diff --git a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeInboundPacketProcessor.cpp b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeInboundPacketProcessor.cpp
index d1b84ec63c..8a560984a6 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeInboundPacketProcessor.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeInboundPacketProcessor.cpp
@@ -92,11 +92,6 @@ void OctreeInboundPacketProcessor::processPacket(const SharedNodePointer& sendin
     if (_myServer->getOctree()->handlesEditPacketType(packetType)) {
         PerformanceWarning warn(debugProcessPacket, "processPacket KNOWN TYPE",debugProcessPacket);
         _receivedPacketCount++;
-
-        if (! sendingNode.data()->getCanEdit()) {
-            qDebug("node %s attempted unpermitted edit", sendingNode->getUUID().toString().toUtf8().constData());
-            return;
-        }
         
         const unsigned char* packetData = reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(packet.data());
 
diff --git a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
index 578ee5202d..046df5189d 100644
--- a/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
+++ b/domain-server/src/DomainServer.cpp
@@ -644,15 +644,15 @@ void DomainServer::handleConnectRequest(const QByteArray& packet, const HifiSock
             nodeUUID = QUuid::createUuid();
         }
 
-        // if this user is in the editors list (or if the editors list is empty) set the user's node's canEdit to true
+        // if this user is in the editors list (or if the editors list is empty) set the user's node's canAdjustLocks to true
         const QVariant* allowedEditorsVariant =
             valueForKeyPath(_settingsManager.getSettingsMap(), ALLOWED_EDITORS_SETTINGS_KEYPATH);
         QStringList allowedEditors = allowedEditorsVariant ? allowedEditorsVariant->toStringList() : QStringList();
-        bool canEdit = allowedEditors.isEmpty() || allowedEditors.contains(username);
+        bool canAdjustLocks = allowedEditors.isEmpty() || allowedEditors.contains(username);
 
         SharedNodePointer newNode =
             DependencyManager::get<LimitedNodeList>()->addOrUpdateNode(nodeUUID, nodeType,
-                                                                       publicSockAddr, localSockAddr, canEdit);
+                                                                       publicSockAddr, localSockAddr, canAdjustLocks);
         // when the newNode is created the linked data is also created
         // if this was a static assignment set the UUID, set the sendingSockAddr
         DomainServerNodeData* nodeData = reinterpret_cast<DomainServerNodeData*>(newNode->getLinkedData());
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ void DomainServer::sendDomainListToNode(const SharedNodePointer& node, const Hif
     // always send the node their own UUID back
     QDataStream broadcastDataStream(&broadcastPacket, QIODevice::Append);
     broadcastDataStream << node->getUUID();
-    broadcastDataStream << node->getCanEdit();
+    broadcastDataStream << node->getCanAdjustLocks();
 
     int numBroadcastPacketLeadBytes = broadcastDataStream.device()->pos();
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
index d2f0c4edb7..5d949912a7 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ void EntityScriptingInterface::queueEntityMessage(PacketType packetType,
 }
 
 
-bool EntityScriptingInterface::canEdit() {
+bool EntityScriptingInterface::canAdjustLocks() {
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
-    return nodeList->getThisNodeCanEdit();
+    return nodeList->getThisNodeCanAdjustLocks();
 }
 
 
@@ -40,18 +40,16 @@ EntityItemID EntityScriptingInterface::addEntity(const EntityItemProperties& pro
 
     EntityItemID id(NEW_ENTITY, creatorTokenID, false );
 
-    if (canEdit()) {
-        // If we have a local entity tree set, then also update it.
-        if (_entityTree) {
-            _entityTree->lockForWrite();
-            _entityTree->addEntity(id, properties);
-            _entityTree->unlock();
-        }
-
-        // queue the packet
-        queueEntityMessage(PacketTypeEntityAddOrEdit, id, properties);
+    // If we have a local entity tree set, then also update it.
+    if (_entityTree) {
+        _entityTree->lockForWrite();
+        _entityTree->addEntity(id, properties);
+        _entityTree->unlock();
     }
 
+    // queue the packet
+    queueEntityMessage(PacketTypeEntityAddOrEdit, id, properties);
+
     return id;
 }
 
@@ -74,32 +72,30 @@ EntityItemID EntityScriptingInterface::identifyEntity(EntityItemID entityID) {
 EntityItemProperties EntityScriptingInterface::getEntityProperties(EntityItemID entityID) {
     EntityItemProperties results;
 
-    if (canEdit()) {
-        EntityItemID identity = identifyEntity(entityID);
-        if (_entityTree) {
-            _entityTree->lockForRead();
-            EntityItem* entity = const_cast<EntityItem*>(_entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(identity));
+    EntityItemID identity = identifyEntity(entityID);
+    if (_entityTree) {
+        _entityTree->lockForRead();
+        EntityItem* entity = const_cast<EntityItem*>(_entityTree->findEntityByEntityItemID(identity));
         
-            if (entity) {
-                results = entity->getProperties();
+        if (entity) {
+            results = entity->getProperties();
 
-                // TODO: improve sitting points and naturalDimensions in the future, 
-                //       for now we've included the old sitting points model behavior for entity types that are models
-                //        we've also added this hack for setting natural dimensions of models
-                if (entity->getType() == EntityTypes::Model) {
-                    const FBXGeometry* geometry = _entityTree->getGeometryForEntity(entity);
-                    if (geometry) {
-                        results.setSittingPoints(geometry->sittingPoints);
-                        Extents meshExtents = geometry->getUnscaledMeshExtents();
-                        results.setNaturalDimensions(meshExtents.maximum - meshExtents.minimum);
-                    }
+            // TODO: improve sitting points and naturalDimensions in the future, 
+            //       for now we've included the old sitting points model behavior for entity types that are models
+            //        we've also added this hack for setting natural dimensions of models
+            if (entity->getType() == EntityTypes::Model) {
+                const FBXGeometry* geometry = _entityTree->getGeometryForEntity(entity);
+                if (geometry) {
+                    results.setSittingPoints(geometry->sittingPoints);
+                    Extents meshExtents = geometry->getUnscaledMeshExtents();
+                    results.setNaturalDimensions(meshExtents.maximum - meshExtents.minimum);
                 }
-
-            } else {
-                results.setIsUnknownID();
             }
-            _entityTree->unlock();
+
+        } else {
+            results.setIsUnknownID();
         }
+        _entityTree->unlock();
     }
     
     return results;
@@ -107,10 +103,6 @@ EntityItemProperties EntityScriptingInterface::getEntityProperties(EntityItemID
 
 EntityItemID EntityScriptingInterface::editEntity(EntityItemID entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties) {
 
-    if (!canEdit()) {
-        return entityID;
-    }
-
     EntityItemID actualID = entityID;
     // if the entity is unknown, attempt to look it up
     if (!entityID.isKnownID) {
@@ -125,7 +117,7 @@ EntityItemID EntityScriptingInterface::editEntity(EntityItemID entityID, const E
     // the actual id, because we can edit out local entities just with creatorTokenID
     if (_entityTree) {
         _entityTree->lockForWrite();
-        _entityTree->updateEntity(entityID, properties);
+        _entityTree->updateEntity(entityID, properties, canAdjustLocks());
         _entityTree->unlock();
     }
 
@@ -151,10 +143,6 @@ EntityItemID EntityScriptingInterface::editEntity(EntityItemID entityID, const E
 
 void EntityScriptingInterface::deleteEntity(EntityItemID entityID) {
 
-    if (!canEdit()) {
-        return;
-    }
-
     EntityItemID actualID = entityID;
     
     // if the entity is unknown, attempt to look it up
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
index 19003c3349..6b02d6db0a 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityScriptingInterface.h
@@ -59,12 +59,11 @@ public:
 
     void setEntityTree(EntityTree* modelTree) { _entityTree = modelTree; }
     EntityTree* getEntityTree(EntityTree*) { return _entityTree; }
-
     
 public slots:
 
     // returns true if the DomainServer will allow this Node/Avatar to make changes
-    Q_INVOKABLE bool canEdit();
+    Q_INVOKABLE bool canAdjustLocks();
 
     /// adds a model with the specific properties
     Q_INVOKABLE EntityItemID addEntity(const EntityItemProperties& properties);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index fa64540c4e..95617b4944 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void EntityTree::postAddEntity(EntityItem* entity) {
     emit addingEntity(entity->getEntityItemID());
 }
 
-bool EntityTree::updateEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties) {
+bool EntityTree::updateEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties, bool allowLockChange) {
     EntityTreeElement* containingElement = getContainingElement(entityID);
     if (!containingElement) {
         qDebug() << "UNEXPECTED!!!!  EntityTree::updateEntity() entityID doesn't exist!!! entityID=" << entityID;
@@ -106,21 +106,27 @@ bool EntityTree::updateEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProp
         return false;
     }
 
-    return updateEntityWithElement(existingEntity, properties, containingElement);
+    return updateEntityWithElement(existingEntity, properties, containingElement, allowLockChange);
 }
 
-bool EntityTree::updateEntity(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties) {
+bool EntityTree::updateEntity(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties, bool allowLockChange) {
     EntityTreeElement* containingElement = getContainingElement(entity->getEntityItemID());
     if (!containingElement) {
         qDebug() << "UNEXPECTED!!!!  EntityTree::updateEntity() entity-->element lookup failed!!! entityID=" 
             << entity->getEntityItemID();
         return false;
     }
-    return updateEntityWithElement(entity, properties, containingElement);
+    return updateEntityWithElement(entity, properties, containingElement, allowLockChange);
 }
 
 bool EntityTree::updateEntityWithElement(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties, 
-        EntityTreeElement* containingElement) {
+                                         EntityTreeElement* containingElement, bool allowLockChange) {
+
+    if (!allowLockChange && (entity->getLocked() != properties.getLocked())) {
+        qDebug() << "Refusing disallowed lock adjustment.";
+        return false;
+    }
+
     // enforce support for locked entities. If an entity is currently locked, then the only
     // property we allow you to change is the locked property.
     if (entity->getLocked()) {
@@ -586,7 +592,7 @@ int EntityTree::processEditPacketData(PacketType packetType, const unsigned char
                     
                     // if the EntityItem exists, then update it
                     if (existingEntity) {
-                        updateEntity(entityItemID, properties);
+                        updateEntity(entityItemID, properties, senderNode->getCanAdjustLocks());
                         existingEntity->markAsChangedOnServer();
                     } else {
                         qDebug() << "User attempted to edit an unknown entity. ID:" << entityItemID;
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
index b4621f1a10..62d6db0a10 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ public:
     EntityItem* addEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
 
     // use this method if you only know the entityID
-    bool updateEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
+    bool updateEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, const EntityItemProperties& properties, bool allowLockChange);
 
     // use this method if you have a pointer to the entity (avoid an extra entity lookup)
-    bool updateEntity(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties);
+    bool updateEntity(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties, bool allowLockChange);
 
     void deleteEntity(const EntityItemID& entityID, bool force = false);
     void deleteEntities(QSet<EntityItemID> entityIDs, bool force = false);
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ private:
 
     void processRemovedEntities(const DeleteEntityOperator& theOperator);
     bool updateEntityWithElement(EntityItem* entity, const EntityItemProperties& properties, 
-            EntityTreeElement* containingElement);
+                                 EntityTreeElement* containingElement, bool AllowLockChange);
     static bool findNearPointOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData);
     static bool findInSphereOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData);
     static bool findInCubeOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData);
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
index b90551dcd0..54c746fcb6 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.cpp
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ void LimitedNodeList::handleNodeKill(const SharedNodePointer& node) {
 
 SharedNodePointer LimitedNodeList::addOrUpdateNode(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t nodeType,
                                                    const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket, const HifiSockAddr& localSocket,
-                                                   bool canEdit) {
+                                                   bool canAdjustLocks) {
     NodeHash::const_iterator it = _nodeHash.find(uuid);
     
     if (it != _nodeHash.end()) {
@@ -420,12 +420,12 @@ SharedNodePointer LimitedNodeList::addOrUpdateNode(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t
         
         matchingNode->setPublicSocket(publicSocket);
         matchingNode->setLocalSocket(localSocket);
-        matchingNode->setCanEdit(canEdit);
+        matchingNode->setCanAdjustLocks(canAdjustLocks);
         
         return matchingNode;
     } else {
         // we didn't have this node, so add them
-        Node* newNode = new Node(uuid, nodeType, publicSocket, localSocket, canEdit);
+        Node* newNode = new Node(uuid, nodeType, publicSocket, localSocket, canAdjustLocks);
         SharedNodePointer newNodePointer(newNode);
         
         _nodeHash.insert(UUIDNodePair(newNode->getUUID(), newNodePointer));
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
index 378fa89786..72aefdb2b3 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/LimitedNodeList.h
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ public:
     const QUuid& getSessionUUID() const { return _sessionUUID; }
     void setSessionUUID(const QUuid& sessionUUID);
 
-    bool getThisNodeCanEdit() { return _thisNodeCanEdit; }
-    void setThisNodeCanEdit(bool canEdit) { _thisNodeCanEdit = canEdit; }
+    bool getThisNodeCanAdjustLocks() { return _thisNodeCanAdjustLocks; }
+    void setThisNodeCanAdjustLocks(bool canAdjustLocks) { _thisNodeCanAdjustLocks = canAdjustLocks; }
     
     void rebindNodeSocket();
     QUdpSocket& getNodeSocket() { return _nodeSocket; }
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public:
     SharedNodePointer sendingNodeForPacket(const QByteArray& packet);
     
     SharedNodePointer addOrUpdateNode(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t nodeType,
-                                      const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket, const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canEdit);
+                                      const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket, const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canAdjustLocks);
     
     const HifiSockAddr& getLocalSockAddr() const { return _localSockAddr; }
     const HifiSockAddr& getSTUNSockAddr() const { return _stunSockAddr; }
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ protected:
     void handleNodeKill(const SharedNodePointer& node);
 
     QUuid _sessionUUID;
-    bool _thisNodeCanEdit;
+    bool _thisNodeCanAdjustLocks;
     NodeHash _nodeHash;
     QReadWriteLock _nodeMutex;
     QUdpSocket _nodeSocket;
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/Node.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/Node.cpp
index ccefc4d1d0..2bf792c6ee 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/Node.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/Node.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const QString& NodeType::getNodeTypeName(NodeType_t nodeType) {
 }
 
 Node::Node(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t type, const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket,
-           const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canEdit) :
+           const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canAdjustLocks) :
     NetworkPeer(uuid, publicSocket, localSocket),
     _type(type),
     _activeSocket(NULL),
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Node::Node(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t type, const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket,
     _clockSkewUsec(0),
     _mutex(),
     _clockSkewMovingPercentile(30, 0.8f),   // moving 80th percentile of 30 samples
-    _canEdit(canEdit)
+    _canAdjustLocks(canAdjustLocks)
 {
     
 }
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ QDataStream& operator<<(QDataStream& out, const Node& node) {
     out << node._uuid;
     out << node._publicSocket;
     out << node._localSocket;
-    out << node._canEdit;
+    out << node._canAdjustLocks;
     
     return out;
 }
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ QDataStream& operator>>(QDataStream& in, Node& node) {
     in >> node._uuid;
     in >> node._publicSocket;
     in >> node._localSocket;
-    in >> node._canEdit;
+    in >> node._canAdjustLocks;
     
     return in;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/Node.h b/libraries/networking/src/Node.h
index dbdca9bbc0..ddda947ff4 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/Node.h
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/Node.h
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ namespace NodeType {
 class Node : public NetworkPeer {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    Node(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t type, const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket, const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canEdit);
+    Node(const QUuid& uuid, NodeType_t type,
+         const HifiSockAddr& publicSocket, const HifiSockAddr& localSocket, bool canAdjustLocks);
     ~Node();
 
     bool operator==(const Node& otherNode) const { return _uuid == otherNode._uuid; }
@@ -77,8 +78,8 @@ public:
     
     const HifiSockAddr* getActiveSocket() const { return _activeSocket; }
 
-    void setCanEdit(bool canEdit) { _canEdit = canEdit; }
-    bool getCanEdit() { return _canEdit; }
+    void setCanAdjustLocks(bool canAdjustLocks) { _canAdjustLocks = canAdjustLocks; }
+    bool getCanAdjustLocks() { return _canAdjustLocks; }
     
     void activatePublicSocket();
     void activateLocalSocket();
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ private:
     int _clockSkewUsec;
     QMutex _mutex;
     MovingPercentile _clockSkewMovingPercentile;
-    bool _canEdit;
+    bool _canAdjustLocks;
 };
 
 QDebug operator<<(QDebug debug, const Node &message);
diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
index 972efda79e..d35e11a1c3 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/NodeList.cpp
@@ -379,9 +379,9 @@ int NodeList::processDomainServerList(const QByteArray& packet) {
     packetStream >> newUUID;
     setSessionUUID(newUUID);
 
-    bool thisNodeCanEdit;
-    packetStream >> thisNodeCanEdit;
-    setThisNodeCanEdit(thisNodeCanEdit);
+    bool thisNodeCanAdjustLocks;
+    packetStream >> thisNodeCanAdjustLocks;
+    setThisNodeCanAdjustLocks(thisNodeCanAdjustLocks);
     
     // pull each node in the packet
     while(packetStream.device()->pos() < packet.size()) {
@@ -389,9 +389,9 @@ int NodeList::processDomainServerList(const QByteArray& packet) {
         qint8 nodeType;
         QUuid nodeUUID, connectionUUID;
         HifiSockAddr nodePublicSocket, nodeLocalSocket;
-        bool canEdit;
+        bool canAdjustLocks;
 
-        packetStream >> nodeType >> nodeUUID >> nodePublicSocket >> nodeLocalSocket >> canEdit;
+        packetStream >> nodeType >> nodeUUID >> nodePublicSocket >> nodeLocalSocket >> canAdjustLocks;
 
         // if the public socket address is 0 then it's reachable at the same IP
         // as the domain server
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ int NodeList::processDomainServerList(const QByteArray& packet) {
             nodePublicSocket.setAddress(_domainHandler.getIP());
         }
 
-        SharedNodePointer node = addOrUpdateNode(nodeUUID, nodeType, nodePublicSocket, nodeLocalSocket, canEdit);
+        SharedNodePointer node = addOrUpdateNode(nodeUUID, nodeType, nodePublicSocket, nodeLocalSocket, canAdjustLocks);
         
         packetStream >> connectionUUID;
         node->setConnectionSecret(connectionUUID);
diff --git a/tests/octree/src/ModelTests.cpp b/tests/octree/src/ModelTests.cpp
index 3666759de4..00cb3901e5 100644
--- a/tests/octree/src/ModelTests.cpp
+++ b/tests/octree/src/ModelTests.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void EntityTests::entityTreeTests(bool verbose) {
 
         properties.setPosition(newPosition);
 
-        tree.updateEntity(entityID, properties);
+        tree.updateEntity(entityID, properties, true);
         
         float targetRadius = oneMeter * 2.0 / (float)TREE_SCALE; // in tree units
         const EntityItem* foundEntityByRadius = tree.findClosestEntity(positionNearOriginInTreeUnits, targetRadius);
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void EntityTests::entityTreeTests(bool verbose) {
 
         properties.setPosition(newPosition);
 
-        tree.updateEntity(entityID, properties);
+        tree.updateEntity(entityID, properties, true);
         
         float targetRadius = oneMeter * 2.0 / (float)TREE_SCALE; // in tree units
         const EntityItem* foundEntityByRadius = tree.findClosestEntity(positionAtCenterInTreeUnits, targetRadius);