diff --git a/weed/command/scaffold.go b/weed/command/scaffold.go
index 242bdddd7..08efc50eb 100644
--- a/weed/command/scaffold.go
+++ b/weed/command/scaffold.go
@@ -277,8 +277,14 @@ directory = "/"                # destination directory
 key = ""
 expires_after_seconds = 10           # seconds
 
+# jwt for read is only supported with master+volume setup. Filer does not support this mode.
+[jwt.signing.read]
+key = ""
+expires_after_seconds = 10           # seconds
+
 # all grpc tls authentications are mutual
 # the values for the following ca, cert, and key are paths to the PERM files.
+# the host name is not checked, so the PERM files can be shared.
 [grpc]
 ca = ""
 
diff --git a/weed/security/guard.go b/weed/security/guard.go
index 5d25d8327..17fe2ea9e 100644
--- a/weed/security/guard.go
+++ b/weed/security/guard.go
@@ -41,21 +41,29 @@ https://github.com/pkieltyka/jwtauth/blob/master/jwtauth.go
 
 */
 type Guard struct {
-	whiteList       []string
-	SigningKey      SigningKey
-	ExpiresAfterSec int
+	whiteList           []string
+	SigningKey          SigningKey
+	ExpiresAfterSec     int
+	ReadSigningKey      SigningKey
+	ReadExpiresAfterSec int
 
-	isActive bool
+	isWriteActive bool
 }
 
-func NewGuard(whiteList []string, signingKey string, expiresAfterSec int) *Guard {
-	g := &Guard{whiteList: whiteList, SigningKey: SigningKey(signingKey), ExpiresAfterSec: expiresAfterSec}
-	g.isActive = len(g.whiteList) != 0 || len(g.SigningKey) != 0
+func NewGuard(whiteList []string, signingKey string, expiresAfterSec int, readSigningKey string, readExpiresAfterSec int) *Guard {
+	g := &Guard{
+		whiteList:           whiteList,
+		SigningKey:          SigningKey(signingKey),
+		ExpiresAfterSec:     expiresAfterSec,
+		ReadSigningKey:      SigningKey(readSigningKey),
+		ReadExpiresAfterSec: readExpiresAfterSec,
+	}
+	g.isWriteActive = len(g.whiteList) != 0 || len(g.SigningKey) != 0
 	return g
 }
 
 func (g *Guard) WhiteList(f func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)) func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	if !g.isActive {
+	if !g.isWriteActive {
 		//if no security needed, just skip all checking
 		return f
 	}
diff --git a/weed/server/master_server.go b/weed/server/master_server.go
index 8a51dc828..0076ed1f1 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_server.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ func NewMasterServer(r *mux.Router, port int, metaFolder string,
 	v.SetDefault("jwt.signing.expires_after_seconds", 10)
 	expiresAfterSec := v.GetInt("jwt.signing.expires_after_seconds")
 
+	readSigningKey := v.GetString("jwt.signing.read.key")
+	v.SetDefault("jwt.signing.read.expires_after_seconds", 60)
+	readExpiresAfterSec := v.GetInt("jwt.signing.read.expires_after_seconds")
+
 	var preallocateSize int64
 	if preallocate {
 		preallocateSize = int64(volumeSizeLimitMB) * (1 << 20)
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ func NewMasterServer(r *mux.Router, port int, metaFolder string,
 	ms.vg = topology.NewDefaultVolumeGrowth()
 	glog.V(0).Infoln("Volume Size Limit is", volumeSizeLimitMB, "MB")
 
-	ms.guard = security.NewGuard(whiteList, signingKey, expiresAfterSec)
+	ms.guard = security.NewGuard(whiteList, signingKey, expiresAfterSec, readSigningKey, readExpiresAfterSec)
 
 	if !disableHttp {
 		handleStaticResources2(r)
diff --git a/weed/server/master_server_handlers.go b/weed/server/master_server_handlers.go
index 1c5b11565..5c7ff41cf 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_server_handlers.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_server_handlers.go
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) dirLookupHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	if location.Error != "" {
 		httpStatus = http.StatusNotFound
 	} else {
-		ms.maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w, fileId)
+		forRead := r.FormValue("read")
+		isRead := forRead == "yes"
+		ms.maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w, fileId, !isRead)
 	}
 	writeJsonQuiet(w, r, httpStatus, location)
 }
@@ -102,17 +104,23 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) dirAssignHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	}
 	fid, count, dn, err := ms.Topo.PickForWrite(requestedCount, option)
 	if err == nil {
-		ms.maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w, fid)
+		ms.maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w, fid, true)
 		writeJsonQuiet(w, r, http.StatusOK, operation.AssignResult{Fid: fid, Url: dn.Url(), PublicUrl: dn.PublicUrl, Count: count})
 	} else {
 		writeJsonQuiet(w, r, http.StatusNotAcceptable, operation.AssignResult{Error: err.Error()})
 	}
 }
 
-func (ms *MasterServer) maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w http.ResponseWriter, fileId string) {
-	encodedJwt := security.GenJwt(ms.guard.SigningKey, ms.guard.ExpiresAfterSec, fileId)
+func (ms *MasterServer) maybeAddJwtAuthorization(w http.ResponseWriter, fileId string, isWrite bool) {
+	var encodedJwt security.EncodedJwt
+	if isWrite {
+		encodedJwt = security.GenJwt(ms.guard.SigningKey, ms.guard.ExpiresAfterSec, fileId)
+	} else {
+		encodedJwt = security.GenJwt(ms.guard.ReadSigningKey, ms.guard.ReadExpiresAfterSec, fileId)
+	}
 	if encodedJwt == "" {
 		return
 	}
+
 	w.Header().Set("Authorization", "BEARER "+string(encodedJwt))
 }
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_server.go b/weed/server/volume_server.go
index fab2edac0..f0da20323 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_server.go
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ func NewVolumeServer(adminMux, publicMux *http.ServeMux, ip string,
 	expiresAfterSec := v.GetInt("jwt.signing.expires_after_seconds")
 	enableUiAccess := v.GetBool("access.ui")
 
+	readSigningKey := v.GetString("jwt.signing.read.key")
+	v.SetDefault("jwt.signing.read.expires_after_seconds", 60)
+	readExpiresAfterSec := v.GetInt("jwt.signing.read.expires_after_seconds")
+
 	vs := &VolumeServer{
 		pulseSeconds:            pulseSeconds,
 		dataCenter:              dataCenter,
@@ -57,7 +61,7 @@ func NewVolumeServer(adminMux, publicMux *http.ServeMux, ip string,
 	vs.SeedMasterNodes = masterNodes
 	vs.store = storage.NewStore(vs.grpcDialOption, port, ip, publicUrl, folders, maxCounts, vs.needleMapKind)
 
-	vs.guard = security.NewGuard(whiteList, signingKey, expiresAfterSec)
+	vs.guard = security.NewGuard(whiteList, signingKey, expiresAfterSec, readSigningKey, readExpiresAfterSec)
 
 	handleStaticResources(adminMux)
 	if signingKey == "" || enableUiAccess {
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers.go b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers.go
index d23c08290..4197582fd 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers.go
@@ -49,10 +49,22 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) publicReadOnlyHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Req
 	}
 }
 
-func (vs *VolumeServer) maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r *http.Request, vid, fid string) bool {
+func (vs *VolumeServer) maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r *http.Request, vid, fid string, isWrite bool) bool {
 
-	if len(vs.guard.SigningKey) == 0 {
-		return true
+	var signingKey security.SigningKey
+
+	if isWrite {
+		if len(vs.guard.SigningKey) == 0 {
+			return true
+		} else {
+			signingKey = vs.guard.SigningKey
+		}
+	}else {
+		if len(vs.guard.ReadSigningKey) == 0 {
+			return true
+		} else {
+			signingKey = vs.guard.ReadSigningKey
+		}
 	}
 
 	tokenStr := security.GetJwt(r)
@@ -61,7 +73,7 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r *http.Request, vid, fid str
 		return false
 	}
 
-	token, err := security.DecodeJwt(vs.guard.SigningKey, tokenStr)
+	token, err := security.DecodeJwt(signingKey, tokenStr)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.V(1).Infof("jwt verification error from %s: %v", r.RemoteAddr, err)
 		return false
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_read.go b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
index 9bc436239..d2aaa4e24 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_read.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package weed_server
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"mime"
 	"mime/multipart"
@@ -27,6 +28,12 @@ var fileNameEscaper = strings.NewReplacer("\\", "\\\\", "\"", "\\\"")
 func (vs *VolumeServer) GetOrHeadHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	n := new(needle.Needle)
 	vid, fid, filename, ext, _ := parseURLPath(r.URL.Path)
+
+	if !vs.maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r, vid, fid, false) {
+		writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusUnauthorized, errors.New("wrong jwt"))
+		return
+	}
+
 	volumeId, err := needle.NewVolumeId(vid)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.V(2).Infoln("parsing error:", err, r.URL.Path)
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_write.go b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
index 188d88ddf..7c0e08554 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_server_handlers_write.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) PostHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if !vs.maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r, vid, fid) {
+	if !vs.maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r, vid, fid, true) {
 		writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusUnauthorized, errors.New("wrong jwt"))
 		return
 	}
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) DeleteHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	volumeId, _ := needle.NewVolumeId(vid)
 	n.ParsePath(fid)
 
-	if !vs.maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r, vid, fid) {
+	if !vs.maybeCheckJwtAuthorization(r, vid, fid, true) {
 		writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusUnauthorized, errors.New("wrong jwt"))
 		return
 	}