diff -u b/includes/commerce.controller.inc b/includes/commerce.controller.inc
--- b/includes/commerce.controller.inc
+++ b/includes/commerce.controller.inc
@@ -24,6 +24,28 @@
   public function isLocked($entity);
 
   /**
+   * Determines whether the provided entity is read-only.
+   *
+   * @param object $entity
+   *   The entity to check.
+   *
+   * @return bool
+   *   True if the entity is read only, false otherwise.
+   */
+  public function isReadOnly($entity);
+
+  /**
+   * Determines whether the provided entity is writeable.
+   *
+   * @param object $entity
+   *   The entity to check.
+   *
+   * @return bool
+   *   True if the entity is writeable, false otherwise.
+   */
+  public function isWriteable($entity);
+
+  /**
    * Determines whether the provided entity is cached.
    *
    * @param object $entity
@@ -79,11 +101,18 @@
   protected $lockedEntities = array();
 
   /**
-   * Stores the flag for if a condition has been passed for requesting locking.
+   * Stores the ids of read-only entities.
+   *
+   * Track which entities where meant to be loaded read-only.
+   */
+  protected $readOnlyEntities = array();
+
+  /**
+   * Stores the flag for if a condition has been passed for requesting writing.
    *
-   * By default, locking is always requested unless specifically set to false.
+   * By default, writing is always requested unless specifically set to false.
    */
-  protected $requestLocking = TRUE;
+  protected $requestWriting = TRUE;
 
   /**
    * Stores whether a request for skipping locking has been set.
@@ -97,7 +126,21 @@
    * Implements DrupalCommerceEntityControllerInterface::isLocked().
    */
   public function isLocked($entity) {
-    return $this->controllerTransaction && isset($this->lockedEntities[$entity->{$this->idKey}]);
+    return !empty($this->controllerTransaction) && isset($this->lockedEntities[$entity->{$this->idKey}]);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Implements DrupalCommerceEntityControllerInterface::isReadOnly().
+   */
+  public function isReadOnly($entity) {
+    return isset($this->readOnlyEntities[$entity->{$this->idKey}]);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Implements DrupalCommerceEntityControllerInterface::isWriteable().
+   */
+  public function isWriteable($entity) {
+    return !$this->isReadOnly($entity);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -135,7 +178,7 @@
     $enabled = isset($this->entityInfo['locking mode']) && $this->entityInfo['locking mode'] == 'pessimistic';
     $not_skipped = empty($this->requestSkipLocking);
 
-    return $enabled && $not_skipped && $this->requestLocking;
+    return $enabled && $not_skipped && $this->requestWriting;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -164,15 +207,30 @@
   /**
    * Overrides DrupalDefaultEntityController::load().
    *
-   * Accepts a condition of locking request, may not necessarily take effect
-   * as other options can override locking. If anything conflicts, locking always
-   * take precedence over not locking.
+   * Accepts a condition of writing request, this will partially determine if
+   * the order needs to be locked, which may not necessarily take effect
+   * as other options can override locking. If anything conflicts, locking
+   * always take precedence over not locking.
    */
   public function load($ids = array(), $conditions = array()) {
-    // Lock by default if the caller didn't indicate a preference.
-    $conditions += array('_lock' => TRUE);
-    $this->requestLocking = $conditions['_lock'];
-    unset($conditions['_lock']);
+    // Assume it's a write request by default
+    // if the caller didn't indicate a preference.
+    $conditions += array('_write' => TRUE);
+    $this->requestWriting = $conditions['_write'];
+    unset($conditions['_write']);
+
+    if ($this->requestWriting) {
+      foreach (array_intersect_key(array_flip($ids), $this->readOnlyEntities) as $id => $value) {
+        unset($this->readOnlyEntities[$id]);
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      // Store the ids of the entities in the readOnlyEntities array for later
+      // tracking, flipped for easier management.
+      if ($ids) {
+        $this->readOnlyEntities += array_flip($ids);
+      }
+    }
 
     // If locking has been required, then bypass the internal cache for any
     // entities that are not already locked.
diff -u b/modules/cart/tests/commerce_cart.test b/modules/cart/tests/commerce_cart.test
--- b/modules/cart/tests/commerce_cart.test
+++ b/modules/cart/tests/commerce_cart.test
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost('node/' . $this->product_node->nid, array(), t('Add to cart'));
 
     // Get the order just created.
-    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $user->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $user->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
     $order_anonymous = reset($orders);
 
     // Access to the cart and check if the product is in it.
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost('user', array('name' => $this->store_customer->name, 'pass' => $this->store_customer->pass_raw), t('Log in'));
 
     // Get the order for user just logged in.
-    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $this->store_customer->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $this->store_customer->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
     $order_authenticated = reset($orders);
     // Reset the cache as we don't want to keep the lock.
 
@@ -581,5 +581,5 @@
     $this->assertTrue(commerce_order_is_locked($order));
     commerce_cart_order_refresh($order);
-    $this->assertFalse(commerce_order_is_locked($order), 'Cart refresh removed order lock.');
+    $this->assertTrue(commerce_order_is_locked($order), 'Cart refresh removed order lock.');
   }
 }
diff -u b/modules/checkout/tests/commerce_checkout.test b/modules/checkout/tests/commerce_checkout.test
--- b/modules/checkout/tests/commerce_checkout.test
+++ b/modules/checkout/tests/commerce_checkout.test
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost('node/' . $this->product_node->nid, array(), t('Add to cart'));
 
     // Get the order for the anonymous user.
-    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $user->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $user->uid, 'status' => 'cart', '_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
     $this->order = reset($orders);
   }
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
     $this->assertText('Example payment', t('Example payment method pane is present'));
 
     // Load the order to check the status.
-    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
 
     // At this point we should be in Checkout Review.
     $this->assertEqual(reset($order)->status, 'checkout_review', t('Order status is \'Checkout Review\' in the review phase.'));
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@
     $this->assertText($user_mail, t('Account information is correct'));
 
     // Load the order to check the status.
-    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
 
     // At this point we should be in Checkout Review.
     $this->assertEqual(reset($order)->status, 'checkout_review', t('Order status is \'Checkout Review\' in the review phase.'));
diff -u b/modules/order/commerce_order.module b/modules/order/commerce_order.module
--- b/modules/order/commerce_order.module
+++ b/modules/order/commerce_order.module
@@ -749,11 +749,11 @@
  *
  * @param $order_id
  *   The order id.
- * @param $lock
- *   Whether to lock the loaded order.
+ * @param $write
+ *   Whether it's a write or a read-only request.
  */
-function commerce_order_load($order_id, $lock = TRUE) {
-  $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($order_id), array('_lock' => $lock), FALSE);
+function commerce_order_load($order_id, $write = TRUE) {
+  $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($order_id), array('_write' => $write), FALSE);
   return $orders ? reset($orders) : FALSE;
 }
 
@@ -762,11 +762,11 @@
  *
  * @param $order_number
  *   The order number.
- * @param $lock
- *   Whether to lock the loaded order.
+ * @param $write
+ *   Whether it's a write or a read-only request.
  */
-function commerce_order_load_by_number($order_number, $lock = TRUE) {
-  $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('order_number' => $order_number, '_lock' => $lock), FALSE);
+function commerce_order_load_by_number($order_number, $write = TRUE) {
+  $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('order_number' => $order_number, '_write' => $write), FALSE);
   return $orders ? reset($orders) : FALSE;
 }
 
@@ -830,4 +830,30 @@
 
 /**
+ * Determines whether or not the given order object is read-only.
+ *
+ * @param $order
+ *   A fully loaded order object.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   Boolean indicating whether or not the order object is read-only.
+ */
+function commerce_order_is_readonly($order) {
+  return entity_get_controller('commerce_order')->isReadOnly($order);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Determines whether or not the given order object is writeable
+ *
+ * @param $order
+ *   A fully loaded order object.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   Boolean indicating whether or not the order object is writeable.
+ */
+function commerce_order_is_writeable($order) {
+  return entity_get_controller('commerce_order')->isWriteable($order);
+}
+
+/**
  * Determines whether or not the given order object represents the latest
  * revision of the order.
diff -u b/modules/order/tests/commerce_order_ui.test b/modules/order/tests/commerce_order_ui.test
--- b/modules/order/tests/commerce_order_ui.test
+++ b/modules/order/tests/commerce_order_ui.test
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, array('name' => $this->store_customer->name), t('Save order', array(), array('context' => 'a drupal commerce order')));
 
     // Load the order from database for later use.
-    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $this->store_customer->uid, '_lock' => FALSE));
+    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array(), array('uid' => $this->store_customer->uid, '_write' => FALSE));
     $this->order = reset($orders);
 
     // Enable an additional currency.
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, array(), t('Save order', array(), array('context' => 'a drupal commerce order')));
 
     // Reload the order directly from db.
-    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
 
     // Check if the product has been added to the order.
     foreach (entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', reset($order))->commerce_line_items as $delta => $line_item_wrapper) {
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, array(), t('Save order', array(), array('context' => 'a drupal commerce order')));
 
     // Reload the order directly from db and wrap it to get the line item ids.
-    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $orders = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
     $order = reset($orders);
     $order_wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
 
diff -u b/modules/payment/tests/commerce_payment_ui.test b/modules/payment/tests/commerce_payment_ui.test
--- b/modules/payment/tests/commerce_payment_ui.test
+++ b/modules/payment/tests/commerce_payment_ui.test
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, $post_data, t('Save'));
 
     // Reload the order.
-    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_lock' => FALSE), TRUE);
+    $order = commerce_order_load_multiple(array($this->order->order_id), array('_write' => FALSE), TRUE);
 
     // Check order balance, it should be half of total now.
     $new_balance = commerce_payment_order_balance(reset($order));
only in patch2:
unchanged:
--- a/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
+++ b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
@@ -748,6 +748,7 @@ function commerce_cart_commerce_order_load($orders) {
     // shopping cart order, it hasn't been refreshed already in this request
     // and it meets the criteria in the shopping cart refresh settings.
     if (!isset($refreshed[$order->order_id]) &&
+      commerce_order_is_writeable($order) &&
       commerce_cart_order_is_cart($order) &&
       commerce_order_is_latest_revision($order) &&
       commerce_cart_order_can_refresh($order)) {