diff --git a/flash.h b/flash.h
index 1b7a47a..81fdbd7 100644
--- a/flash.h
+++ b/flash.h
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@
 /* layout.c */
 int read_romlayout(char *name);
 int find_romentry(char *name);
-int handle_romentries(uint8_t *buffer, struct flashchip *flash);
+int handle_romentries(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *oldcontents, uint8_t *newcontents);
 
 /* spi.c */
 struct spi_command {
diff --git a/flashrom.c b/flashrom.c
index 5451c60..f1edfca 100644
--- a/flashrom.c
+++ b/flashrom.c
@@ -1343,6 +1343,19 @@
 	return ret;
 }
 
+void nonfatal_help_message(void)
+{
+	msg_gerr("Writing to the flash chip apparently didn't do anything.\n"
+		"This means we have to add special support for your board, "
+		  "programmer or flash chip.\n"
+		"Please report this on IRC at irc.freenode.net (channel "
+		  "#flashrom) or\n"
+		"mail flashrom@flashrom.org!\n"
+		"-------------------------------------------------------------"
+		  "------------------\n"
+		"You may now reboot or simply leave the machine running.\n");
+}
+
 void emergency_help_message(void)
 {
 	msg_gerr("Your flash chip is in an unknown state.\n"
@@ -1602,9 +1615,10 @@
  */
 int doit(struct flashchip *flash, int force, char *filename, int read_it, int write_it, int erase_it, int verify_it)
 {
-	uint8_t *buf;
+	uint8_t *oldcontents;
+	uint8_t *newcontents;
 	int ret = 0;
-	unsigned long size;
+	unsigned long size = flash->total_size * 1024;
 
 	if (chip_safety_check(flash, force, filename, read_it, write_it, erase_it, verify_it)) {
 		msg_cerr("Aborting.\n");
@@ -1612,9 +1626,6 @@
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	size = flash->total_size * 1024;
-	buf = (uint8_t *) calloc(size, sizeof(char));
-
 	/* Given the existence of read locks, we want to unlock for read,
 	 * erase and write.
 	 */
@@ -1627,6 +1638,12 @@
 		return ret;
 	}
 	if (erase_it) {
+		/* FIXME: Do we really want the scary warning if erase failed?
+		 * After all, after erase the chip is either blank or partially
+		 * blank or it has the old contents. A blank chip won't boot,
+		 * so if the user wanted erase and reboots afterwards, the user
+		 * knows very well that booting won't work.
+		 */
 		if (erase_flash(flash)) {
 			emergency_help_message();
 			programmer_shutdown();
@@ -1634,33 +1651,71 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	newcontents = (uint8_t *) calloc(size, sizeof(char));
+
 	if (write_it || verify_it) {
-		if (read_buf_from_file(buf, flash->total_size * 1024, filename)) {
+		if (read_buf_from_file(newcontents, size, filename)) {
 			programmer_shutdown();
 			return 1;
 		}
 
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
-		show_id(buf, size, force);
+		if (programmer == PROGRAMMER_INTERNAL)
+			show_id(newcontents, size, force);
 #endif
 	}
 
+	oldcontents = (uint8_t *) calloc(size, sizeof(char));
+
+	/* Read the whole chip to be able to check whether regions need to be
+	 * erased and to give better diagnostics in case write fails.
+	 * The alternative would be to read only the regions which are to be
+	 * preserved, but in that case we might perform unneeded erase which
+	 * takes time as well.
+	 */
+	msg_cdbg("Reading old flash chip contents...\n");
+	if (flash->read(flash, oldcontents, 0, size)) {
+		programmer_shutdown();
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	// This should be moved into each flash part's code to do it 
 	// cleanly. This does the job.
-	handle_romentries(buf, flash);
+	handle_romentries(flash, oldcontents, newcontents);
 
 	// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 	if (write_it) {
 		if (erase_flash(flash)) {
+			msg_cerr("Uh oh. Erase failed. Checking if anything "
+				 "changed.\n");
+			if (!flash->read(flash, newcontents, 0, size)) {
+				if (!memcmp(oldcontents, newcontents, size)) {
+					msg_cinfo("Good. It seems nothing was "
+						  "changed.\n");
+					nonfatal_help_message();
+					programmer_shutdown();
+					return 1;
+				}
+			}
 			emergency_help_message();
 			programmer_shutdown();
 			return 1;
 		}
 		msg_cinfo("Writing flash chip... ");
-		ret = flash->write(flash, buf, 0, flash->total_size * 1024);
+		ret = flash->write(flash, newcontents, 0, size);
 		if (ret) {
-			msg_cerr("FAILED!\n");
+			msg_cerr("Uh oh. Write failed. Checking if anything "
+				 "changed.\n");
+			if (!flash->read(flash, newcontents, 0, size)) {
+				if (!memcmp(oldcontents, newcontents, size)) {
+					msg_cinfo("Good. It seems nothing was "
+						  "changed.\n");
+					nonfatal_help_message();
+					programmer_shutdown();
+					return 1;
+				}
+			}
 			emergency_help_message();
 			programmer_shutdown();
 			return 1;
@@ -1673,7 +1728,7 @@
 		/* Work around chips which need some time to calm down. */
 		if (write_it)
 			programmer_delay(1000*1000);
-		ret = verify_flash(flash, buf);
+		ret = verify_flash(flash, newcontents);
 		/* If we tried to write, and verification now fails, we
 		 * might have an emergency situation.
 		 */
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index c01e09c..b24e4dd 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
 	return -1;
 }
 
-int handle_romentries(uint8_t *buffer, struct flashchip *flash)
+int handle_romentries(struct flashchip *flash, uint8_t *oldcontents, uint8_t *newcontents)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -225,13 +225,12 @@
 	// normal will be updated and the rest will be kept.
 
 	for (i = 0; i < romimages; i++) {
-
 		if (rom_entries[i].included)
 			continue;
 
-		flash->read(flash, buffer + rom_entries[i].start,
-			    rom_entries[i].start,
-			    rom_entries[i].end - rom_entries[i].start + 1);
+		memcpy(newcontents + rom_entries[i].start, 
+		       oldcontents + rom_entries[i].start,
+		       rom_entries[i].end - rom_entries[i].start + 1);
 	}
 
 	return 0;