diff --git a/instances/test_template_flag.py b/instances/test_template_flag.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9be99ddb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/instances/test_template_flag.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""
+ROADMAP S-22: only superusers and staff may mark or unmark a VM as a template.
+The UI only disables the checkbox for other users, and a disabled checkbox is
+not submitted, so the server must not derive is_template from its absence for
+them.
+"""
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.urls import reverse
+
+from accounts.models import UserInstance
+from computes.models import Compute
+from instances.models import Instance
+
+
+class TemplateFlagTestCase(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        User = get_user_model()
+        self.superuser = User.objects.create_superuser(
+            username="tpl_super", email="tpl_super@example.com", password="x"
+        )
+        self.owner = User.objects.create_user(username="tpl_owner", password="x")
+        self.staff_owner = User.objects.create_user(
+            username="tpl_staff_owner", password="x", is_staff=True
+        )
+        self.compute = Compute.objects.create(
+            name="tpl-compute", hostname="127.0.0.1:1", login="root", password="", type=1
+        )
+        self.instance = Instance.objects.create(
+            compute=self.compute,
+            name="tpl-vm",
+            uuid="dddddddd-eeee-ffff-0000-111111111111",
+        )
+        for user in (self.owner, self.staff_owner):
+            UserInstance.objects.create(instance=self.instance, user=user, is_change=True)
+
+    def _change_options(self, user, data):
+        self.client.force_login(user)
+        with patch("instances.models.wvmInstance"):
+            res = self.client.post(
+                reverse("instances:change_options", args=[self.instance.id]), data
+            )
+        self.assertEqual(res.status_code, 302)
+        self.instance.refresh_from_db()
+
+    def _make_template(self):
+        self.instance.is_template = True
+        self.instance.save(update_fields=["is_template"])
+
+    def test_owner_cannot_mark_vm_as_template(self):
+        self._change_options(self.owner, {"title": "t", "is_template": "True"})
+        self.assertFalse(self.instance.is_template)
+
+    def test_owner_editing_title_does_not_unmark_template(self):
+        self._make_template()
+        self._change_options(self.owner, {"title": "new title", "description": ""})
+        self.assertTrue(self.instance.is_template)
+
+    def test_staff_owner_can_mark_and_unmark_template(self):
+        self._change_options(self.staff_owner, {"title": "t", "is_template": "True"})
+        self.assertTrue(self.instance.is_template)
+        # An unchecked checkbox is not submitted: for staff that means "not a template".
+        self._change_options(self.staff_owner, {"title": "t"})
+        self.assertFalse(self.instance.is_template)
+
+    def test_superuser_can_unmark_template(self):
+        self._make_template()
+        self._change_options(self.superuser, {"title": "t"})
+        self.assertFalse(self.instance.is_template)
diff --git a/instances/views.py b/instances/views.py
index 1c45f9d3..7e87772b 100755
--- a/instances/views.py
+++ b/instances/views.py
@@ -1711,8 +1711,12 @@ def change_options(request, pk):
         userinstance = UserInstance(is_change=False)
 
     if request.user.is_superuser or userinstance.is_change:
-        instance.is_template = bool(request.POST.get("is_template", False))
-        instance.save()
+        # Only superusers and staff may (un)mark templates (ROADMAP S-22). The
+        # checkbox is disabled for everyone else, and a disabled checkbox is
+        # not submitted, so for them the flag must be left alone.
+        if request.user.is_superuser or request.user.is_staff:
+            instance.is_template = bool(request.POST.get("is_template", False))
+            instance.save(update_fields=["is_template"])
 
         options = {}
         for post in request.POST: