diff --git a/adafruit_bus_device/i2c_device.py b/adafruit_bus_device/i2c_device.py
index 770f4c7..a3cfd69 100644
--- a/adafruit_bus_device/i2c_device.py
+++ b/adafruit_bus_device/i2c_device.py
@@ -41,13 +41,21 @@ class I2CDevice:
                 device.write(bytes_read)
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, i2c, device_address, probe=True):
-
+    def __init__(self, i2c, device_address, probe=True, probe_with_write=True):
+        """
+        If probe is true you will probing the device.
+        With probe_with_write you can switch between:
+        True - a probing with write (& read if OSError)
+        False - only probing with read
+        """
         self.i2c = i2c
         self.device_address = device_address
 
         if probe:
-            self.__probe_for_device()
+            if probe_with_write:
+                self.__write_probe_for_device()
+            else:
+                self.__only_read_probe_for_device()
 
     def readinto(self, buf, *, start=0, end=None):
         """
@@ -142,8 +150,10 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
         self.i2c.unlock()
         return False
 
-    def __probe_for_device(self):
+    def __write_probe_for_device(self):
         """
+        Try to write empty byte string to an address.
+        If OSError:
         Try to read a byte from an address,
         if you get an OSError it means the device is not there
         or that the device does not support these means of probing
@@ -164,3 +174,21 @@ def __probe_for_device(self):
                 # pylint: enable=raise-missing-from
         finally:
             self.i2c.unlock()
+
+    def __only_read_probe_for_device(self):
+        """
+        Try to read a byte from an address,
+        if you get an OSError it means the device is not there
+        or that the device does not support these means of probing
+        """
+        while not self.i2c.try_lock():
+            pass
+        try:
+            result = bytearray(1)
+            self.i2c.readfrom_into(self.device_address, result)
+        except OSError:
+            # pylint: disable=raise-missing-from
+            raise ValueError("No I2C device at address: 0x%x" % self.device_address)
+            # pylint: enable=raise-missing-from
+        finally:
+            self.i2c.unlock()