diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/Util.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/Util.cpp
index b13eda7605..4d0ce6207a 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/Util.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/Util.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ bool Util::flash_bootloader()
     uint32_t fw_size;
     const char *fw_name = "bootloader.bin";
 
-    const uint8_t *fw = AP_ROMFS::find_file(fw_name, fw_size);
+    uint8_t *fw = AP_ROMFS::find_decompress(fw_name, fw_size);
     if (!fw) {
         hal.console->printf("failed to find %s\n", fw_name);
         return false;
@@ -211,12 +211,14 @@ bool Util::flash_bootloader()
     const uint32_t addr = stm32_flash_getpageaddr(0);
     if (!memcmp(fw, (const void*)addr, fw_size)) {
         hal.console->printf("Bootloader up-to-date\n");
+        free(fw);
         return true;
     }
 
     hal.console->printf("Erasing\n");
     if (!stm32_flash_erasepage(0)) {
         hal.console->printf("Erase failed\n");
+        free(fw);
         return false;
     }
     hal.console->printf("Flashing %s @%08x\n", fw_name, (unsigned int)addr);
@@ -233,10 +235,12 @@ bool Util::flash_bootloader()
             continue;
         }
         hal.console->printf("Flash OK\n");
+        free(fw);
         return true;
     }
 
     hal.console->printf("Flash failed after %u attempts\n", max_attempts);
+    free(fw);
     return false;
 }