diff --git a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
index ef6ca04e97..f5fb618c35 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ extern device::Device *PX4IO_serial_interface() weak_function;
 
 #define PX4IO_SET_DEBUG			_IOC(0xff00, 0)
 #define PX4IO_INAIR_RESTART_ENABLE	_IOC(0xff00, 1)
+#define PX4IO_REBOOT_BOOTLOADER		_IOC(0xff00, 2)
 
 #define UPDATE_INTERVAL_MIN		2			// 2 ms	-> 500 Hz
 #define ORB_CHECK_INTERVAL		200000		// 200 ms -> 5 Hz
@@ -2146,6 +2147,16 @@ PX4IO::ioctl(file * /*filep*/, int cmd, unsigned long arg)
 		ret = io_reg_set(PX4IO_PAGE_SETUP, PX4IO_P_SETUP_SET_DEBUG, arg);
 		break;
 
+	case PX4IO_REBOOT_BOOTLOADER:
+		if (system_status() & PX4IO_P_STATUS_FLAGS_SAFETY_OFF)
+			return -EINVAL;
+
+		/* reboot into bootloader - arg must be PX4IO_REBOOT_BL_MAGIC */
+		io_reg_set(PX4IO_PAGE_SETUP, PX4IO_P_SETUP_REBOOT_BL, arg);
+		// we don't expect a reply from this operation
+		ret = OK;
+		break;
+
 	case PX4IO_INAIR_RESTART_ENABLE:
 
 		/* set/clear the 'in-air restart' bit */
@@ -2673,6 +2684,39 @@ px4io_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		exit(0);
 	}
 
+	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "forceupdate")) {
+		/*
+		  force update of the IO firmware without requiring
+		  the user to hold the safety switch down
+		 */
+		if (argc <= 3) {
+			printf("usage: px4io forceupdate MAGIC filename\n");
+			exit(1);
+		}
+		if (g_dev == nullptr) {
+			printf("px4io is not started\n");
+			exit(1);
+		}
+		uint16_t arg = atol(argv[2]);
+		int ret = g_dev->ioctl(nullptr, PX4IO_REBOOT_BOOTLOADER, arg);
+		if (ret != OK) {
+			printf("reboot failed - %d\n", ret);
+			exit(1);			
+		}
+
+		// tear down the px4io instance
+		delete g_dev;
+
+		// upload the specified firmware
+		const char *fn[2];
+		fn[0] = argv[3];
+		fn[1] = nullptr;
+		PX4IO_Uploader *up = new PX4IO_Uploader;
+		up->upload(&fn[0]);
+		delete up;
+		exit(0);
+	}
+
 	if (!strcmp(argv[1], "rx_dsm") ||
 	    !strcmp(argv[1], "rx_dsm_10bit") ||
 	    !strcmp(argv[1], "rx_dsm_11bit") ||
@@ -2690,5 +2734,5 @@ px4io_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		bind(argc, argv);
 
 out:
-	errx(1, "need a command, try 'start', 'stop', 'status', 'test', 'monitor', 'debug',\n 'recovery', 'limit', 'current', 'bind' or 'update'");
+	errx(1, "need a command, try 'start', 'stop', 'status', 'test', 'monitor', 'debug',\n 'recovery', 'limit', 'current', 'bind', 'checkcrc', 'forceupdate' or 'update'");
 }
diff --git a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io_uploader.cpp b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io_uploader.cpp
index d01dedb0dd..41f93a8ee1 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io_uploader.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io_uploader.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,10 @@ PX4IO_Uploader::drain()
 	int ret;
 
 	do {
-		ret = recv(c, 1000);
+		// the small recv timeout here is to allow for fast
+		// drain when rebooting the io board for a forced
+		// update of the fw without using the safety switch
+		ret = recv(c, 40);
 
 #ifdef UDEBUG
 		if (ret == OK) {
diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
index 5e5396782b..2856bdea4e 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/protocol.h
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ enum {							/* DSM bind states */
  					     /*	8 */
 #define PX4IO_P_SETUP_SET_DEBUG			9	/* debug level for IO board */
 
+#define PX4IO_P_SETUP_REBOOT_BL		       10	/* reboot IO into bootloader */
+#define PX4IO_REBOOT_BL_MAGIC               14662       /* required argument for reboot (random) */
+
 /* autopilot control values, -10000..10000 */
 #define PX4IO_PAGE_CONTROLS		51		/* 0..CONFIG_CONTROL_COUNT */
 
diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/registers.c b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/registers.c
index 86a40bc228..6785e53661 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/registers.c
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/registers.c
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
 
 #include <drivers/drv_hrt.h>
 #include <drivers/drv_pwm_output.h>
+#include <systemlib/systemlib.h>
+#include <stm32_pwr.h>
 
 #include "px4io.h"
 #include "protocol.h"
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ volatile uint16_t	r_page_setup[] =
 	[PX4IO_P_SETUP_VBATT_SCALE]		= 10000,
 #endif
 	[PX4IO_P_SETUP_SET_DEBUG]		= 0,
+	[PX4IO_P_SETUP_REBOOT_BL]		= 0,
 };
 
 #define PX4IO_P_SETUP_FEATURES_VALID	(0)
@@ -501,6 +504,29 @@ registers_set_one(uint8_t page, uint8_t offset, uint16_t value)
 			isr_debug(0, "set debug %u\n", (unsigned)r_page_setup[PX4IO_P_SETUP_SET_DEBUG]);
 			break;
 
+		case PX4IO_P_SETUP_REBOOT_BL:
+			if ((r_status_flags & PX4IO_P_STATUS_FLAGS_SAFETY_OFF) ||
+			    (r_status_flags & PX4IO_P_STATUS_FLAGS_OVERRIDE) ||
+			    (r_setup_arming & PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_FMU_ARMED)) {
+				// don't allow reboot while armed
+				break;
+			}
+
+			// check the magic value
+			if (value != PX4IO_REBOOT_BL_MAGIC)
+				break;
+                        
+                        // note that we don't set BL_WAIT_MAGIC in
+                        // BKP_DR1 as that is not necessary given the
+                        // timing of the forceupdate command. The
+                        // bootloader on px4io waits for enough time
+                        // anyway, and this method works with older
+                        // bootloader versions (tested with both
+                        // revision 3 and revision 4).
+
+			up_systemreset();
+			break;
+
 		case PX4IO_P_SETUP_DSM:
 			dsm_bind(value & 0x0f, (value >> 4) & 7);
 			break;