diff --git a/src/env.cpp b/src/env.cpp
index dbb85ed66..2d25cb5de 100644
--- a/src/env.cpp
+++ b/src/env.cpp
@@ -1184,6 +1184,7 @@ static int env_set_internal(const wcstring &key, env_mode_flags_t input_var_mode
 
             var.set_vals(std::move(val));
             var.set_pathvar(var_mode & ENV_PATHVAR);
+            var.set_read_only(is_read_only(key));
 
             if (var_mode & ENV_EXPORT) {
                 // The new variable is exported.
diff --git a/src/env.h b/src/env.h
index 30fb4ab0d..f055eb623 100644
--- a/src/env.h
+++ b/src/env.h
@@ -122,6 +122,14 @@ class env_var_t {
         }
     }
 
+    void set_read_only(bool read_only) {
+        if (read_only) {
+            flags |= flag_read_only;
+        } else {
+            flags &= ~flag_read_only;
+        }
+    }
+
     static env_var_flags_t flags_for(const wchar_t *name);
 
     env_var_t &operator=(const env_var_t &var) = default;
diff --git a/tests/test1.err b/tests/test1.err
index 5e9cda705..e5a978376 100644
--- a/tests/test1.err
+++ b/tests/test1.err
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ fish: You cannot use read-only variable 'status' in a for loop
 for status in a b c
     ^
 
+####################
+# That goes for non-electric ones as well (#5548)
+fish: You cannot use read-only variable 'hostname' in a for loop
+for hostname in a b c
+    ^
+
 ####################
 # For loop control vars available outside the for block
 
diff --git a/tests/test1.in b/tests/test1.in
index 104f984ea..7f0f1dcaa 100644
--- a/tests/test1.in
+++ b/tests/test1.in
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ for status in a b c
   echo $status
 end
 
+logmsg "That goes for non-electric ones as well (#5548)"
+for hostname in a b c
+    echo $hostname
+end
+
 logmsg For loop control vars available outside the for block
 begin
   set -l loop_var initial-value
diff --git a/tests/test1.out b/tests/test1.out
index 56fd4f64d..b3b075fab 100644
--- a/tests/test1.out
+++ b/tests/test1.out
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ Checking for infinite loops in no-execute
 ####################
 # For loops with read-only vars is an error (#4342)
 
+####################
+# That goes for non-electric ones as well (#5548)
+
 ####################
 # For loop control vars available outside the for block
 $loop_var: set in local scope, unexported, with 1 elements