diff --git a/crates/format/src/atomic.rs b/crates/format/src/atomic.rs
index bf39fe2761..348374d3cf 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/atomic.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/atomic.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 //!   if it does anyway, the save fails with a clear error. It never falls back to writing the
 //!   destination in place.
 //! - **Unwritable folder:** the save fails with a clear error instead of writing in place.
+//! - **Read-only file:** the save is refused before anything is written (#6600). A rename only
+//!   needs the folder to be writable, so without this check Linux and macOS would silently replace
+//!   a `chmod 444` file while Windows refuses; now every platform refuses, as Photoshop does, and
+//!   the user saves a copy with Save As.
 //! - **Network shares (macOS):** `sync_all` asks for a full flush to the disk's platters
 //!   (`F_FULLFSYNC`), which SMB shares and some virtual file systems refuse while a plain `fsync`
 //!   works. [`sync_file`] falls back to the plain one there (#1336).
@@ -30,6 +34,12 @@ use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
 /// The file-system steps [`atomic_write_with`] performs. [`RealFs`] is the real thing; tests
 /// wrap it to inject failures.
 pub trait AtomicFs {
+    /// Whether the existing file at `path` is marked read-only (a missing file is not). A
+    /// read-only destination is never replaced (#6600). By default nothing is read-only.
+    fn is_readonly(&self, path: &Path) -> bool {
+        let _ = path;
+        false
+    }
     /// Create `tmp` (it must not exist), write all of `bytes` and flush it ([`sync_file`]).
     fn write_new(&self, tmp: &Path, bytes: &[u8]) -> io::Result<()>;
     /// [`write_new`](Self::write_new), reporting the fraction of `bytes` written so far to
@@ -91,6 +101,9 @@ impl AtomicFs for RealFs {
         let perms = std::fs::metadata(from)?.permissions();
         std::fs::set_permissions(to, perms)
     }
+    fn is_readonly(&self, path: &Path) -> bool {
+        std::fs::metadata(path).is_ok_and(|m| m.is_file() && m.permissions().readonly())
+    }
 }
 
 /// Flush `file` to stable storage (`sync_all`). On Apple platforms that is a full flush
@@ -169,6 +182,9 @@ pub fn atomic_write_with_progress(fs: &dyn AtomicFs, retry: RenameRetry, path: &
         _ => PathBuf::from("."),
     };
     std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir).map_err(|e| context(e, format!("cannot create the folder {}", dir.display())))?;
+    if fs.is_readonly(&target) {
+        return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied, format!("cannot save {}: the file is read-only; {UNCHANGED}", path.display())));
+    }
 
     // Create a fresh temporary file next to the target (same directory, so the rename never
     // crosses a device). The name is unique per process and call; retry a few on collisions.
diff --git a/crates/format/src/atomic/tests.rs b/crates/format/src/atomic/tests.rs
index 8e71bc7ce3..a85f998a16 100644
--- a/crates/format/src/atomic/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/format/src/atomic/tests.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,81 @@ fn lock_that_outlasts_the_retries_keeps_original() {
     assert_no_temp(&d.0);
 }
 
+/// A file system that reports the target as read-only and records every write and rename.
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct ReadOnlyTarget {
+    writes: Cell<u32>,
+    renames: Cell<u32>,
+}
+
+impl AtomicFs for ReadOnlyTarget {
+    fn is_readonly(&self, _path: &Path) -> bool {
+        true
+    }
+    fn write_new(&self, tmp: &Path, bytes: &[u8]) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.writes.set(self.writes.get() + 1);
+        RealFs.write_new(tmp, bytes)
+    }
+    fn rename(&self, from: &Path, to: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.renames.set(self.renames.get() + 1);
+        RealFs.rename(from, to)
+    }
+    fn remove(&self, path: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
+        RealFs.remove(path)
+    }
+    fn sync_dir(&self, dir: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
+        RealFs.sync_dir(dir)
+    }
+    fn copy_permissions(&self, from: &Path, to: &Path) -> io::Result<()> {
+        RealFs.copy_permissions(from, to)
+    }
+}
+
+/// #6600: a read-only destination is refused before anything is written, with an error that says
+/// so, instead of being replaced by the rename (which only needs the folder to be writable).
+#[test]
+fn read_only_target_is_refused_before_anything_is_written() {
+    let d = TempDir::new("rofake");
+    let p = d.0.join("a.psd");
+    std::fs::write(&p, ORIGINAL).unwrap();
+    let fs = ReadOnlyTarget::default();
+    let e = atomic_write_with(&fs, NO_RETRY, &p, b"new").unwrap_err();
+    assert_eq!(e.kind(), io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied);
+    assert!(e.to_string().contains("a.psd") && e.to_string().contains("read-only") && e.to_string().contains("not changed"), "{e}");
+    assert_eq!((fs.writes.get(), fs.renames.get()), (0, 0), "nothing is written or renamed");
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&p).unwrap(), ORIGINAL);
+    assert_no_temp(&d.0);
+}
+
+/// #6600 on the real file system: a file marked read-only (`chmod 444`, or the Windows read-only
+/// attribute) keeps its bytes and the save says why; a writable one still saves.
+#[test]
+fn read_only_file_on_disk_is_never_replaced() {
+    let d = TempDir::new("rofile");
+    let p = d.0.join("a.psd");
+    std::fs::write(&p, ORIGINAL).unwrap();
+    let mut perms = std::fs::metadata(&p).unwrap().permissions();
+    perms.set_readonly(true);
+    std::fs::set_permissions(&p, perms.clone()).unwrap();
+    let r = atomic_write(&p, b"new");
+    let unchanged = std::fs::read(&p).unwrap();
+    let still_readonly = std::fs::metadata(&p).unwrap().permissions().readonly();
+    // Make it writable again so the folder can be removed (Windows refuses to delete it otherwise).
+    #[allow(clippy::permissions_set_readonly_false)]
+    perms.set_readonly(false);
+    std::fs::set_permissions(&p, perms).unwrap();
+    let e = r.unwrap_err();
+    assert_eq!(e.kind(), io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied);
+    assert!(e.to_string().contains("the file is read-only;"), "a clear reason, not a failed rename: {e}");
+    assert_eq!(unchanged, ORIGINAL);
+    assert!(still_readonly);
+    assert_no_temp(&d.0);
+    // New files and writable files are unaffected.
+    atomic_write(&p, b"new").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(std::fs::read(&p).unwrap(), b"new");
+    atomic_write(&d.0.join("fresh.psd"), b"x").unwrap();
+}
+
 #[cfg(unix)]
 #[test]
 fn read_only_folder_errors_clearly_and_never_writes_in_place() {