diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/fix-set-boot-mode-forbidden-085efb2aea6987ff.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/fix-set-boot-mode-forbidden-085efb2aea6987ff.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f58da051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/fix-set-boot-mode-forbidden-085efb2aea6987ff.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes ``libvirtError: operation forbidden`` when setting boot mode
+
diff --git a/sushy_tools/emulator/resources/systems/libvirtdriver.py b/sushy_tools/emulator/resources/systems/libvirtdriver.py
index 18160310..0900ad69 100644
--- a/sushy_tools/emulator/resources/systems/libvirtdriver.py
+++ b/sushy_tools/emulator/resources/systems/libvirtdriver.py
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ class LibvirtDriver(AbstractSystemsDriver):
         :raises: `error.FishyError` if boot mode can't be set
         """
 
-        domain = self._get_domain(identity, readonly=True)
+        domain = self._get_domain(identity)
 
         # XML schema:
         # https://libvirt.org/formatdomain.html#operating-system-booting
diff --git a/sushy_tools/tests/unit/emulator/resources/systems/test_libvirt.py b/sushy_tools/tests/unit/emulator/resources/systems/test_libvirt.py
index d63a4bde..b9b7352a 100644
--- a/sushy_tools/tests/unit/emulator/resources/systems/test_libvirt.py
+++ b/sushy_tools/tests/unit/emulator/resources/systems/test_libvirt.py
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ class LibvirtDriverTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
         with open('sushy_tools/tests/unit/emulator/domain.xml', 'r') as f:
             data = f.read()
 
-        conn_mock = libvirt_mock.return_value
+        conn_mock = libvirt_rw_mock.return_value
         domain_mock = conn_mock.lookupByUUID.return_value
         domain_mock.XMLDesc.return_value = data
 
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ class LibvirtDriverTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
                   'r') as f:
             data = f.read()
 
-        conn_mock = libvirt_mock.return_value
+        conn_mock = libvirt_rw_mock.return_value
         domain_mock = conn_mock.lookupByUUID.return_value
         domain_mock.XMLDesc.return_value = data
 
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class LibvirtDriverTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
 
         data = ET.tostring(tree)
 
-        conn_mock = libvirt_mock.return_value
+        conn_mock = libvirt_rw_mock.return_value
         domain_mock = conn_mock.lookupByUUID.return_value
         domain_mock.XMLDesc.return_value = data
 
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ class LibvirtDriverTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
 
         data = ET.tostring(tree)
 
-        conn_mock = libvirt_mock.return_value
+        conn_mock = libvirt_rw_mock.return_value
         domain_mock = conn_mock.lookupByUUID.return_value
         domain_mock.XMLDesc.return_value = data
 
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ class LibvirtDriverTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
 
         data = ET.tostring(tree)
 
-        conn_mock = libvirt_mock.return_value
+        conn_mock = libvirt_rw_mock.return_value
         domain_mock = conn_mock.lookupByUUID.return_value
         domain_mock.XMLDesc.return_value = data