diff --git a/EnvelopeGenerator.CommonServices/Jobs/FinalizeDocument/PDFBurner.vb b/EnvelopeGenerator.CommonServices/Jobs/FinalizeDocument/PDFBurner.vb
index b3329496..781615ac 100644
--- a/EnvelopeGenerator.CommonServices/Jobs/FinalizeDocument/PDFBurner.vb
+++ b/EnvelopeGenerator.CommonServices/Jobs/FinalizeDocument/PDFBurner.vb
@@ -37,6 +37,15 @@ Namespace Jobs.FinalizeDocument
         Public Function BurnAnnotsToPDF(pSourceBuffer As Byte(), pInstantJSONList As List(Of String), envelopeId As Integer) As Byte()
             'read the elements of envelope with their annotations
             Using scope = Factory.Shared.ScopeFactory.CreateScope()
+
+                Dim envRepo = scope.ServiceProvider.Repository(Of Envelope)()
+                Dim envelope = envRepo.Where(Function(env) env.Id = envelopeId).FirstOrDefault()
+                If envelope Is Nothing Then
+                    Throw New BurnAnnotationException($"Envelope with Id {envelopeId} not found.")
+                ElseIf envelope.ReadOnly Then
+                    Return pSourceBuffer
+                End If
+
                 Dim sigRepo = scope.ServiceProvider.Repository(Of Signature)()
                 Dim elements = sigRepo _
                     .Where(Function(sig) sig.Document.EnvelopeId = envelopeId) _