diff --git a/Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ControlBar.h b/Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ControlBar.h
index 446277a13be..658f997b6b1 100644
--- a/Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ControlBar.h
+++ b/Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ControlBar.h
@@ -702,6 +702,7 @@ class ControlBar : public SubsystemInterface
 
 	Bool hasAnyShortcutSelection() const;
 	Bool canShowSpecialPowerShortcut() const;
+	Bool isApparentControllingPlayerNeutral(const Object* obj) const;
 	void showSpecialPowerShortcut();
 	void hideSpecialPowerShortcut();
 	void animateSpecialPowerShortcut( Bool isOn );
@@ -975,6 +976,7 @@ class ControlBar : public SubsystemInterface
 	Color m_buildUpClockColor;
 
 	Bool m_isObserverCommandBar;												///< If this is true, the command bar behaves greatly different
+	Bool m_isReadOnly;                                  ///< If this is true, the command bar will not allow any commands to be issued
 	Player *m_observerLookAtPlayer;											///< The current player we're looking at, Null if we're not looking at anyone.
 	Player *m_observedPlayer;														///< The current player we're observing, Null if we're not observing anyone.
 
diff --git a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBar.cpp b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBar.cpp
index 697ee47a0a4..7ef6b958cee 100644
--- a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBar.cpp
+++ b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBar.cpp
@@ -884,6 +884,7 @@ ControlBar::ControlBar()
 	m_commandSets = nullptr;
 	m_controlBarSchemeManager = nullptr;
 	m_isObserverCommandBar = FALSE;
+	m_isReadOnly = FALSE;
 	m_observerLookAtPlayer = nullptr;
 	m_observedPlayer = nullptr;
 	m_buildToolTipLayout = nullptr;
@@ -1321,6 +1322,7 @@ void ControlBar::reset()
 	m_displayedOCLTimerSeconds = 0;
 
 	m_isObserverCommandBar = FALSE; // reset us to use a normal command bar
+	m_isReadOnly = FALSE;
 	m_observerLookAtPlayer = nullptr;
 	m_observedPlayer = nullptr;
 
@@ -1479,6 +1481,26 @@ void ControlBar::update()
 			exitPosition = obj->getObjectExitInterface()->getRallyPoint();
 
 		showRallyPoint(exitPosition);
+
+		ContainModuleInterface* observerContain = obj ? obj->getContain() : nullptr;
+		Bool showObserverInventory = (observerContain != nullptr && observerContain->getContainMax() > 0);
+
+		if (showObserverInventory && m_observerLookAtPlayer == nullptr)
+		{
+			if (!isApparentControllingPlayerNeutral(obj)) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			if (m_currContext != CB_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE_INVENTORY || m_currentSelectedDrawable != drawToEvaluateFor)
+				switchToContext(CB_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE_INVENTORY, drawToEvaluateFor);
+			else
+				updateContextStructureInventory();
+		}
+		else if (m_currContext != CB_CONTEXT_OBSERVER_LIST)
+		{
+			switchToContext(CB_CONTEXT_OBSERVER_LIST, nullptr);
+		}
+
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -1805,24 +1827,12 @@ void ControlBar::evaluateContextUI()
 		ContainModuleInterface *contain = obj->getContain();
 		if( contain && contain->getContainMax() > 0 )
 		{
-
-			const Player *otherPlayer = contain->getApparentControllingPlayer(ThePlayerList->getLocalPlayer());
-			if (!otherPlayer)
-				otherPlayer = obj->getControllingPlayer();
-			Player *player = ThePlayerList->getLocalPlayer();
-
-			if( !player || !otherPlayer )
-			{
-				//Sanity.
-				return;
-			}
-			Relationship relation = player->getRelationship( otherPlayer->getDefaultTeam() );
-
+			Bool apparentControllingPlayerNeutral = isApparentControllingPlayerNeutral(obj);
 			//Note: All following checks already account for the fact that this object
 			//isn't ours.
 
 			//The only case we can actually see a non-controlled controlbar is a neutral garrisonable structure.
-			if( !contain->isGarrisonable() || relation != NEUTRAL )
+			if( !contain->isGarrisonable() || !apparentControllingPlayerNeutral)
 			{
 				//Can't peek inside enemy/allied containers period!
 				return;
@@ -2789,6 +2799,7 @@ void ControlBar::setControlBarSchemeByPlayer(Player *p)
 	if( !p->isPlayerActive() )
 	{
 		m_isObserverCommandBar = TRUE;
+		m_isReadOnly = TRUE;
 		switchToContext( CB_CONTEXT_OBSERVER_LIST, nullptr );
 		DEBUG_LOG(("We're loading the Observer Command Bar"));
 
@@ -2803,6 +2814,7 @@ void ControlBar::setControlBarSchemeByPlayer(Player *p)
 	{
 		switchToContext( CB_CONTEXT_NONE, nullptr );
 		m_isObserverCommandBar = FALSE;
+		m_isReadOnly = FALSE;
 
 		if (buttonPlaceBeacon)
 			buttonPlaceBeacon->winHide(
@@ -2834,6 +2846,7 @@ void ControlBar::setControlBarSchemeByPlayerTemplate( const PlayerTemplate *pt)
 	if(pt == ThePlayerTemplateStore->findPlayerTemplate(TheNameKeyGenerator->nameToKey("FactionObserver")))
 	{
 		m_isObserverCommandBar = TRUE;
+		m_isReadOnly = TRUE;
 		switchToContext( CB_CONTEXT_OBSERVER_LIST, nullptr );
 		DEBUG_LOG(("We're loading the Observer Command Bar"));
 
@@ -2848,6 +2861,7 @@ void ControlBar::setControlBarSchemeByPlayerTemplate( const PlayerTemplate *pt)
 	{
 		switchToContext( CB_CONTEXT_NONE, nullptr );
 		m_isObserverCommandBar = FALSE;
+		m_isReadOnly = FALSE;
 
 		if (buttonPlaceBeacon)
 			buttonPlaceBeacon->winHide(
@@ -3582,6 +3596,25 @@ Bool ControlBar::canShowSpecialPowerShortcut() const
 	return false;
 }
 
+//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Bool ControlBar::isApparentControllingPlayerNeutral(const Object* obj) const
+{
+	ContainModuleInterface* contain = obj->getContain();
+	const Player* otherPlayer = contain->getApparentControllingPlayer(ThePlayerList->getLocalPlayer());
+	if (!otherPlayer)
+		otherPlayer = obj->getControllingPlayer();
+	const Player* player = ThePlayerList->getLocalPlayer();
+
+	if (!player || !otherPlayer)
+	{
+		//Sanity.
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
+	Relationship relation = player->getRelationship(otherPlayer->getDefaultTeam());
+	return relation == NEUTRAL;
+}
+
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void ControlBar::updateSpecialPowerShortcut()
 {
diff --git a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBarStructureInventory.cpp b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBarStructureInventory.cpp
index 0bde39bc6f4..ebbbf7d7702 100644
--- a/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBarStructureInventory.cpp
+++ b/Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/ControlBar/ControlBarStructureInventory.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void ControlBar::populateButtonProc( Object *obj, void *userData )
 	GadgetButtonDrawOverlayImage( info->inventoryButtons[ info->buttonIndex ], image );
 
 	// Enable the button
-	info->inventoryButtons[ info->buttonIndex ]->winEnable( TRUE );
+	info->inventoryButtons[ info->buttonIndex ]->winEnable( !info->self->m_isReadOnly );
 
 	// move to the next button index
 	info->buttonIndex++;
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void ControlBar::populateStructureInventory( Object *building )
 	m_commandWindows[ STOP_ID ]->winHide( FALSE );
 
 	// if there is at least one item in there enable the evacuate and stop buttons
-	if( contain->getContainCount() != 0 )
+	if(!m_isReadOnly && contain->getContainCount() != 0 )
 	{
 		m_commandWindows[ EVACUATE_ID ]->winEnable( TRUE );
 		m_commandWindows[ STOP_ID ]->winEnable( TRUE );