diff --git a/src/filefetchjob.cpp b/src/filefetchjob.cpp
--- a/src/filefetchjob.cpp
+++ b/src/filefetchjob.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "filefetchjob.h"
 #include "filemetadatautil_p.h"
 
+#include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <Baloo/File>
 
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@
         } else {
             m_canEditAll = false;
         }
+        if (m_canEditAll) {
+            m_canEditAll = QFileInfo(filePath).isWritable();
+        }
 
         m_data << prop;
     }
diff --git a/src/indexeddataretriever.cpp b/src/indexeddataretriever.cpp
--- a/src/indexeddataretriever.cpp
+++ b/src/indexeddataretriever.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@
 
     KFileMetaData::UserMetaData umd(m_url);
     if (umd.isSupported()) {
-        // FIXME - check writable
-        m_canEdit = true;
+        m_canEdit = QFileInfo(m_url).isWritable();
 
         QVariantMap attributes = Baloo::Private::convertUserMetaData(umd);
         m_data.unite(attributes);