diff --git a/nimble/host/services/gap/include/services/gap/ble_svc_gap.h b/nimble/host/services/gap/include/services/gap/ble_svc_gap.h
index 29bbf4863..d31a3b892 100644
--- a/nimble/host/services/gap/include/services/gap/ble_svc_gap.h
+++ b/nimble/host/services/gap/include/services/gap/ble_svc_gap.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ void ble_svc_gap_set_chr_changed_cb(ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_fn *cb);
 const char *ble_svc_gap_device_name(void);
 int ble_svc_gap_device_name_set(const char *name);
 uint16_t ble_svc_gap_device_appearance(void);
+int ble_svc_gap_device_appearance_set(uint16_t appearance);
 
 void ble_svc_gap_init(void);
 
diff --git a/nimble/host/services/gap/src/ble_svc_gap.c b/nimble/host/services/gap/src/ble_svc_gap.c
index 7f2818cab..bfdd0cf49 100644
--- a/nimble/host/services/gap/src/ble_svc_gap.c
+++ b/nimble/host/services/gap/src/ble_svc_gap.c
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ static ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_fn *ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_cb_fn;
 
 static char ble_svc_gap_name[BLE_SVC_GAP_NAME_MAX_LEN + 1] =
         MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_DEVICE_NAME);
-static const uint16_t ble_svc_gap_appearance =
-        MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE);
+static uint16_t ble_svc_gap_appearance = MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE);
 
 static int
 ble_svc_gap_access(uint16_t conn_handle, uint16_t attr_handle,
@@ -65,7 +64,12 @@ static const struct ble_gatt_svc_def ble_svc_gap_defs[] = {
             /*** Characteristic: Appearance. */
             .uuid = BLE_UUID16_DECLARE(BLE_SVC_GAP_CHR_UUID16_APPEARANCE),
             .access_cb = ble_svc_gap_access,
-            .flags = BLE_GATT_CHR_F_READ,
+            .flags = BLE_GATT_CHR_F_READ |
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE_WRITE_PERM) >= 0
+                     BLE_GATT_CHR_F_WRITE |
+                     MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE_WRITE_PERM) |
+#endif
+                     0,
         }, {
 #if PPCP_ENABLED
             /*** Characteristic: Peripheral Preferred Connection Parameters. */
@@ -131,12 +135,52 @@ ble_svc_gap_device_name_write_access(struct ble_gatt_access_ctxt *ctxt)
 #endif
 }
 
+static int
+ble_svc_gap_appearance_read_access(struct ble_gatt_access_ctxt *ctxt)
+{
+    uint16_t appearance = htole16(ble_svc_gap_appearance);
+    int rc;
+
+    rc = os_mbuf_append(ctxt->om, &appearance, sizeof(appearance));
+
+    return rc == 0 ? 0 : BLE_ATT_ERR_INSUFFICIENT_RES;
+}
+
+static int
+ble_svc_gap_appearance_write_access(struct ble_gatt_access_ctxt *ctxt)
+{
+#if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE_WRITE_PERM) < 0
+    assert(0);
+    return 0;
+#else
+    uint16_t om_len;
+    int rc;
+
+    om_len = OS_MBUF_PKTLEN(ctxt->om);
+    if (om_len != sizeof(ble_svc_gap_appearance)) {
+        return BLE_ATT_ERR_INVALID_ATTR_VALUE_LEN;
+    }
+
+    rc = ble_hs_mbuf_to_flat(ctxt->om, ble_svc_gap_appearance, om_len, NULL);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        return BLE_ATT_ERR_UNLIKELY;
+    }
+
+    ble_svc_gap_appearance = le16toh(ble_svc_gap_appearance);
+
+    if (ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_cb_fn) {
+        ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_cb_fn(BLE_SVC_GAP_CHR_UUID16_APPEARANCE);
+    }
+
+    return rc;
+#endif
+}
+
 static int
 ble_svc_gap_access(uint16_t conn_handle, uint16_t attr_handle,
                    struct ble_gatt_access_ctxt *ctxt, void *arg)
 {
     uint16_t uuid16;
-    uint16_t appearance = htole16(ble_svc_gap_appearance);
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_CENTRAL_ADDRESS_RESOLUTION) >= 0
     uint8_t central_ar = MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_SVC_GAP_CENTRAL_ADDRESS_RESOLUTION);
 #endif
@@ -165,9 +209,14 @@ ble_svc_gap_access(uint16_t conn_handle, uint16_t attr_handle,
         return rc;
 
     case BLE_SVC_GAP_CHR_UUID16_APPEARANCE:
-        assert(ctxt->op == BLE_GATT_ACCESS_OP_READ_CHR);
-        rc = os_mbuf_append(ctxt->om, &appearance, sizeof(appearance));
-        return rc == 0 ? 0 : BLE_ATT_ERR_INSUFFICIENT_RES;
+        if (ctxt->op == BLE_GATT_ACCESS_OP_READ_CHR) {
+            rc = ble_svc_gap_appearance_read_access(ctxt);
+        } else if (ctxt->op == BLE_GATT_ACCESS_OP_WRITE_CHR) {
+            rc = ble_svc_gap_appearance_write_access(ctxt);
+        } else {
+            assert(0);
+        }
+        return rc;
 
 #if PPCP_ENABLED
     case BLE_SVC_GAP_CHR_UUID16_PERIPH_PREF_CONN_PARAMS:
@@ -217,6 +266,14 @@ ble_svc_gap_device_appearance(void)
   return ble_svc_gap_appearance;
 }
 
+int
+ble_svc_gap_device_appearance_set(uint16_t appearance)
+{
+    ble_svc_gap_appearance = appearance;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 void
 ble_svc_gap_set_chr_changed_cb(ble_svc_gap_chr_changed_fn *cb)
 {
diff --git a/nimble/host/services/gap/syscfg.yml b/nimble/host/services/gap/syscfg.yml
index c9c93805a..11aeaa94c 100644
--- a/nimble/host/services/gap/syscfg.yml
+++ b/nimble/host/services/gap/syscfg.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ syscfg.defs:
     BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE:
         description: 'Device appearance'
         value: 0
+    BLE_SVC_GAP_APPEARANCE_WRITE_PERM:
+        description: >
+            Defines permissions for writing "Appearance" characteristics. Can
+            be zero to allow write without extra permissions or combination of:
+                BLE_GATT_CHR_F_WRITE_ENC
+                BLE_GATT_CHR_F_WRITE_AUTHEN
+                BLE_GATT_CHR_F_WRITE_AUTHOR
+            Set to '-1' to make characteristic read only.
+        value: -1
 
     # Setting all values for PPCP to '0' will disable characteristic!
     BLE_SVC_GAP_PPCP_MIN_CONN_INTERVAL: