diff --git a/hw/block/pflash_cfi01.c b/hw/block/pflash_cfi01.c
index 3ff20e0c6f..63d7c9951f 100644
--- a/hw/block/pflash_cfi01.c
+++ b/hw/block/pflash_cfi01.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ static void pflash_timer (void *opaque)
     DPRINTF("%s: command %02x done\n", __func__, pfl->cmd);
     /* Reset flash */
     pfl->status ^= 0x80;
-    memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(&pfl->mem, true);
+    memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(&pfl->mem, true);
     pfl->wcycle = 0;
     pfl->cmd = 0;
 }
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ static void pflash_write(pflash_t *pfl, hwaddr offset,
 
     if (!pfl->wcycle) {
         /* Set the device in I/O access mode */
-        memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(&pfl->mem, false);
+        memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(&pfl->mem, false);
     }
 
     switch (pfl->wcycle) {
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ static void pflash_write(pflash_t *pfl, hwaddr offset,
                   "\n", __func__, offset, pfl->wcycle, pfl->cmd, value);
 
  reset_flash:
-    memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(&pfl->mem, true);
+    memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(&pfl->mem, true);
 
     pfl->wcycle = 0;
     pfl->cmd = 0;
diff --git a/hw/block/pflash_cfi02.c b/hw/block/pflash_cfi02.c
index 9a7fa707ca..5f25246926 100644
--- a/hw/block/pflash_cfi02.c
+++ b/hw/block/pflash_cfi02.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static void pflash_setup_mappings(pflash_t *pfl)
 
 static void pflash_register_memory(pflash_t *pfl, int rom_mode)
 {
-    memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(&pfl->orig_mem, rom_mode);
+    memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(&pfl->orig_mem, rom_mode);
     pfl->rom_mode = rom_mode;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index 329ffb191d..e1208e476f 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ struct MemoryRegion {
     ram_addr_t ram_addr;
     bool subpage;
     bool terminates;
-    bool readable;
+    bool romd_mode;
     bool ram;
     bool readonly; /* For RAM regions */
     bool enabled;
@@ -355,16 +355,16 @@ uint64_t memory_region_size(MemoryRegion *mr);
 bool memory_region_is_ram(MemoryRegion *mr);
 
 /**
- * memory_region_is_romd: check whether a memory region is ROMD
+ * memory_region_is_romd: check whether a memory region is in ROMD mode
  *
- * Returns %true is a memory region is ROMD and currently set to allow
+ * Returns %true if a memory region is a ROM device and currently set to allow
  * direct reads.
  *
  * @mr: the memory region being queried
  */
 static inline bool memory_region_is_romd(MemoryRegion *mr)
 {
-    return mr->rom_device && mr->readable;
+    return mr->rom_device && mr->romd_mode;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -502,18 +502,18 @@ void memory_region_reset_dirty(MemoryRegion *mr, hwaddr addr,
 void memory_region_set_readonly(MemoryRegion *mr, bool readonly);
 
 /**
- * memory_region_rom_device_set_readable: enable/disable ROM readability
+ * memory_region_rom_device_set_romd: enable/disable ROMD mode
  *
  * Allows a ROM device (initialized with memory_region_init_rom_device() to
- * to be marked as readable (default) or not readable.  When it is readable,
- * the device is mapped to guest memory.  When not readable, reads are
- * forwarded to the #MemoryRegion.read function.
+ * set to ROMD mode (default) or MMIO mode.  When it is in ROMD mode, the
+ * device is mapped to guest memory and satisfies read access directly.
+ * When in MMIO mode, reads are forwarded to the #MemoryRegion.read function.
+ * Writes are always handled by the #MemoryRegion.write function.
  *
  * @mr: the memory region to be updated
- * @readable: whether reads are satisified directly (%true) or via callbacks
- *            (%false)
+ * @romd_mode: %true to put the region into ROMD mode
  */
-void memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(MemoryRegion *mr, bool readable);
+void memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(MemoryRegion *mr, bool romd_mode);
 
 /**
  * memory_region_set_coalescing: Enable memory coalescing for the region.
diff --git a/memory.c b/memory.c
index 34bfb13894..013464b107 100644
--- a/memory.c
+++ b/memory.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ struct FlatRange {
     hwaddr offset_in_region;
     AddrRange addr;
     uint8_t dirty_log_mask;
-    bool readable;
+    bool romd_mode;
     bool readonly;
 };
 
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static bool flatrange_equal(FlatRange *a, FlatRange *b)
     return a->mr == b->mr
         && addrrange_equal(a->addr, b->addr)
         && a->offset_in_region == b->offset_in_region
-        && a->readable == b->readable
+        && a->romd_mode == b->romd_mode
         && a->readonly == b->readonly;
 }
 
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ static bool can_merge(FlatRange *r1, FlatRange *r2)
                                 r1->addr.size),
                      int128_make64(r2->offset_in_region))
         && r1->dirty_log_mask == r2->dirty_log_mask
-        && r1->readable == r2->readable
+        && r1->romd_mode == r2->romd_mode
         && r1->readonly == r2->readonly;
 }
 
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ static void render_memory_region(FlatView *view,
             fr.offset_in_region = offset_in_region;
             fr.addr = addrrange_make(base, now);
             fr.dirty_log_mask = mr->dirty_log_mask;
-            fr.readable = mr->readable;
+            fr.romd_mode = mr->romd_mode;
             fr.readonly = readonly;
             flatview_insert(view, i, &fr);
             ++i;
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ static void render_memory_region(FlatView *view,
         fr.offset_in_region = offset_in_region;
         fr.addr = addrrange_make(base, remain);
         fr.dirty_log_mask = mr->dirty_log_mask;
-        fr.readable = mr->readable;
+        fr.romd_mode = mr->romd_mode;
         fr.readonly = readonly;
         flatview_insert(view, i, &fr);
     }
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ void memory_region_init(MemoryRegion *mr,
     mr->enabled = true;
     mr->terminates = false;
     mr->ram = false;
-    mr->readable = true;
+    mr->romd_mode = true;
     mr->readonly = false;
     mr->rom_device = false;
     mr->destructor = memory_region_destructor_none;
@@ -1121,11 +1121,11 @@ void memory_region_set_readonly(MemoryRegion *mr, bool readonly)
     }
 }
 
-void memory_region_rom_device_set_readable(MemoryRegion *mr, bool readable)
+void memory_region_rom_device_set_romd(MemoryRegion *mr, bool romd_mode)
 {
-    if (mr->readable != readable) {
+    if (mr->romd_mode != romd_mode) {
         memory_region_transaction_begin();
-        mr->readable = readable;
+        mr->romd_mode = romd_mode;
         memory_region_update_pending |= mr->enabled;
         memory_region_transaction_commit();
     }
@@ -1659,9 +1659,9 @@ static void mtree_print_mr(fprintf_function mon_printf, void *f,
                    base + mr->addr
                    + (hwaddr)int128_get64(mr->size) - 1,
                    mr->priority,
-                   mr->readable ? 'R' : '-',
-                   !mr->readonly && !(mr->rom_device && mr->readable) ? 'W'
-                                                                      : '-',
+                   mr->romd_mode ? 'R' : '-',
+                   !mr->readonly && !(mr->rom_device && mr->romd_mode) ? 'W'
+                                                                       : '-',
                    mr->name,
                    mr->alias->name,
                    mr->alias_offset,
@@ -1674,9 +1674,9 @@ static void mtree_print_mr(fprintf_function mon_printf, void *f,
                    base + mr->addr
                    + (hwaddr)int128_get64(mr->size) - 1,
                    mr->priority,
-                   mr->readable ? 'R' : '-',
-                   !mr->readonly && !(mr->rom_device && mr->readable) ? 'W'
-                                                                      : '-',
+                   mr->romd_mode ? 'R' : '-',
+                   !mr->readonly && !(mr->rom_device && mr->romd_mode) ? 'W'
+                                                                       : '-',
                    mr->name);
     }