diff --git a/openwisp_controller/config/static/config/js/unsaved_changes.js b/openwisp_controller/config/static/config/js/unsaved_changes.js
index 8bc0af521..1218ca3a6 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/config/static/config/js/unsaved_changes.js
+++ b/openwisp_controller/config/static/config/js/unsaved_changes.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
             "config-0-config",
             "config-0-context",
             "devicelocation-0-geometry",
+            "geometry",
           ];
         // ignore fields that have no name attribute, begin with "_" or "initial-"
         if (
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/test_selenium.py b/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/test_selenium.py
index 2a5b493ad..2d4aacb3f 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/test_selenium.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/test_selenium.py
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from django.contrib.auth.models import Permission
 from django.contrib.staticfiles.testing import StaticLiveServerTestCase
+from django.test import tag
+from django.urls.base import reverse
+from django_loci.tests import TestAdminMixin
 from django_loci.tests.base.test_selenium import BaseTestDeviceAdminSelenium
 from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
 from swapper import load_model
 
 from openwisp_users.tests.utils import TestOrganizationMixin
+from openwisp_utils.tests import SeleniumTestMixin
+
+from .utils import TestGeoMixin
 
 Device = load_model('config', 'Device')
 Location = load_model('geo', 'Location')
@@ -12,7 +19,9 @@
 DeviceLocation = load_model('geo', 'DeviceLocation')
 
 
-class TestDeviceAdminSelenium(
+# these tests are for geo elements on device admin
+@tag('selenium_tests')
+class TestDeviceAdminGeoSelenium(
     BaseTestDeviceAdminSelenium, TestOrganizationMixin, StaticLiveServerTestCase
 ):
     app_label = 'geo'
@@ -27,6 +36,10 @@ class TestDeviceAdminSelenium(
     def _get_prefix(cls):
         return cls.inline_field_prefix
 
+    # set timeout to 5 seconds to allow enough time for presence of elements
+    def wait_for_presence(self, by, value, timeout=5, driver=None):
+        return super().wait_for_presence(by, value, timeout, driver)
+
     def _fill_device_form(self):
         org = self._get_org()
         self.find_element(by=By.NAME, value='mac_address').send_keys(
@@ -46,3 +59,54 @@ def _fill_device_form(self):
         )
         self.find_element(by=By.CLASS_NAME, value='select2-results__option').click()
         super()._fill_device_form()
+
+
+@tag('selenium_tests')
+class TestDeviceAdminReadonly(
+    TestGeoMixin,
+    TestAdminMixin,
+    SeleniumTestMixin,
+    StaticLiveServerTestCase,
+):
+    browser = 'chrome'
+    app_label = 'geo'
+
+    object_model = Device
+    location_model = Location
+    object_location_model = DeviceLocation
+    permission_model = Permission
+    user_model = get_user_model()
+
+    # for these tests we need readonly user with view permissions.
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.admin = self._create_readonly_admin(
+            username=self.admin_username,
+            password=self.admin_password,
+            models=[self.object_model, self.location_model, self.object_location_model],
+        )
+
+    def test_unsaved_changes_readonly(self):
+        self.login()
+        ol = self._create_object_location()
+        path = reverse('admin:config_device_change', args=[ol.device.id])
+
+        with self.subTest('Alert should not be displayed without any change'):
+            self.open(path)
+            self.hide_loading_overlay()
+            # The WebDriver automatically accepts the
+            # beforeunload confirmation dialog. To verify the message,
+            # we log it to the console and check its content.
+            #
+            # our own JS code sets e.returnValue when triggered
+            # so we just need to ensure it's set as expected
+            self.web_driver.execute_script(
+                'django.jQuery(window).on("beforeunload", function(e) {'
+                ' console.warn(e.returnValue); });'
+            )
+            self.web_driver.refresh()
+            for entry in self.get_browser_logs():
+                if (
+                    entry['level'] == 'WARNING'
+                    and "You haven\'t saved your changes yet!" in entry['message']
+                ):
+                    self.fail('Unsaved changes alert displayed without any change')
diff --git a/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/utils.py b/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/utils.py
index a26f1256d..625e6687a 100644
--- a/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/utils.py
+++ b/openwisp_controller/geo/tests/utils.py
@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ def _create_object_location(self, **kwargs):
         return ol
 
     def _create_readonly_admin(self, **kwargs):
+        # remove organization before proceeding to user creation
+        org1 = kwargs.pop('organization', None)
         user = super()._create_readonly_admin(**kwargs)
-        org1 = self._create_organization()
+        if not org1:
+            org1 = self._create_organization()
         OrganizationUser.objects.create(user=user, organization=org1, is_admin=True)
         return user