diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 18fcf8e4d2..ffe2021988 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-### 🚨BREAKING🚨
-- Signed for loops like `for _ in 0..4i32 {}` no longer compile. We recommend switching to unsigned for loops and casting back to signed integers in the meanwhile.
-
 ### Changed 🛠
+- [PR#17](https://github.com/Rust-GPU/rust-gpu/pull/17) refactor ByteAddressableBuffer to allow reading from read-only buffers
 - [PR#14](https://github.com/Rust-GPU/rust-gpu/pull/14) add subgroup intrinsics matching glsl's [`GL_KHR_shader_subgroup`](https://github.com/KhronosGroup/GLSL/blob/main/extensions/khr/GL_KHR_shader_subgroup.txt)
 - [PR#13](https://github.com/Rust-GPU/rust-gpu/pull/13) allow cargo features to be passed to the shader crate
 - [PR#12](https://github.com/rust-gpu/rust-gpu/pull/12) updated toolchain to `nightly-2024-04-24`
diff --git a/crates/spirv-std/src/byte_addressable_buffer.rs b/crates/spirv-std/src/byte_addressable_buffer.rs
index f22cfe7ff9..0640e54bda 100644
--- a/crates/spirv-std/src/byte_addressable_buffer.rs
+++ b/crates/spirv-std/src/byte_addressable_buffer.rs
@@ -43,74 +43,120 @@ unsafe fn buffer_store_intrinsic<T>(
         .write(value);
 }
 
-/// `ByteAddressableBuffer` is an untyped blob of data, allowing loads and stores of arbitrary
-/// basic data types at arbitrary indices. However, all data must be aligned to size 4, each
-/// element within the data (e.g. struct fields) must have a size and alignment of a multiple of 4,
-/// and the `byte_index` passed to load and store must be a multiple of 4 (`byte_index` will be
-/// rounded down to the nearest multiple of 4). So, it's not technically a *byte* addressable
-/// buffer, but rather a *word* buffer, but this naming and behavior was inherited from HLSL (where
-/// it's UB to pass in an index not a multiple of 4).
+/// `ByteAddressableBuffer` is a view to an untyped blob of data, allowing
+/// loads and stores of arbitrary basic data types at arbitrary indices.
+///
+/// # Alignment
+/// All data must be aligned to size 4, each element within the data (e.g.
+/// struct fields) must have a size and alignment of a multiple of 4, and the
+/// `byte_index` passed to load and store must be a multiple of 4. Technically
+/// it is not a *byte* addressable buffer, but rather a *word* buffer, but this
+/// naming and behavior was inherited from HLSL (where it's UB to pass in an
+/// index not a multiple of 4).
+///
+/// # Safety
+/// Using these functions allows reading a different type from the buffer than
+/// was originally written (by a previous `store()` or the host API), allowing
+/// all sorts of safety guarantees to be bypassed, making it effectively a
+/// transmute.
 #[repr(transparent)]
-pub struct ByteAddressableBuffer<'a> {
+pub struct ByteAddressableBuffer<T> {
     /// The underlying array of bytes, able to be directly accessed.
-    pub data: &'a mut [u32],
+    pub data: T,
 }
 
-impl<'a> ByteAddressableBuffer<'a> {
+fn bounds_check<T>(data: &[u32], byte_index: u32) {
+    let sizeof = mem::size_of::<T>() as u32;
+    if byte_index % 4 != 0 {
+        panic!("`byte_index` should be a multiple of 4");
+    }
+    if byte_index + sizeof > data.len() as u32 {
+        let last_byte = byte_index + sizeof;
+        panic!(
+            "index out of bounds: the len is {} but loading {} bytes at `byte_index` {} reads until {} (exclusive)",
+            data.len(),
+            sizeof,
+            byte_index,
+            last_byte,
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> ByteAddressableBuffer<&'a [u32]> {
     /// Creates a `ByteAddressableBuffer` from the untyped blob of data.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn new(data: &'a mut [u32]) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_slice(data: &'a [u32]) -> Self {
         Self { data }
     }
 
-    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a multiple of 4, otherwise,
-    /// it will get silently rounded down to the nearest multiple of 4.
+    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
     ///
     /// # Safety
-    /// This function allows writing a type to an untyped buffer, then reading a different type
-    /// from the same buffer, allowing all sorts of safety guarantees to be bypassed (effectively a
-    /// transmute)
+    /// See [`Self`].
     pub unsafe fn load<T>(&self, byte_index: u32) -> T {
-        if byte_index + mem::size_of::<T>() as u32 > self.data.len() as u32 {
-            panic!("Index out of range");
-        }
+        bounds_check::<T>(self.data, byte_index);
         buffer_load_intrinsic(self.data, byte_index)
     }
 
-    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a multiple of 4, otherwise,
-    /// it will get silently rounded down to the nearest multiple of 4. Bounds checking is not
-    /// performed.
+    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
     ///
     /// # Safety
-    /// This function allows writing a type to an untyped buffer, then reading a different type
-    /// from the same buffer, allowing all sorts of safety guarantees to be bypassed (effectively a
-    /// transmute). Additionally, bounds checking is not performed.
+    /// See [`Self`]. Additionally, bounds or alignment checking is not performed.
     pub unsafe fn load_unchecked<T>(&self, byte_index: u32) -> T {
         buffer_load_intrinsic(self.data, byte_index)
     }
+}
+
+impl<'a> ByteAddressableBuffer<&'a mut [u32]> {
+    /// Creates a `ByteAddressableBuffer` from the untyped blob of data.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn from_mut_slice(data: &'a mut [u32]) -> Self {
+        Self { data }
+    }
+
+    /// Create a non-mutable `ByteAddressableBuffer` from this mutable one.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_ref(&self) -> ByteAddressableBuffer<&[u32]> {
+        ByteAddressableBuffer { data: self.data }
+    }
+
+    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    /// See [`Self`].
+    #[inline]
+    pub unsafe fn load<T>(&self, byte_index: u32) -> T {
+        self.as_ref().load(byte_index)
+    }
+
+    /// Loads an arbitrary type from the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    /// See [`Self`]. Additionally, bounds or alignment checking is not performed.
+    #[inline]
+    pub unsafe fn load_unchecked<T>(&self, byte_index: u32) -> T {
+        self.as_ref().load_unchecked(byte_index)
+    }
 
-    /// Stores an arbitrary type int the buffer. `byte_index` must be a multiple of 4, otherwise,
-    /// it will get silently rounded down to the nearest multiple of 4.
+    /// Stores an arbitrary type into the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
     ///
     /// # Safety
-    /// This function allows writing a type to an untyped buffer, then reading a different type
-    /// from the same buffer, allowing all sorts of safety guarantees to be bypassed (effectively a
-    /// transmute)
+    /// See [`Self`].
     pub unsafe fn store<T>(&mut self, byte_index: u32, value: T) {
-        if byte_index + mem::size_of::<T>() as u32 > self.data.len() as u32 {
-            panic!("Index out of range");
-        }
+        bounds_check::<T>(self.data, byte_index);
         buffer_store_intrinsic(self.data, byte_index, value);
     }
 
-    /// Stores an arbitrary type int the buffer. `byte_index` must be a multiple of 4, otherwise,
-    /// it will get silently rounded down to the nearest multiple of 4. Bounds checking is not
-    /// performed.
+    /// Stores an arbitrary type into the buffer. `byte_index` must be a
+    /// multiple of 4.
     ///
     /// # Safety
-    /// This function allows writing a type to an untyped buffer, then reading a different type
-    /// from the same buffer, allowing all sorts of safety guarantees to be bypassed (effectively a
-    /// transmute). Additionally, bounds checking is not performed.
+    /// See [`Self`]. Additionally, bounds or alignment checking is not performed.
     pub unsafe fn store_unchecked<T>(&mut self, byte_index: u32, value: T) {
         buffer_store_intrinsic(self.data, byte_index, value);
     }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/arr.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/arr.rs
index 4cacbcf906..798c3cd515 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/arr.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/arr.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,22 @@ use spirv_std::{glam::Vec4, ByteAddressableBuffer};
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut [i32; 4],
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut [i32; 4],
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -20,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn store(
     #[spirv(flat)] val: [i32; 4],
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/big_struct.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/big_struct.rs
index 27907afe3c..233cb87fae 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/big_struct.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/big_struct.rs
@@ -14,11 +14,22 @@ pub struct BigStruct {
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut BigStruct,
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut BigStruct,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -29,7 +40,7 @@ pub fn store(
     #[spirv(flat)] val: BigStruct,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/complex.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/complex.rs
index 1ec3267a2e..b9e3edf128 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/complex.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/complex.rs
@@ -20,11 +20,22 @@ pub struct Nesty {
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut Nesty,
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut Nesty,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -35,7 +46,7 @@ pub fn store(
     val: Nesty,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/empty_struct.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/empty_struct.rs
index b586139d3a..1425526112 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/empty_struct.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/empty_struct.rs
@@ -7,11 +7,22 @@ pub struct EmptyStruct {}
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut EmptyStruct,
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut EmptyStruct,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -20,7 +31,7 @@ pub fn load(
 pub fn store(#[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32]) {
     let val = EmptyStruct {};
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/f32.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/f32.rs
index 3dc5d3ffe3..2b82f89d16 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/f32.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/f32.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,20 @@ use spirv_std::spirv;
 use spirv_std::ByteAddressableBuffer;
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
-pub fn load(
+pub fn load(#[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32], out: &mut f32) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut f32,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -17,7 +25,7 @@ pub fn load(
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn store(#[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32], val: f32) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/small_struct.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/small_struct.rs
index d6959db768..948af2dd92 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/small_struct.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/small_struct.rs
@@ -10,11 +10,22 @@ pub struct SmallStruct {
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut SmallStruct,
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut SmallStruct,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -27,7 +38,7 @@ pub fn store(
 ) {
     let val = SmallStruct { a, b };
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/u32.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/u32.rs
index 8d5d03ad65..d0e1e44624 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/u32.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/u32.rs
@@ -4,12 +4,20 @@ use spirv_std::spirv;
 use spirv_std::ByteAddressableBuffer;
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
-pub fn load(
+pub fn load(#[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32], out: &mut u32) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut u32,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
     }
 }
@@ -20,7 +28,7 @@ pub fn store(
     #[spirv(flat)] val: u32,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/vec.rs b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/vec.rs
index 49ecbc15c2..e934071b12 100644
--- a/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/vec.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/byte_addressable_buffer/vec.rs
@@ -13,12 +13,25 @@ pub struct Mat4 {
 
 #[spirv(fragment)]
 pub fn load(
+    #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &[u32],
+    out: &mut Vec4,
+    outmat: &mut Mat4,
+) {
+    unsafe {
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_slice(buf);
+        *out = buf.load(5);
+        *outmat = buf.load(5);
+    }
+}
+
+#[spirv(fragment)]
+pub fn load_mut(
     #[spirv(descriptor_set = 0, binding = 0, storage_buffer)] buf: &mut [u32],
     out: &mut Vec4,
     outmat: &mut Mat4,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         *out = buf.load(5);
         *outmat = buf.load(5);
     }
@@ -31,7 +44,7 @@ pub fn store(
     valmat: Mat4,
 ) {
     unsafe {
-        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::new(buf);
+        let mut buf = ByteAddressableBuffer::from_mut_slice(buf);
         buf.store(5, val);
         buf.store(5, valmat);
     }