diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply.go
index 8ea69a18..b32ee345 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func multiplyAssignOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNod
 
 func multiplyOperator(d *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *ExpressionNode) (Context, error) {
 	log.Debugf("MultiplyOperator")
-	return crossFunction(d, context, expressionNode, multiply(expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(multiplyPreferences)), false)
+	return crossFunction(d, context.ReadOnlyClone(), expressionNode, multiply(expressionNode.Operation.Preferences.(multiplyPreferences)), false)
 }
 
 func getComments(lhs *CandidateNode, rhs *CandidateNode) (leadingContent string, headComment string, footComment string) {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply_test.go
index 1c7eca32..7efeb524 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_multiply_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,15 @@ var mergeWithGlobB = `
 `
 
 var multiplyOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
+	{
+		description: "multiple should be readonly",
+		skipDoc:     true,
+		document:    "",
+		expression:  ".x |= (root | (.a * .b))",
+		expected: []string{
+			"D0, P[], ()::x: null\n",
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		description: "glob keys are treated as literals when merging",
 		skipDoc:     true,