diff --git a/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormGalleryEditor.qml b/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormGalleryEditor.qml
index 37221230b..e3365d1ae 100644
--- a/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormGalleryEditor.qml
+++ b/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormGalleryEditor.qml
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ MMPrivateComponents.MMBaseInput {
       }
     }
 
-    header: __activeProject.projectRole !== "reader" ? addFeatureComponent : null
+    header: (__activeProject.projectRole !== "reader" && !rmodel?.layer?.readOnly) ? addFeatureComponent : null
   }
 
   Component {
diff --git a/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormRelationEditor.qml b/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormRelationEditor.qml
index 3ac0eb4c0..bcc6459ba 100644
--- a/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormRelationEditor.qml
+++ b/app/qml/form/editors/MMFormRelationEditor.qml
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ MMPrivateComponents.MMBaseInput {
         height: privates.itemHeight
         radius: 8 * __dp
         color: __style.lightGreenColor
-        visible: __activeProject.projectRole !== "reader"
+        visible: (__activeProject.projectRole !== "reader" && !rmodel?.layer?.readOnly)
 
         MMComponents.MMIcon {
           anchors.centerIn: parent
diff --git a/app/relationfeaturesmodel.cpp b/app/relationfeaturesmodel.cpp
index 0992ba180..b5783a401 100644
--- a/app/relationfeaturesmodel.cpp
+++ b/app/relationfeaturesmodel.cpp
@@ -75,12 +75,10 @@ void RelationFeaturesModel::setParentFeatureLayerPair( FeatureLayerPair pair )
 
   if ( !InputUtils::isFeatureIdValid( pair.feature().id() ) )
   {
-    //
-    // Clear the model in case parent feature has invalid id (e.g. is new) and do not populate it
-    //
+    // Parent has no valid id yet (e.g. new feature) - clear features but keep mLayer known.
 
     beginResetModel();
-    reset();
+    mFeatures.clear();
     endResetModel();
   }
   else
@@ -96,6 +94,9 @@ void RelationFeaturesModel::setRelation( QgsRelation relation )
     mRelation = relation;
     emit relationChanged( mRelation );
 
+    // set layer early so it's known even before the parent feature has a valid id (e.g. new feature)
+    LayerFeaturesModel::setLayer( mRelation.isValid() ? mRelation.referencingLayer() : nullptr );
+
     setup();
   }
 }