diff --git a/README b/README
index 312304b..7f16715 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -23,20 +23,20 @@
 -----
 
  $ flashrom [-rwvEVfh] [-c chipname] [-s exclude_start] [-e exclude_end]
-            [-m vendor:part] [-l file.layout] [-i imagename] [file]
-   -r | --read:                    read flash and save into file
-   -w | --write:                   write file into flash (default when
-                                   file is specified)
-   -v | --verify:                  verify flash against file
-   -E | --erase:                   erase flash device
-   -V | --verbose:                 more verbose output
-   -c | --chip <chipname>:         probe only for specified flash chip
-   -s | --estart <addr>:           exclude start position
-   -e | --eend <addr>:             exclude end postion
-   -m | --mainboard <vendor:part>: override mainboard settings
-   -f | --force:                   force write without checking image
-   -l | --layout <file.layout>:    read rom layout from file
-   -i | --image <name>:            only flash image name from flash layout
+            [-m [vendor:]part] [-l file.layout] [-i imagename] [file]
+   -r | --read:                      read flash and save into file
+   -w | --write:                     write file into flash (default when
+                                     file is specified)
+   -v | --verify:                    verify flash against file
+   -E | --erase:                     erase flash device
+   -V | --verbose:                   more verbose output
+   -c | --chip <chipname>:           probe only for specified flash chip
+   -s | --estart <addr>:             exclude start position
+   -e | --eend <addr>:               exclude end postion
+   -m | --mainboard <[vendor:]part>: override mainboard settings
+   -f | --force:                     force write without checking image
+   -l | --layout <file.layout>:      read rom layout from file
+   -i | --image <name>:              only flash image name from flash layout
 
  If no file is specified, then all that happens
  is that flash info is dumped and the flash chip is set to writable.
diff --git a/board_enable.c b/board_enable.c
index 27f431f..e23b9ea 100644
--- a/board_enable.c
+++ b/board_enable.c
@@ -413,9 +413,10 @@
 static struct board_pciid_enable *board_match_coreboot_name(const char *vendor, const char *part)
 {
 	struct board_pciid_enable *board = board_pciid_enables;
+	struct board_pciid_enable *partmatch = NULL;
 
 	for (; board->name; board++) {
-		if (!board->lb_vendor || strcmp(board->lb_vendor, vendor))
+		if (vendor && (!board->lb_vendor || strcmp(board->lb_vendor, vendor)))
 			continue;
 
 		if (!board->lb_part || strcmp(board->lb_part, part))
@@ -427,9 +428,24 @@
 		if (board->second_vendor &&
 			!pci_dev_find(board->second_vendor, board->second_device))
 			continue;
-		return board;
+
+		if (vendor)
+			return board;
+
+		if (partmatch) {
+			/* a second entry has a matching part name */
+			printf("AMBIGUOUS BOARD NAME: %s\n", part);
+			printf("At least vendors '%s' and '%s' match.\n",
+				partmatch->lb_vendor, board->lb_vendor);
+			printf("Please use the full -m vendor:part syntax.\n");
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		partmatch = board;
 	}
 
+	if (partmatch)
+		return partmatch;
+
 	printf("NOT FOUND %s:%s\n", vendor, part);
 
 	return NULL;
@@ -477,7 +493,7 @@
 	struct board_pciid_enable *board = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (vendor && part)
+	if (part)
 		board = board_match_coreboot_name(vendor, part);
 
 	if (!board)
diff --git a/flashrom.8 b/flashrom.8
index 3251738..287b7f7 100644
--- a/flashrom.8
+++ b/flashrom.8
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@
 .B "\-e, \-\-eend" <addr> 
 Exclude end postion (obsolete).
 .TP
-.B "\-m, \-\-mainboard" <vendor:part>
+.B "\-m, \-\-mainboard" <[vendor:]part>
 Override mainboard settings. This option is needed for some mainboards,
 see the
 .B flashrom
-README for a list.
+README for a list. The vendor is not required when the board name is unique.
 .TP
 .B "\-f, \-\-force"
 Force write without checking whether the ROM image file is really meant
diff --git a/flashrom.c b/flashrom.c
index abcd3d2..59196bc 100644
--- a/flashrom.c
+++ b/flashrom.c
@@ -196,21 +196,21 @@
 void usage(const char *name)
 {
 	printf("usage: %s [-rwvEVfhR] [-c chipname] [-s exclude_start]\n", name);
-	printf("       [-e exclude_end] [-m vendor:part] [-l file.layout] [-i imagename] [file]\n");
+	printf("       [-e exclude_end] [-m [vendor:]part] [-l file.layout] [-i imagename] [file]\n");
 	printf
-	    ("   -r | --read:                    read flash and save into file\n"
-	     "   -w | --write:                   write file into flash\n"
-	     "   -v | --verify:                  verify flash against file\n"
-	     "   -E | --erase:                   erase flash device\n"
-	     "   -V | --verbose:                 more verbose output\n"
-	     "   -c | --chip <chipname>:         probe only for specified flash chip\n"
-	     "   -s | --estart <addr>:           exclude start position\n"
-	     "   -e | --eend <addr>:             exclude end postion\n"
-	     "   -m | --mainboard <vendor:part>: override mainboard settings\n"
-	     "   -f | --force:                   force write without checking image\n"
-	     "   -l | --layout <file.layout>:    read rom layout from file\n"
-	     "   -i | --image <name>:            only flash image name from flash layout\n"
-	     "   -R | --version:                 print the version (release)\n"
+	    ("   -r | --read:                      read flash and save into file\n"
+	     "   -w | --write:                     write file into flash\n"
+	     "   -v | --verify:                    verify flash against file\n"
+	     "   -E | --erase:                     erase flash device\n"
+	     "   -V | --verbose:                   more verbose output\n"
+	     "   -c | --chip <chipname>:           probe only for specified flash chip\n"
+	     "   -s | --estart <addr>:             exclude start position\n"
+	     "   -e | --eend <addr>:               exclude end postion\n"
+	     "   -m | --mainboard <[vendor:]part>: override mainboard settings\n"
+	     "   -f | --force:                     force write without checking image\n"
+	     "   -l | --layout <file.layout>:      read rom layout from file\n"
+	     "   -i | --image <name>:              only flash image name from flash layout\n"
+	     "   -R | --version:                   print the version (release)\n"
             "\n" " If no file is specified, then all that happens"
 	     " is that flash info is dumped.\n\n");
 	exit(1);
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@
 				lb_vendor = tempstr;
 				lb_part = tempstr2;
 			} else {
-				printf("warning: ignored wrong format of"
-				       " mainboard: %s\n", tempstr);
+				lb_vendor = NULL;
+				lb_part = tempstr;
 			}
 			break;
 		case 'f':