diff --git a/lib/Service/ApiService.php b/lib/Service/ApiService.php
index e50afa81650..f1e97eaad13 100644
--- a/lib/Service/ApiService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/ApiService.php
@@ -129,7 +129,10 @@ public function create(?int $fileId = null, ?string $filePath = null, ?string $b
 
 		$hasOwner = $file->getOwner() !== null;
 
-		if (!$readOnly) {
+		// Disable file locking for Readme.md files, because in the
+		// current setup, this makes it almost impossible to delete these files.
+		/** @psalm-suppress RedundantCastGivenDocblockType */
+		if (!$readOnly && strcasecmp((string)$file->getName(), 'Readme.md') !== 0) {
 			$isLocked = $this->documentService->lock($file->getId());
 			if (!$isLocked) {
 				$readOnly = true;