diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb10.c b/lib/libusb/libusb10.c
--- a/lib/libusb/libusb10.c
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb10.c
@@ -670,6 +670,7 @@
 	struct LIBUSB20_DEVICE_DESC_DECODED *pdesc;
 	int i;
 	int j;
+	int ok;
 
 	ctx = GET_CONTEXT(ctx);
 	if (ctx == NULL)
@@ -693,8 +694,12 @@
 		 */
 		if (pdesc->idVendor == vendor_id &&
 		    pdesc->idProduct == product_id) {
-			libusb_open(devs[j], &pdev);
-			break;
+			ok = libusb_open(devs[j], &pdev);
+			/*
+			 * If this fails, try the next one.
+			 */
+			if (ok == 0)
+				break;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb20.h b/lib/libusb/libusb20.h
--- a/lib/libusb/libusb20.h
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb20.h
@@ -173,6 +173,14 @@
 	LIBUSB20_POWER_RESUME,
 };
 
+/** \ingroup misc
+ * libusb20_dev_open_with_flags values
+ */
+enum libusb20_open_flags {
+	LIBUSB20_OPEN_SHARED = 0,
+	LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE = 1,
+};
+
 struct usb_device_info;
 struct libusb20_transfer;
 struct libusb20_backend;
@@ -252,6 +260,8 @@
 int	libusb20_dev_get_stats(struct libusb20_device *pdev, struct libusb20_device_stats *pstat);
 int	libusb20_dev_kernel_driver_active(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint8_t iface_index);
 int	libusb20_dev_open(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t transfer_max);
+int	libusb20_dev_open_exclusive(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t transfer_max);
+int	libusb20_dev_open_with_flags(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t transfer_max, int flags);
 int	libusb20_dev_process(struct libusb20_device *pdev);
 int	libusb20_dev_request_sync(struct libusb20_device *pdev, struct LIBUSB20_CONTROL_SETUP_DECODED *setup, void *data, uint16_t *pactlen, uint32_t timeout, uint8_t flags);
 int	libusb20_dev_req_string_sync(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint8_t index, uint16_t langid, void *ptr, uint16_t len);
diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb20.c b/lib/libusb/libusb20.c
--- a/lib/libusb/libusb20.c
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb20.c
@@ -657,8 +657,9 @@
 	return (error);
 }
 
+/* Only flag implemented is LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE. */
 int
-libusb20_dev_open(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t nTransferMax)
+libusb20_dev_open_with_flags(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t nTransferMax, int flags)
 {
 	struct libusb20_transfer *xfer;
 	uint32_t size;
@@ -691,7 +692,7 @@
 	/* set "nTransfer" early */
 	pdev->nTransfer = nTransferMax;
 
-	error = pdev->beMethods->open_device(pdev, nTransferMax);
+	error = pdev->beMethods->open_device(pdev, nTransferMax, flags);
 
 	if (error) {
 		if (pdev->pTransfer != NULL) {
@@ -707,6 +708,12 @@
 	return (error);
 }
 
+int
+libusb20_dev_open(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t nTransferMax)
+{
+	return libusb20_dev_open_with_flags(pdev, nTransferMax, LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE);
+}
+
 int
 libusb20_dev_reset(struct libusb20_device *pdev)
 {
diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb20_dev_open.3 b/lib/libusb/libusb20_dev_open.3
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb20_dev_open.3
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+.\"
+.\" Copyright (c) 2025 Rick Parrish <unitrunker@unitrunker.net>
+.\"
+.\" SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+.\"
+.Dd December 14, 2025
+.Dt LIBUSB20 3
+.Os
+.Sh NAME
+.Nm libusb20_dev_open
+.Nd open a USB device to retrieve descriptors and initiate transfers
+.Sh SYNOPSIS
+.Lb libusb
+.In libusb20.h
+.Ft int
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open "struct libusb20_device *pdev" "uin16_t transfer_max"
+.Ft int
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags "struct libusb20_device *pdev" "uin16_t transfer_max" "int flags"
+.Sh DESCRIPTION
+The
+.Nm
+and
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags
+functions open a USB device to retrieve descriptors and initiate transfers.
+.Nm
+accepts a pointer as
+.Fa pdev
+to a
+.Xr libusb20_device 3
+obtained from
+.Xr libusb20_be_device_foreach 3 .
+A zero for
+.Fa transfer_max
+limits the device to only control transfers.
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags
+also accepts a
+.Fa flags
+argument which may be LIBUSB20_OPEN_SHARED or LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE.
+Calling
+.Nm
+is the same as calling
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags
+with
+.Fa flags
+set to LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE.
+Call
+.Xr libusb20_dev_close 3
+to free resources taken by the open device handle.
+.Sh ERRORS
+.Nm
+and
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags
+return one of the following to report success or failure:
+.Bl -tag -width "LIBUSB20_ERROR_NO_DEVICE" -compact
+.It Er LIBUSB20_SUCCESS
+The operation succeeds.
+.It Er LIBUSB20_ERROR_BUSY
+The device is in use elsewhere.
+.It Er LIBUSB20_ERROR_ACCESS
+A permissions issue.
+.It Er LIBUSB20_ERROR_NO_DEVICE
+The device detached.
+.It Er LIBUSB20_ERROR_NO_MEM
+This library could not allocate memory.
+.It More errors in
+.Xr libusb20 3
+and
+.In libusb20.h
+.El
+.Sh EXAMPLES
+.Nm
+.Bd -literal
+    #include <libusb20.h>
+    struct libusb20_backend *be = libusb20_be_alloc_default();
+    struct libusb20_device *device = NULL;
+    while ( (device = libusb20_be_device_foreach(be, device)) != NULL ) {
+        code = libusb20_dev_open(device, 4);
+        if (code == LIBUSB20_SUCCESS) {
+            /* do something */
+            libusb20_dev_close(device);
+	}
+        else if (code == LIBUSB20_ERROR_BUSY) {
+            printf("Device already in use.\n");
+        }
+    }
+    libusb20_be_free(be);
+.Ed
+.Fn libusb20_dev_open_with_flags
+.Bd -literal
+    #include <libusb20.h>
+    int code;
+    struct libusb20_backend *be = libusb20_be_alloc_default();
+    struct libusb20_device *device = NULL;
+    while ( (device = libusb20_be_device_foreach(be, device)) != NULL ) {
+        code = libusb20_dev_open_with_flags(device, 4, LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE);
+        if (code == LIBUSB20_SUCCESS) {
+            /* do something */
+            libusb20_dev_close(device);
+        }
+        else if (code == LIBUSB20_ERROR_BUSY) {
+            printf("Device already in use.\n");
+        }
+    }
+    libusb20_be_free(be);
+.Ed
+.Pg
+.Sh SEE ALSO
+.Xr libusb20_be_device_foreach 3 ,
+.Xr libusb20_dev_close 3 ,
+.Xr libusb20 3
diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb20_int.h b/lib/libusb/libusb20_int.h
--- a/lib/libusb/libusb20_int.h
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb20_int.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 typedef int (libusb20_dev_get_info_t)(struct libusb20_device *pdev, struct usb_device_info *pinfo);
 typedef int (libusb20_dev_get_iface_desc_t)(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint8_t iface_index, char *buf, uint8_t len);
 typedef int (libusb20_init_backend_t)(struct libusb20_backend *pbe);
-typedef int (libusb20_open_device_t)(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t transfer_count_max);
+typedef int (libusb20_open_device_t)(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t transfer_count_max, int flags);
 typedef void (libusb20_exit_backend_t)(struct libusb20_backend *pbe);
 typedef int (libusb20_root_set_template_t)(struct libusb20_backend *pbe, int temp);
 typedef int (libusb20_root_get_template_t)(struct libusb20_backend *pbe, int *ptemp);
diff --git a/lib/libusb/libusb20_ugen20.c b/lib/libusb/libusb20_ugen20.c
--- a/lib/libusb/libusb20_ugen20.c
+++ b/lib/libusb/libusb20_ugen20.c
@@ -375,13 +375,13 @@
 }
 
 static int
-ugen20_open_device(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t nMaxTransfer)
+ugen20_open_device(struct libusb20_device *pdev, uint16_t nMaxTransfer, int flags)
 {
 	uint32_t plugtime;
 	char buf[64];
 	int f;
 	int g;
-	int error;
+	int error, arg;
 
 	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "/dev/" USB_GENERIC_NAME "%u.%u",
 	    pdev->bus_number, pdev->device_address);
@@ -409,6 +409,13 @@
 		error = LIBUSB20_ERROR_NO_DEVICE;
 		goto done;
 	}
+	arg = ((flags & LIBUSB20_OPEN_EXCLUSIVE) != 0) ? LOCK_EX|LOCK_NB : LOCK_SH|LOCK_NB;
+	if (flock(f, arg) != 0) {
+		close(f);
+		close(g);
+		error = LIBUSB20_ERROR_BUSY;
+		goto done;
+	}
 	/* need to set this before "tr_renew()" */
 	pdev->file = f;
 	pdev->file_ctrl = g;