A method and an integrated circuit for determining the state of a resistivity changing memory cell. In one embodiment the method includes detecting a first resistance of the resistivity changing memory cell, determining whether the first resistance value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value thereby determining a first result value, initializing the resistivity changing memory cell into one of at least four resistivity changing memory states, detecting a second resistance value of the resistivity changing memory cell, determining whether the second resistance value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value determining a second result value, and determining the state of the resistivity changing memory cell state using the first and the second result values.