diff --git a/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/App.tsx b/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/App.tsx
index bd11b2539e..43a96eb3b1 100644
--- a/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/App.tsx
+++ b/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/App.tsx
@@ -100,7 +100,11 @@ function Document() {
           label={"User"}
           items={HARDCODED_USERS.map((user) => ({
             text: `${user.username} (${
-              user.role === "editor" ? "Editor" : "Commenter"
+              user.role === "editor"
+                ? "Editor"
+                : user.role === "comment"
+                  ? "Commenter"
+                  : "Content-Only Viewer"
             })`,
             icon: null,
             onClick: () => setActiveUser(user),
diff --git a/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/userdata.ts b/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/userdata.ts
index c54eaf0f9a..c0a43f074a 100644
--- a/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/userdata.ts
+++ b/examples/07-collaboration/05-comments/src/userdata.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const getRandomElement = (list: any[]) =>
 export const getRandomColor = () => getRandomElement(colors);
 
 export type MyUserType = User & {
-  role: "editor" | "comment";
+  role: "editor" | "comment" | "document-only";
 };
 
 export const HARDCODED_USERS: MyUserType[] = [
@@ -44,4 +44,10 @@ export const HARDCODED_USERS: MyUserType[] = [
     avatarUrl: "https://placehold.co/100x100?text=Betty",
     role: "comment",
   },
+  {
+    id: "5",
+    username: "Donna Document",
+    avatarUrl: "https://placehold.co/100x100?text=Donna",
+    role: "document-only",
+  },
 ];
diff --git a/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/App.tsx b/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/App.tsx
index ed7bf38473..ecf8bfde05 100644
--- a/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/App.tsx
+++ b/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/App.tsx
@@ -125,7 +125,11 @@ function Document() {
               label={"User"}
               items={HARDCODED_USERS.map((user) => ({
                 text: `${user.username} (${
-                  user.role === "editor" ? "Editor" : "Commenter"
+                  user.role === "editor"
+                    ? "Editor"
+                    : user.role === "comment"
+                      ? "Commenter"
+                      : "Content-Only Viewer"
                 })`,
                 icon: null,
                 onClick: () => {
diff --git a/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/userdata.ts b/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/userdata.ts
index c54eaf0f9a..c0a43f074a 100644
--- a/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/userdata.ts
+++ b/examples/07-collaboration/06-comments-with-sidebar/src/userdata.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const getRandomElement = (list: any[]) =>
 export const getRandomColor = () => getRandomElement(colors);
 
 export type MyUserType = User & {
-  role: "editor" | "comment";
+  role: "editor" | "comment" | "document-only";
 };
 
 export const HARDCODED_USERS: MyUserType[] = [
@@ -44,4 +44,10 @@ export const HARDCODED_USERS: MyUserType[] = [
     avatarUrl: "https://placehold.co/100x100?text=Betty",
     role: "comment",
   },
+  {
+    id: "5",
+    username: "Donna Document",
+    avatarUrl: "https://placehold.co/100x100?text=Donna",
+    role: "document-only",
+  },
 ];
diff --git a/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/DefaultThreadStoreAuth.ts b/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/DefaultThreadStoreAuth.ts
index 9b79a5aaf1..28c7cc35a7 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/DefaultThreadStoreAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/DefaultThreadStoreAuth.ts
@@ -18,58 +18,68 @@ import { ThreadStoreAuth } from "./ThreadStoreAuth.js";
 export class DefaultThreadStoreAuth extends ThreadStoreAuth {
   constructor(
     private readonly userId: string,
-    private readonly role: "comment" | "editor",
+    private readonly role: "document-only" | "comment" | "editor",
   ) {
     super();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Auth: should be possible by anyone with comment access
+   */
+  canViewComments(): boolean {
+    return this.role !== "document-only";
+  }
+
   /**
    * Auth: should be possible by anyone with comment access
    */
   canCreateThread(): boolean {
-    return true;
+    return this.canViewComments();
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should be possible by anyone with comment access
    */
   canAddComment(_thread: ThreadData): boolean {
-    return true;
+    return this.canViewComments();
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should only be possible by the comment author
    */
   canUpdateComment(comment: CommentData): boolean {
-    return comment.userId === this.userId;
+    return this.canViewComments() && comment.userId === this.userId;
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should be possible by the comment author OR an editor of the document
    */
   canDeleteComment(comment: CommentData): boolean {
-    return comment.userId === this.userId || this.role === "editor";
+    return (
+      this.canViewComments() &&
+      (comment.userId === this.userId || this.role === "editor")
+    );
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should only be possible by an editor of the document
    */
   canDeleteThread(_thread: ThreadData): boolean {
-    return this.role === "editor";
+    return this.canViewComments() && this.role === "editor";
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should be possible by anyone with comment access
    */
   canResolveThread(_thread: ThreadData): boolean {
-    return true;
+    return this.canViewComments();
   }
 
   /**
    * Auth: should be possible by anyone with comment access
    */
   canUnresolveThread(_thread: ThreadData): boolean {
-    return true;
+    return this.canViewComments();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -79,7 +89,7 @@ export class DefaultThreadStoreAuth extends ThreadStoreAuth {
    */
   canAddReaction(comment: CommentData, emoji?: string): boolean {
     if (!emoji) {
-      return true;
+      return this.canViewComments();
     }
 
     return !comment.reactions.some(
@@ -95,7 +105,7 @@ export class DefaultThreadStoreAuth extends ThreadStoreAuth {
    */
   canDeleteReaction(comment: CommentData, emoji?: string): boolean {
     if (!emoji) {
-      return true;
+      return this.canViewComments();
     }
 
     return comment.reactions.some(
diff --git a/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/ThreadStoreAuth.ts b/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/ThreadStoreAuth.ts
index 452ad25b03..0f4cdb9f91 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/ThreadStoreAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/comments/threadstore/ThreadStoreAuth.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { CommentData, ThreadData } from "../types.js";
 
 export abstract class ThreadStoreAuth {
   abstract canCreateThread(): boolean;
+  abstract canViewComments(): boolean;
   abstract canAddComment(thread: ThreadData): boolean;
   abstract canUpdateComment(comment: CommentData): boolean;
   abstract canDeleteComment(comment: CommentData): boolean;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/editor/Block.css b/packages/core/src/editor/Block.css
index fdf4d31123..f523905077 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/editor/Block.css
+++ b/packages/core/src/editor/Block.css
@@ -717,10 +717,10 @@ NESTED BLOCKS
   padding-right: 0;
 }
 
-.bn-thread-mark:not([data-orphan="true"]) {
+.bn-editor:not([data-hide-comments]) .bn-thread-mark:not([data-orphan="true"]) {
   background: rgba(255, 200, 0, 0.15);
 }
 
-.bn-thread-mark .bn-thread-mark-selected {
+.bn-editor:not([data-hide-comments]) .bn-thread-mark .bn-thread-mark-selected {
   background: rgba(255, 200, 0, 0.25);
 }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/editor/BlockNoteEditor.ts b/packages/core/src/editor/BlockNoteEditor.ts
index 0ef8ba10ba..3fb756e5d8 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/editor/BlockNoteEditor.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/editor/BlockNoteEditor.ts
@@ -848,6 +848,9 @@ export class BlockNoteEditor<
       editorProps: {
         ...newOptions._tiptapOptions?.editorProps,
         attributes: {
+          ...(this.comments?.threadStore.auth.canViewComments()
+            ? {}
+            : { "data-hide-comments": "true" }),
           // As of TipTap v2.5.0 the tabIndex is removed when the editor is not
           // editable, so you can't focus it. We want to revert this as we have
           // UI behaviour that relies on it.
diff --git a/packages/core/src/extensions/Comments/CommentsPlugin.ts b/packages/core/src/extensions/Comments/CommentsPlugin.ts
index a5d1e24b6d..26d4439e16 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/extensions/Comments/CommentsPlugin.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/extensions/Comments/CommentsPlugin.ts
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ export class CommentsPlugin extends BlockNoteExtension {
             if (!tr.docChanged && !action) {
               return state;
             }
+            if (!self.threadStore.auth.canViewComments()) {
+              // if the user doesn't have comment access, don't display the marks in the document
+              return {
+                decorations: DecorationSet.empty,
+              };
+            }
 
             // only update threadPositions if the doc changed
             const threadPositions = tr.docChanged
@@ -228,7 +234,10 @@ export class CommentsPlugin extends BlockNoteExtension {
            * Handle click on a thread mark and mark it as selected
            */
           handleClick: (view, pos, event) => {
-            if (event.button !== 0) {
+            if (
+              event.button !== 0 ||
+              !self.threadStore.auth.canViewComments()
+            ) {
               return;
             }
 
diff --git a/packages/react/src/components/FormattingToolbar/DefaultButtons/AddCommentButton.tsx b/packages/react/src/components/FormattingToolbar/DefaultButtons/AddCommentButton.tsx
index 3e85b2994f..fbd6d0f026 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/components/FormattingToolbar/DefaultButtons/AddCommentButton.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/components/FormattingToolbar/DefaultButtons/AddCommentButton.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ export const AddCommentButton = () => {
   if (
     // We manually check if a comment extension (like liveblocks) is installed
     // By adding default support for this, the user doesn't need to customize the formatting toolbar
-    !editor.comments
+    !editor.comments ||
+    !editor.comments.threadStore.auth.canViewComments()
   ) {
     return null;
   }