diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aece418..b18b342 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -139,12 +139,14 @@ You can view all of the reified snapshot items by calling the following method.
 reified_parent, reified_children_hash = snapshot.fetch_reified_items
 ```
 
-As a safety these records have the `@readonly = true` attribute set on them. If you want to perform any write actions on the returned instances you will have to set `@readonly = nil`.
+As a safety these records have the `readonly` attribute set on them.
+If you want to perform any write actions on the returned instances you will have to set the `readonly` attribute to `false`
 
 ```ruby
+reified_parent, reified_children_hash = snapshot.fetch_reified_items(readonly: false)
+# or
 reified_parent, reified_children_hash = snapshot.fetch_reified_items
-
-reified_parent.instance_variable_set("@readonly", false)
+reified_children_hash.first.instance_variable_set("@readonly", false)
 ```
 
 # Key Models Provided & Additional Customizations
diff --git a/lib/active_snapshot/models/snapshot.rb b/lib/active_snapshot/models/snapshot.rb
index 4b83ae9..2e30249 100644
--- a/lib/active_snapshot/models/snapshot.rb
+++ b/lib/active_snapshot/models/snapshot.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ def restore!
       return true
     end
 
-    def fetch_reified_items
+    def fetch_reified_items(readonly: true)
       reified_children_hash = {}.with_indifferent_access
 
       reified_parent = nil
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ def fetch_reified_items
       snapshot_items.each do |si|
         reified_item = si.item_type.constantize.new(si.object)
 
-        reified_item.readonly!
+        if readonly
+          reified_item.readonly!
+        end
 
         key = si.child_group_name
 
diff --git a/test/models/snapshot_test.rb b/test/models/snapshot_test.rb
index c98a052..6fc2795 100644
--- a/test/models/snapshot_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/snapshot_test.rb
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def test_restore
     @snapshot.restore!
   end
 
-  def test_fetch_reified_items
+  def test_fetch_reified_items_with_readonly
     @snapshot = @snapshot_klass.first
 
     reified_items = @snapshot.fetch_reified_items
@@ -107,7 +107,23 @@ def test_fetch_reified_items
 
     assert children_hash.is_a?(Hash)
 
-    assert children_hash.all?{|k,v| v.all?{|x| x.readonly?} }
+    assert children_hash.values.all?(&:readonly?)
+  end
+
+  def test_fetch_reified_items_without_readonly
+    @snapshot = @snapshot_klass.first
+
+    reified_items = @snapshot.fetch_reified_items(readonly: false)
+
+    assert reified_items.is_a?(Array)
+
+    assert_not reified_items.first.readonly?
+
+    children_hash = reified_items.last
+
+    assert children_hash.is_a?(Hash)
+
+    assert children_hash.values.all?(&:readonly?)
   end
 
   def test_fetch_reified_items_with_sti_class