diff --git a/hw/core/cpu-system.c b/hw/core/cpu-system.c
index 6aae28a349..6e307c8959 100644
--- a/hw/core/cpu-system.c
+++ b/hw/core/cpu-system.c
@@ -51,13 +51,18 @@ hwaddr cpu_get_phys_page_attrs_debug(CPUState *cpu, vaddr addr,
                                      MemTxAttrs *attrs)
 {
     CPUClass *cc = CPU_GET_CLASS(cpu);
+    hwaddr paddr;
 
     if (cc->sysemu_ops->get_phys_page_attrs_debug) {
-        return cc->sysemu_ops->get_phys_page_attrs_debug(cpu, addr, attrs);
+        paddr = cc->sysemu_ops->get_phys_page_attrs_debug(cpu, addr, attrs);
+    } else {
+        /* Fallback for CPUs which don't implement the _attrs_ hook */
+        *attrs = MEMTXATTRS_UNSPECIFIED;
+        paddr = cc->sysemu_ops->get_phys_page_debug(cpu, addr);
     }
-    /* Fallback for CPUs which don't implement the _attrs_ hook */
-    *attrs = MEMTXATTRS_UNSPECIFIED;
-    return cc->sysemu_ops->get_phys_page_debug(cpu, addr);
+    /* Indicate that this is a debug access. */
+    attrs->debug = 1;
+    return paddr;
 }
 
 hwaddr cpu_get_phys_page_debug(CPUState *cpu, vaddr addr)
diff --git a/include/exec/memattrs.h b/include/exec/memattrs.h
index 060b7e7131..8db1d30464 100644
--- a/include/exec/memattrs.h
+++ b/include/exec/memattrs.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ typedef struct MemTxAttrs {
      * (see MEMTX_ACCESS_ERROR).
      */
     unsigned int memory:1;
+    /* Debug access that can even write to ROM. */
+    unsigned int debug:1;
     /* Requester ID (for MSI for example) */
     unsigned int requester_id:16;
 
@@ -56,7 +58,8 @@ typedef struct MemTxAttrs {
      * Bus masters which don't specify any attributes will get this
      * (via the MEMTXATTRS_UNSPECIFIED constant), so that we can
      * distinguish "all attributes deliberately clear" from
-     * "didn't specify" if necessary.
+     * "didn't specify" if necessary. "debug" can be set alongside
+     * "unspecified".
      */
     bool unspecified;
 
diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index b18ecf933e..78c4e0aec8 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -3018,7 +3018,8 @@ static inline bool memory_access_is_direct(MemoryRegion *mr, bool is_write,
     if (!memory_region_supports_direct_access(mr)) {
         return false;
     }
-    if (is_write) {
+    /* Debug access can write to ROM. */
+    if (is_write && !attrs.debug) {
         return !mr->readonly && !mr->rom_device;
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/system/physmem.c b/system/physmem.c
index 8745c10c9d..d3efdf13d3 100644
--- a/system/physmem.c
+++ b/system/physmem.c
@@ -3680,13 +3680,8 @@ int cpu_memory_rw_debug(CPUState *cpu, vaddr addr,
         if (l > len)
             l = len;
         phys_addr += (addr & ~TARGET_PAGE_MASK);
-        if (is_write) {
-            res = address_space_write_rom(cpu->cpu_ases[asidx].as, phys_addr,
-                                          attrs, buf, l);
-        } else {
-            res = address_space_read(cpu->cpu_ases[asidx].as, phys_addr,
-                                     attrs, buf, l);
-        }
+        res = address_space_rw(cpu->cpu_ases[asidx].as, phys_addr, attrs, buf,
+                               l, is_write);
         if (res != MEMTX_OK) {
             return -1;
         }