diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_mark.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_mark.go
index cb3e5c0bc..19b614310 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_mark.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_mark.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package shell
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle"
@@ -19,9 +20,9 @@ func (c *commandVolumeMark) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (c *commandVolumeMark) Help() string {
-	return `Mark volume readonly from one volume server
+	return `Mark volume writable or readonly from one volume server
 
-	volume.mark -node <volume server host:port> -volumeId <volume id> -readonly true
+	volume.mark -node <volume server host:port> -volumeId <volume id> -writable or -readonly
 `
 }
 
@@ -34,14 +35,21 @@ func (c *commandVolumeMark) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer io.
 	volMarkCommand := flag.NewFlagSet(c.Name(), flag.ContinueOnError)
 	volumeIdInt := volMarkCommand.Int("volumeId", 0, "the volume id")
 	nodeStr := volMarkCommand.String("node", "", "the volume server <host>:<port>")
-	writable := volMarkCommand.Bool("writable", true, "volume mark writable/readonly")
+	writable := volMarkCommand.Bool("writable", false, "volume mark writable")
+	readonly := volMarkCommand.Bool("readonly", false, "volume mark readonly")
 	if err = volMarkCommand.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	markWritable := false
+	if (*writable && *readonly) || (!*writable && !*readonly) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("use -readonly or -writable")
+	} else if *writable {
+		markWritable = true
+	}
 
 	sourceVolumeServer := *nodeStr
 
 	volumeId := needle.VolumeId(*volumeIdInt)
 
-	return markVolumeWritable(commandEnv.option.GrpcDialOption, volumeId, sourceVolumeServer, *writable)
+	return markVolumeWritable(commandEnv.option.GrpcDialOption, volumeId, sourceVolumeServer, markWritable)
 }