diff --git a/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm.py b/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm.py
index 3e3c445e474..93225cc7569 100644
--- a/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm.py
+++ b/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm.py
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ class res_users(osv.Model):
         'default_section_id': fields.many2one('crm.case.section', 'Default Sales Team'),
     }
 
+    def __init__(self, pool, cr):
+        init_res = super(res_users, self).__init__(pool, cr)
+        # duplicate list to avoid modifying the original reference
+        self.SELF_WRITEABLE_FIELDS = list(self.SELF_WRITEABLE_FIELDS)
+        self.SELF_WRITEABLE_FIELDS.extend(['default_section_id'])
+        return init_res
+
 
 class sale_crm_lead(osv.Model):
     _inherit = 'crm.lead'
diff --git a/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm_view.xml b/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm_view.xml
index b861230be06..88ece710b08 100644
--- a/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm_view.xml
+++ b/addons/sale_crm/sale_crm_view.xml
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
             <field name="arch" type="xml">
             <data>
                     <xpath expr="//field[@name='company_id']" position="after">
-                        <field name="default_section_id"/>
+                        <field name="default_section_id" readonly="0"/>
                     </xpath>
                 </data>
             </field>