diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index f879e62bcf..cfc8877bec 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ wxMSW:
 - Added wxSP_NO_XP_THEME style to wxSplitterWindow to switch off
   XP theming (some applications look bad without 3D borders)
 - wxMenuBar::GetLabelTop() doesn't include '&'s in the label any more
+- wxRegConf couldn't read global settings without admin privileges and didn't
+  even try to do it by default -- now it does
 
 
 2.5.1
diff --git a/src/msw/regconf.cpp b/src/msw/regconf.cpp
index 8428fb5341..39a13a4bc4 100644
--- a/src/msw/regconf.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/regconf.cpp
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ wxRegConfig::wxRegConfig(const wxString& appName, const wxString& vendorName,
   if ( bDoUseGlobal )
   {
     wxLogNull nolog;
-    m_keyGlobalRoot.Open();
-    m_keyGlobal.Open();
+    m_keyGlobalRoot.Open(wxRegKey::Read);
+    m_keyGlobal.Open(wxRegKey::Read);
   }
 }
 
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ void wxRegConfig::SetPath(const wxString& strPath)
       m_keyGlobal.SetName(m_keyGlobalRoot, strRegPath);
 
       wxLogNull nolog;
-      m_keyGlobal.Open();
+      m_keyGlobal.Open(wxRegKey::Read);
     }
 }