diff --git a/bin/reth/src/db/list.rs b/bin/reth/src/db/list.rs
index a4059fcf9c..ee9de7eeb4 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/db/list.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/db/list.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use super::tui::DbListTUI;
 use eyre::WrapErr;
 use reth_db::{
     database::Database,
-    mdbx::{Env, WriteMap},
+    mdbx::{Env, NoWriteMap},
     table::Table,
     TableType, TableViewer, Tables,
 };
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub struct Command {
 
 impl Command {
     /// Execute `db list` command
-    pub fn execute(self, tool: &DbTool<'_, Env<WriteMap>>) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    pub fn execute(self, tool: &DbTool<'_, Env<NoWriteMap>>) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         if self.table.table_type() == TableType::DupSort {
             error!(target: "reth::cli", "Unsupported table.");
         }
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ impl Command {
 }
 
 struct ListTableViewer<'a> {
-    tool: &'a DbTool<'a, Env<WriteMap>>,
+    tool: &'a DbTool<'a, Env<NoWriteMap>>,
     args: &'a Command,
 }
 
diff --git a/bin/reth/src/db/mod.rs b/bin/reth/src/db/mod.rs
index 27f188c2a4..8940a1b544 100644
--- a/bin/reth/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/bin/reth/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ use eyre::WrapErr;
 use human_bytes::human_bytes;
 use reth_db::{
     database::Database,
+    mdbx::{Env, NoWriteMap, WriteMap},
     version::{get_db_version, DatabaseVersionError, DB_VERSION},
     Tables,
 };
 use reth_primitives::ChainSpec;
-use reth_staged_sync::utils::init::init_db;
-use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::{path::Path, sync::Arc};
 
 mod get;
 mod list;
@@ -81,13 +81,11 @@ impl Command {
         let data_dir = self.datadir.unwrap_or_chain_default(self.chain.chain);
         let db_path = data_dir.db_path();
 
-        let db = init_db(&db_path)?;
-
-        let mut tool = DbTool::new(&db, self.chain.clone())?;
-
         match self.command {
             // TODO: We'll need to add this on the DB trait.
             Subcommands::Stats { .. } => {
+                let db = read_only_db(&db_path)?;
+                let tool = DbTool::new(&db, self.chain.clone())?;
                 let mut stats_table = ComfyTable::new();
                 stats_table.load_preset(comfy_table::presets::ASCII_MARKDOWN);
                 stats_table.set_header([
@@ -137,12 +135,18 @@ impl Command {
                 println!("{stats_table}");
             }
             Subcommands::List(command) => {
+                let db = read_only_db(&db_path)?;
+                let tool = DbTool::new(&db, self.chain.clone())?;
                 command.execute(&tool)?;
             }
             Subcommands::Get(command) => {
+                let db = read_only_db(&db_path)?;
+                let tool = DbTool::new(&db, self.chain.clone())?;
                 command.execute(&tool)?;
             }
             Subcommands::Drop => {
+                let db = read_write_db(&db_path)?;
+                let mut tool = DbTool::new(&db, self.chain.clone())?;
                 tool.drop(db_path)?;
             }
             Subcommands::Version => {
@@ -169,6 +173,16 @@ impl Command {
     }
 }
 
+fn read_only_db(path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<Env<NoWriteMap>> {
+    Env::<NoWriteMap>::open(path, reth_db::mdbx::EnvKind::RO)
+        .with_context(|| format!("Could not open database at path: {}", path.display()))
+}
+
+fn read_write_db(path: &Path) -> eyre::Result<Env<WriteMap>> {
+    Env::<WriteMap>::open(path, reth_db::mdbx::EnvKind::RW)
+        .with_context(|| format!("Could not open database at path: {}", path.display()))
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;