diff --git a/utcaApp/src/afc_timing.cpp b/utcaApp/src/afc_timing.cpp
index 6cecfc9..ec9852c 100644
--- a/utcaApp/src/afc_timing.cpp
+++ b/utcaApp/src/afc_timing.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class AFCTiming: public UDriver {
               {"CH_POL", p_decoder_controller},
               {"CH_LOG", p_decoder_controller},
               {"CH_ITL", p_decoder_controller},
-              {"CH_SRC", p_ch_src},
+              ParamInit{"CH_SRC", p_ch_src}.set_dc(),
               {"CH_DIR", p_decoder_controller},
               {"CH_PULSES", p_decoder_controller},
               ParamInit{"CH_COUNT_RST", p_decoder_controller}.set_wo(),
@@ -72,8 +72,6 @@ class AFCTiming: public UDriver {
         dec.set_devinfo(v);
         ctl.set_devinfo(v);
 
-        parameter_props.at(p_ch_src).write_decoder_controller = true;
-
         createParam("FREQ", asynParamFloat64, &p_freq);
 
         read_parameters();
diff --git a/utcaApp/src/fmcpico1m_4ch.cpp b/utcaApp/src/fmcpico1m_4ch.cpp
index 6b21055..af2164f 100644
--- a/utcaApp/src/fmcpico1m_4ch.cpp
+++ b/utcaApp/src/fmcpico1m_4ch.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class FMCPico: public UDriver {
           ::number_of_channels,
           { },
           {
-              {"RANGE", p_range},
+              ParamInit{"RANGE", p_range}.set_dc(),
           },
           &ctl),
       dec(bars),
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ class FMCPico: public UDriver {
         dec.set_devinfo(v);
         ctl.set_devinfo(v);
 
-        parameter_props.at(p_range).write_decoder_controller = true;
-
         read_parameters();
     }
 
diff --git a/utcaApp/src/rtmlamp.cpp b/utcaApp/src/rtmlamp.cpp
index 10ed018..611c010 100644
--- a/utcaApp/src/rtmlamp.cpp
+++ b/utcaApp/src/rtmlamp.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class RtmLamp: public UDriver {
               {"AMP_STATUS", p_read_only},
               {"AMP_STATUS_LATCH", p_read_only},
               {"AMP_EN", p_decoder_controller},
-              {"MODE", p_mode},
+              ParamInit{"MODE", p_mode}.set_dc(),
               {"TRIG_EN", p_decoder_controller},
               {"RST_LATCH", p_decoder_controller},
               {"PI_KP", p_decoder_controller},
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ class RtmLamp: public UDriver {
         dec.set_devinfo(v);
         ctl.set_devinfo(v);
 
-        parameter_props.at(p_mode).write_decoder_controller = true;
-
         read_parameters();
     }
 
diff --git a/utcaApp/src/udriver.h b/utcaApp/src/udriver.h
index cc6149c..424a9b4 100644
--- a/utcaApp/src/udriver.h
+++ b/utcaApp/src/udriver.h
@@ -24,20 +24,47 @@
 #include "enumerate.h"
 #include "pcie-single.h"
 
+namespace {
+struct read_only_struct {} const p_read_only;
+struct decoder_controller_struct {} const p_decoder_controller;
+}
+
 struct ParamInit {
     const char *name;
-    int &parameter;
+    int *parameter = nullptr;
     std::optional<unsigned> number_of_channels = std::nullopt;
     asynParamType type;
+    bool decoder_controller = false;
+    bool read_only = false;
     bool write_only = false;
 
     ParamInit(const char *name, int &parameter, asynParamType type = asynParamInt32):
         name(name),
-        parameter(parameter),
+        parameter(&parameter),
         type(type)
     {
     }
 
+    ParamInit(const char *name, const decoder_controller_struct &, asynParamType type = asynParamInt32):
+        name(name),
+        type(type),
+        decoder_controller(true)
+    {
+    }
+
+    ParamInit(const char *name, const read_only_struct &, asynParamType type = asynParamInt32):
+        name(name),
+        type(type),
+        read_only(true)
+    {
+    }
+
+    ParamInit set_dc()
+    {
+        decoder_controller = true;
+        return *this;
+    }
+
     ParamInit set_nc(unsigned new_number_of_channels)
     {
         number_of_channels = new_number_of_channels;
@@ -59,17 +86,17 @@ class UDriver: public asynPortDriver {
     static const unsigned UDRIVER_PARAMS = 2;
     unsigned scan_counter = 0;
 
-  protected:
     struct parameter_props {
         unsigned number_of_channels;
         asynParamType type;
         bool is_general;
+        bool read_only;
         bool write_only;
         bool write_decoder_controller;
     };
     std::vector<parameter_props> parameter_props;
 
-    static inline int p_read_only = 0, p_decoder_controller = 0;
+  protected:
     unsigned number_of_channels;
     int port_number;
 
@@ -105,18 +132,13 @@ class UDriver: public asynPortDriver {
         parameter_props.resize(UDRIVER_PARAMS);
 
         auto create_params = [this](auto const &nai, bool is_general) {
-            for (auto &&[i, v]: enumerate(nai)) {
+            for (auto &[str, p, nc, t, dc, ro, wo]: nai) {
                 int p_tmp;
-                auto &&[str, p, nc, t, wo] = v;
 
-                /* if p is p_read_only or p_decoder_controller, we use a
-                 * temporary variable to avoid any issues with simultaneous
-                 * access to them */
-                bool use_tmp = &p == &p_read_only || &p == &p_decoder_controller;
-                int *pp = use_tmp ? &p_tmp : &p;
+                int *pp = p ? p : &p_tmp;
                 createParam(str, t, pp);
 
-                if (&p == &p_decoder_controller)
+                if (dc)
                     assert(this->generic_decoder_controller);
 
                 assert((int)parameter_props.size() == *pp);
@@ -124,8 +146,9 @@ class UDriver: public asynPortDriver {
                     .number_of_channels = nc ? *nc : this->number_of_channels,
                     .type = t,
                     .is_general = is_general,
+                    .read_only = ro,
                     .write_only = wo,
-                    .write_decoder_controller = (&p == &p_decoder_controller),
+                    .write_decoder_controller = dc,
                 });
             }
         };
@@ -285,6 +308,13 @@ class UDriver: public asynPortDriver {
         if ((unsigned)function >= parameter_props.size())
             return call_write_impl();
 
+        if (parameter_props.at(function).read_only) {
+            epicsSnprintf(pasynUser->errorMessage, pasynUser->errorMessageSize,
+                "writeGeneral: %s: read-only parameter", param_name);
+
+            return asynError;
+        }
+
         if (parameter_props.at(function).is_general && addr != 0) {
             epicsSnprintf(pasynUser->errorMessage, pasynUser->errorMessageSize,
                 "writeGeneral: %s: general parameter with addr=%d (should be 0)", param_name, addr);