diff --git a/sys/include/riotboot/flashwrite.h b/sys/include/riotboot/flashwrite.h
index 2591b375c6..2d777f958c 100644
--- a/sys/include/riotboot/flashwrite.h
+++ b/sys/include/riotboot/flashwrite.h
@@ -132,6 +132,14 @@ static inline int riotboot_flashwrite_init(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state,
  */
 int riotboot_flashwrite_putbytes(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state,
                                  const uint8_t *bytes, size_t len, bool more);
+/**
+ * @brief   Force flush the buffer onto the flash
+ *
+ * @param[in,out]   state   ptr to previously used update state
+ *
+ * @returns         0 on success, <0 otherwise
+ */
+int riotboot_flashwrite_flush(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Finish a firmware update (raw version)
diff --git a/sys/riotboot/flashwrite.c b/sys/riotboot/flashwrite.c
index e51cb341b8..c86ea04202 100644
--- a/sys/riotboot/flashwrite.c
+++ b/sys/riotboot/flashwrite.c
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ int riotboot_flashwrite_init_raw(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state, int target_slot,
     return 0;
 }
 
+int riotboot_flashwrite_flush(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state)
+{
+    if (flashpage_write_and_verify(state->flashpage, state->flashpage_buf) != FLASHPAGE_OK) {
+        LOG_WARNING(LOG_PREFIX "error writing flashpage %u!\n", state->flashpage);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int riotboot_flashwrite_putbytes(riotboot_flashwrite_t *state,
                                  const uint8_t *bytes, size_t len, bool more)
 {