diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 07f495e..7977f99 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ func main() {
 		fmt.Println("Error retrieving value from cache:", err)
 	}
 
+	// You can also retrieve Value without affecting it's keep alive
+	res, err := cache.ValueOnly("someKey")
+	if err == nil {
+		fmt.Println("Found value in cache:", res.Data().(*myStruct).text)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("Error retrieving value from cache:", err)
+	}
+
 	// Wait for the item to expire in cache.
 	time.Sleep(6 * time.Second)
 	res, err = cache.Value("someKey")
diff --git a/cache_test.go b/cache_test.go
index e195e93..a590e2b 100644
--- a/cache_test.go
+++ b/cache_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ func TestCacheExpire(t *testing.T) {
 
 	table.Add(k+"_1", 250*time.Millisecond, v+"_1")
 	table.Add(k+"_2", 200*time.Millisecond, v+"_2")
+	table.Add(k+"_3", 200*time.Millisecond, v+"_3")
 
 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
 
@@ -68,6 +69,12 @@ func TestCacheExpire(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("Error retrieving value from cache:", err)
 	}
 
+	// check key `3`: valueOnly does not extend keep alive
+	_, err = table.ValueOnly(k + "_3")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("Error retrieving value from cache:", err)
+	}
+
 	time.Sleep(150 * time.Millisecond)
 
 	// check key `1` again, it should still be alive since we just accessed it
@@ -81,6 +88,12 @@ func TestCacheExpire(t *testing.T) {
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Error("Found key which should have been expired by now")
 	}
+
+	// check key `3`, it should have been removed by now
+	_, err = table.Value(k + "_3")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("Found key which should have been expired by now")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestExists(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/cachetable.go b/cachetable.go
index 1fa75ad..0fdf443 100644
--- a/cachetable.go
+++ b/cachetable.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (table *CacheTable) SetAddedItemCallback(f func(*CacheItem)) {
 	table.addedItem = append(table.addedItem, f)
 }
 
-//AddAddedItemCallback appends a new callback to the addedItem queue
+// AddAddedItemCallback appends a new callback to the addedItem queue
 func (table *CacheTable) AddAddedItemCallback(f func(*CacheItem)) {
 	table.Lock()
 	defer table.Unlock()
@@ -278,6 +278,16 @@ func (table *CacheTable) NotFoundAdd(key interface{}, lifeSpan time.Duration, da
 // Value returns an item from the cache and marks it to be kept alive. You can
 // pass additional arguments to your DataLoader callback function.
 func (table *CacheTable) Value(key interface{}, args ...interface{}) (*CacheItem, error) {
+	return table.valueInternal(key, true, args)
+}
+
+// ValueOnly returns an item from the cache and does not mark it to be kept alive. You can
+// pass additional arguments to your DataLoader callback function.
+func (table *CacheTable) ValueOnly(key interface{}, args ...interface{}) (*CacheItem, error) {
+	return table.valueInternal(key, false, args)
+}
+
+func (table *CacheTable) valueInternal(key interface{}, updateKeepAlive bool, args ...interface{}) (*CacheItem, error) {
 	table.RLock()
 	r, ok := table.items[key]
 	loadData := table.loadData
@@ -285,7 +295,9 @@ func (table *CacheTable) Value(key interface{}, args ...interface{}) (*CacheItem
 
 	if ok {
 		// Update access counter and timestamp.
-		r.KeepAlive()
+		if updateKeepAlive {
+			r.KeepAlive()
+		}
 		return r, nil
 	}