diff --git a/backend/meta/none.go b/backend/meta/none.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6e4844
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/meta/none.go
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Versity Software
+// This file is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+// (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+// with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+package meta
+
+import (
+	"os"
+)
+
+// NoMeta is a metadata storer that does not store metadata.
+// This can be useful for read only mounts where attempting to store metadata
+// would fail.
+type NoMeta struct{}
+
+// RetrieveAttribute retrieves the value of a specific attribute for an object or a bucket.
+// always returns ErrNoSuchKey
+func (NoMeta) RetrieveAttribute(_ *os.File, _, _, _ string) ([]byte, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNoSuchKey
+}
+
+// StoreAttribute stores the value of a specific attribute for an object or a bucket.
+// always returns nil without storing the attribute
+func (NoMeta) StoreAttribute(_ *os.File, _, _, _ string, _ []byte) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// DeleteAttribute removes the value of a specific attribute for an object or a bucket.
+// always returns nil without deleting the attribute
+func (NoMeta) DeleteAttribute(_, _, _ string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// ListAttributes lists all attributes for an object or a bucket.
+// always returns an empty list of attributes
+func (NoMeta) ListAttributes(_, _ string) ([]string, error) {
+	return []string{}, nil
+}
+
+// DeleteAttributes removes all attributes for an object or a bucket.
+// always returns nil without deleting any attributes
+func (NoMeta) DeleteAttributes(bucket, object string) error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/backend/meta/sidecar.go b/backend/meta/sidecar.go
index cf19665..253d52c 100644
--- a/backend/meta/sidecar.go
+++ b/backend/meta/sidecar.go
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+// Copyright 2025 Versity Software
+// This file is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+// (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+// with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
 package meta
 
 import (
diff --git a/cmd/versitygw/posix.go b/cmd/versitygw/posix.go
index 9ff8177..79d8fc0 100644
--- a/cmd/versitygw/posix.go
+++ b/cmd/versitygw/posix.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ var (
 	versioningDir      string
 	dirPerms           uint
 	sidecar            string
+	nometa             bool
 )
 
 func posixCommand() *cli.Command {
@@ -86,6 +87,12 @@ will be translated into the file /mnt/fs/gwroot/mybucket/a/b/c/myobject`,
 				EnvVars:     []string{"VGW_META_SIDECAR"},
 				Destination: &sidecar,
 			},
+			&cli.BoolFlag{
+				Name:        "nometa",
+				Usage:       "disable metadata storage",
+				EnvVars:     []string{"VGW_META_NONE"},
+				Destination: &nometa,
+			},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -101,6 +108,10 @@ func runPosix(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid directory permissions: %d", dirPerms)
 	}
 
+	if nometa && sidecar != "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot use both nometa and sidecar metadata")
+	}
+
 	opts := posix.PosixOpts{
 		ChownUID:      chownuid,
 		ChownGID:      chowngid,
@@ -118,6 +129,8 @@ func runPosix(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		}
 		ms = sc
 		opts.SideCarDir = sidecar
+	case nometa:
+		ms = meta.NoMeta{}
 	default:
 		ms = meta.XattrMeta{}
 		err := meta.XattrMeta{}.Test(gwroot)