diff --git a/src/sbbs3/ctrl/NodeFormUnit.cpp b/src/sbbs3/ctrl/NodeFormUnit.cpp
index 034b91b570269cd2dbe2d5f89b50c66813e4d4c5..c9d5a95e5b5e8850073de7ee31b592ee612db1b8 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/ctrl/NodeFormUnit.cpp
+++ b/src/sbbs3/ctrl/NodeFormUnit.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ void __fastcall TNodeForm::TimerTick(TObject *Sender)
 
     if(nodedab<1) {
     	nodedab=_sopen(AnsiString(MainForm->CtrlDirectory+"NODE.DAB").c_str()
-        	,O_RDWR|O_BINARY|O_CREAT, SH_DENYNONE, S_IREAD|S_IWRITE);
+        	,O_RDONLY|O_BINARY|O_CREAT, SH_DENYNONE, S_IREAD|S_IWRITE);
 		if(nodedab==-1) {
 		    ListBox->Items->Clear();
         	ListBox->Items->Add("Error opening NODE.DAB");