An addressable SPI bus and an associated communication protocol. The addressable SPI bus comprises a plurality of slaves each exhibiting a particular address and a shift register whose output is connected to a common MISO bus by a buffer exhibiting a three state output, also known as a tri-state output. The master asserts a single SS line, which is connected in parallel to each of the plurality of slaves, indicating the beginning of a frame, and transmits via the MOSI bus the address of a particular slave of the plurality of slaves, denoted interchangeably the target or destination slave. Responsive to the received address, the target slave enables the three state output associated therewith thus transmitting the output of the target slave shift register to the master via the MISO bus.