diff --git a/src/typeclasses/admin.py b/src/typeclasses/admin.py
index 6ec88623e5..525d702f1c 100644
--- a/src/typeclasses/admin.py
+++ b/src/typeclasses/admin.py
@@ -54,6 +54,15 @@ class AttributeAdmin(ModelAdmin):
     """
     search_fields = ('db_key', 'db_strvalue', 'db_value')
     list_display = ('db_key', 'db_strvalue', 'db_value')
+    permitted_types = ('str', 'int', 'float', 'NoneType', 'bool')
+
+    fields = ('db_key', 'db_value', 'db_strvalue', 'db_category',
+              'db_lock_storage', 'db_model', 'db_attrtype')
+
+    def get_readonly_fields(self, request, obj=None):
+        if obj.db_value.__class__.__name__ not in self.permitted_types:
+            return ['db_value']
+        return []
 
 admin.site.register(Attribute, AttributeAdmin)
 admin.site.register(Tag, TagAdmin)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/typeclasses/models.py b/src/typeclasses/models.py
index 774ef451bb..2d96558fae 100644
--- a/src/typeclasses/models.py
+++ b/src/typeclasses/models.py
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ class Attribute(SharedMemoryModel):
         'value', null=True,
         help_text="The data returned when the attribute is accessed. Must be "
                   "written as a Python literal if editing through the admin "
-                  "interface.")
+                  "interface. Attribute values which are not Python literals "
+                  "cannot be edited through the admin interface.")
     db_strvalue = models.TextField(
         'strvalue', null=True, blank=True,
         help_text="String-specific storage for quick look-up")