diff --git a/MMCore/MMCore.cpp b/MMCore/MMCore.cpp
index eb3cddb0e..92e810d3c 100644
--- a/MMCore/MMCore.cpp
+++ b/MMCore/MMCore.cpp
@@ -7526,18 +7526,16 @@ MM::DeviceDetectionStatus CMMCore::detectDevice(const char* label)
  * device. Doing otherwise results in undefined behavior. This function was
  * intended for use during initial configuration, not routine loading of
  * devices. These restrictions may be relaxed in the future if possible.
+ * 
+ * Throws an exception if the hub device is not initialized.
  *
  * @param hubDeviceLabel    the label for the device of type Hub
  */
-std::vector<std::string> CMMCore::getInstalledDevices(const char* hubDeviceLabel, bool force) throw (CMMError)
+std::vector<std::string> CMMCore::getInstalledDevices(const char* hubDeviceLabel) throw (CMMError)
 {
-   if (isFeatureEnabled("StrictInitializationChecks") && !force) {
-      DeviceInitializationState initState = getDeviceInitializationState(hubDeviceLabel);
-      if (initState == DeviceInitializationState::Uninitialized) {
-         throw CMMError("Device " + ToQuotedString(hubDeviceLabel) +
-                        " is not yet initialized, and you may only call this method once. " +
-                        "This may not be what you want to do. "
-                        "Use force=true to call it anyway.");
+   if (isFeatureEnabled("StrictInitializationChecks")) {
+      if (getDeviceInitializationState(hubDeviceLabel) == DeviceInitializationState::Uninitialized) {
+         throw CMMError("Device " + ToQuotedString(hubDeviceLabel) + " is not yet initialized.");
       }
    }
 
diff --git a/MMCore/MMCore.h b/MMCore/MMCore.h
index a2344bcbf..d06d86013 100644
--- a/MMCore/MMCore.h
+++ b/MMCore/MMCore.h
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ class CMMCore
    void setParentLabel(const char* deviceLabel,
          const char* parentHubLabel) throw (CMMError);
 
-   std::vector<std::string> getInstalledDevices(const char* hubLabel, bool force = false) throw (CMMError);
+   std::vector<std::string> getInstalledDevices(const char* hubLabel) throw (CMMError);
    std::string getInstalledDeviceDescription(const char* hubLabel,
          const char* peripheralLabel) throw (CMMError);
    std::vector<std::string> getLoadedPeripheralDevices(const char* hubLabel) throw (CMMError);