A circuit for controlling a read operation for a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) comprising an array of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) having conducting row and column lines attached thereto. The circuitry comprises a current supply for providing a read current, and a row selector for selecting a row containing a junction to be read and applying the read current to that row with the respective row line. An unselected row switch switches to at least some of the row lines not connected to the MTJ to be read, and a voltage source applies, via the unselected row switch, a voltage to each of the unselected row lines that is substantially identical in level to the voltage on the selected row line. A column selector selects the column line connected to the array containing the MTJ to be read, and a voltage detector for detecting the voltage across the MTJ to be read via the selected column and row lines.