diff --git a/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/24xxxx_mtd.c b/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/24xxxx_mtd.c
index b5144512bc..1b8c59f77e 100644
--- a/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/24xxxx_mtd.c
+++ b/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/24xxxx_mtd.c
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ struct at24c_dev_s
 
   perf_counter_t        perf_reads;
   perf_counter_t        perf_writes;
+  perf_counter_t        perf_resets;
+  perf_counter_t        perf_read_retries;
 };
 
 /************************************************************************************
@@ -267,6 +269,7 @@ static ssize_t at24c_bread(FAR struct mtd_dev_s *dev, off_t startblock,
 
       for (;;)
         {
+          unsigned tries = 50;
 
           perf_begin(priv->perf_reads);
           ret = I2C_TRANSFER(priv->dev, &msgv[0], 2);
@@ -274,9 +277,20 @@ static ssize_t at24c_bread(FAR struct mtd_dev_s *dev, off_t startblock,
           if (ret >= 0)
             break;
 
-          /* XXX probably want a bus reset in here and an eventual timeout */
           fvdbg("read stall");
           usleep(1000);
+          perf_count(priv->perf_read_retries);
+
+          /*
+           * Kick the bus in case it's stuck.
+           */
+          if (--tries == 0)
+            { 
+              tries = 50;
+              up_i2creset(priv->dev);
+              perf_count(priv->perf_resets);
+            }
+
         }
 
       startblock++;
@@ -480,6 +494,8 @@ FAR struct mtd_dev_s *at24c_initialize(FAR struct i2c_dev_s *dev)
 
       priv->perf_reads = perf_alloc(PC_ELAPSED, "EEPROM read");
       priv->perf_writes = perf_alloc(PC_ELAPSED, "EEPROM write");
+      priv->perf_resets = perf_alloc(PC_COUNT, "EEPROM reset");
+      priv->perf_read_retries = perf_alloc(PC_COUNT, "EEPROM read retries");
     }
 
   /* Return the implementation-specific state structure as the MTD device */
diff --git a/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/eeprom.c b/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/eeprom.c
index 6d1037a13d..a0b15f77b7 100644
--- a/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/eeprom.c
+++ b/apps/systemcmds/eeprom/eeprom.c
@@ -67,13 +67,16 @@
 
 __EXPORT int eeprom_main(int argc, char *argv[]);
 
+static void	eeprom_attach(void);
 static void	eeprom_start(void);
 static void	eeprom_erase(void);
 static void	eeprom_ioctl(unsigned operation);
 static void	eeprom_save(const char *name);
 static void	eeprom_load(const char *name);
 
+static bool attached = false;
 static bool started = false;
+static struct mtd_dev_s *eeprom_mtd;
 
 int eeprom_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -105,13 +108,8 @@ int eeprom_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 
 static void
-eeprom_start(void)
+eeprom_attach(void)
 {
-	int ret;
-
-	if (started)
-		errx(1, "EEPROM service already started");
-
 	/* find the right I2C */
 	struct i2c_dev_s *i2c = up_i2cinitialize(PX4_I2C_BUS_ONBOARD);
 	/* this resets the I2C bus, set correct bus speed again */
@@ -121,16 +119,27 @@ eeprom_start(void)
 		errx(1, "failed to locate I2C bus");
 
 	/* start the MTD driver */
-	struct mtd_dev_s *mtd = at24c_initialize(i2c);
+	eeprom_mtd = at24c_initialize(i2c);
 
-	if (mtd == NULL)
+	if (eeprom_mtd == NULL)
 		errx(1, "failed to initialize EEPROM driver");
 
-	/* driver is started, even if NXFFS fails to mount */
-	started = true;
+	attached = true;
+}
+
+static void
+eeprom_start(void)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	if (started)
+		errx(1, "EEPROM already mounted");
+
+	if (!attached)
+		eeprom_attach();
 
 	/* start NXFFS */
-	ret = nxffs_initialize(mtd);
+	ret = nxffs_initialize(eeprom_mtd);
 
 	if (ret < 0)
 		errx(1, "failed to initialize NXFFS - erase EEPROM to reformat");
@@ -141,7 +150,9 @@ eeprom_start(void)
 	if (ret < 0)
 		errx(1, "failed to mount /eeprom - erase EEPROM to reformat");
 	
-	errx(0, "mounted EEPROM at /eeprom");
+	started = true;
+	warnx("mounted EEPROM at /eeprom");
+	exit(0);
 }
 
 extern int at24c_nuke(void);
@@ -149,8 +160,8 @@ extern int at24c_nuke(void);
 static void
 eeprom_erase(void)
 {
-	if (!started)
-		errx(1, "must be started first");
+	if (!attached)
+		eeprom_attach();
 
 	if (at24c_nuke())
 		errx(1, "erase failed");