarity index 87%
rename from src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/readonly/ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests.java
rename to src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/blocks/SimpleBlocksTests.java
index 2b0b1d3716f..b6c27871e79 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/readonly/ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/blocks/SimpleBlocksTests.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-package org.elasticsearch.test.integration.readonly;
+package org.elasticsearch.test.integration.blocks;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.settings.ClusterUpdateSettingsRequestBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.settings.ClusterUpdateSettingsResponse;
@@ -38,11 +38,12 @@ import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 
+import static org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings.settingsBuilder;
 import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 
 @Test
-public class ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests extends AbstractNodesTests {
+public class SimpleBlocksTests extends AbstractNodesTests {
 
     @AfterMethod
     public void closeNodes() {
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ public class ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests extends AbstractNodesTests {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void verifyReadOnly() throws Exception {
+    public void verifyIndexAndClusterReadOnly() throws Exception {
         Node node1 = startNode("node1");
         Client client = node1.client();
 
@@ -96,6 +97,23 @@ public class ClusterAndIndexReaderOnlyTests extends AbstractNodesTests {
         canIndexExists(client, "ro");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testIndexReadWriteMetaDataBlocks() {
+        Node node1 = startNode("node1");
+        Client client = node1.client();
+
+        canCreateIndex(client, "test1");
+        canIndexDocument(client, "test1");
+        client.admin().indices().prepareUpdateSettings("test1")
+                .setSettings(settingsBuilder().put(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE, true))
+                .execute().actionGet();
+        canNotIndexDocument(client, "test1");
+        client.admin().indices().prepareUpdateSettings("test1")
+                .setSettings(settingsBuilder().put(IndexMetaData.SETTING_BLOCKS_WRITE, false))
+                .execute().actionGet();
+        canIndexDocument(client, "test1");
+    }
+
     private void canCreateIndex(Client client, String index) {
         try {
             CreateIndexResponse r = client.admin().indices().prepareCreate(index).execute().actionGet();