diff --git a/minimalmodbus.py b/minimalmodbus.py
index 0d13224..2b7a3ab 100644
--- a/minimalmodbus.py
+++ b/minimalmodbus.py
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ def __init__(
         mode: str = MODE_RTU,
         close_port_after_each_call: bool = False,
         debug: bool = False,
+        allow_broadcast_address: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Initialize instrument and open corresponding serial port."""
         self.address = slaveaddress
@@ -162,6 +163,11 @@ def __init__(
 
         Changing this will not affect how other instruments use the same serial port.
         """
+        
+        self.allow_broadcast_address = allow_broadcast_address
+        """Set this to :const:`True` to allow coomunicating with an instrument
+        with address 0.
+        """
 
         self.clear_buffers_before_each_transaction = True
         """If this is :const:`True`, the serial port read and write buffers are
@@ -1070,7 +1076,8 @@ def _generic_command(
 
         # Check combinations: Broadcast and functioncode
         if (
-            self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST
+			self.allow_broadcast_address == False
+            and self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST
             and functioncode not in ALLOWED_FUNCTIONCODES_BROADCAST
         ):
             raise ValueError(
@@ -1245,7 +1252,7 @@ def _generic_command(
         payload_from_slave = self._perform_command(functioncode, payload_to_slave)
 
         # There is no response for broadcasts
-        if self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST:
+        if self.allow_broadcast_address == False and self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST:
             return None
 
         # Parse response payload
@@ -1300,9 +1307,9 @@ def _perform_command(self, functioncode: int, payload_to_slave: str) -> str:
 
         # Calculate number of bytes to read
         number_of_bytes_to_read = DEFAULT_NUMBER_OF_BYTES_TO_READ
-        if self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST:
+        if self.allow_broadcast_address == False and self.address == _SLAVEADDRESS_BROADCAST:
             number_of_bytes_to_read = 0
-        elif self.precalculate_read_size:
+        if self.precalculate_read_size:
             try:
                 number_of_bytes_to_read = _predict_response_size(
                     self.mode, functioncode, payload_to_slave