diff --git a/src/BootstrapRTE/widget/BootstrapRTE.js b/src/BootstrapRTE/widget/BootstrapRTE.js
index 18e879d..12cba2f 100644
--- a/src/BootstrapRTE/widget/BootstrapRTE.js
+++ b/src/BootstrapRTE/widget/BootstrapRTE.js
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@ define([
 
                 if (this.readOnly || this.get("disabled") || this.readonly || this._strReadOnly()) {
                     this._readOnly = true;
+
+                    this._disableEditing();//in case the widget is already constructed
                 }
 
                 // set the content on update
@@ -129,6 +131,16 @@ define([
             this._executeCallback(callback, "update");
         },
 
+        _disableEditing: function() {
+          try {
+            $(this.inputNode).attr("contenteditable", "false");
+            $("#" + this._toolbarId).find("a").addClass("disabled");
+          }
+          catch ( e )  {
+            logger.debug(e);
+          }
+        },
+
         _setupWidget: function (callback) {
             logger.debug(this.id + "._setupWidget");
             this._setup = true;
@@ -269,8 +281,7 @@ define([
             });
 
             if (this._readOnly) {
-                $(this.inputNode).attr("contenteditable", "false");
-                $("#" + this._toolbarId).find("a").addClass("disabled");
+                this._disableEditing();
             }
 
             this._addListeners();
diff --git a/test/widgets/BootstrapRTE.mpk b/test/widgets/BootstrapRTE.mpk
index dd1cd96..3bb56e2 100644
Binary files a/test/widgets/BootstrapRTE.mpk and b/test/widgets/BootstrapRTE.mpk differ