diff --git a/board_enable.c b/board_enable.c
index 9c16905..c61d72d 100644
--- a/board_enable.c
+++ b/board_enable.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "programmer.h"
 #include "hwaccess.h"
@@ -2443,41 +2444,64 @@
 	{     0,      0,      0,      0,       0,      0,      0,      0, NULL,         NULL, NULL,           P3, NULL,          NULL,                    0,   NT, NULL}, /* end marker */
 };
 
-/*
- * Match boards on coreboot table gathered vendor and part name.
- * Require main PCI IDs to match too as extra safety.
+/* Parse the <vendor>:<board> string specified by the user as part of -p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<board>.
+ * Parameters vendor and model will be overwritten. Returns 0 on success.
+ * Note: strtok modifies the original string, so we work on a copy and allocate memory for the results.
  */
-static const struct board_match *board_match_cbname(const char *vendor,
-						    const char *part)
+int board_parse_parameter(const char *boardstring, const char **vendor, const char **model)
+{
+	/* strtok may modify the original string. */
+	char *tempstr = strdup(boardstring);
+	char *tempstr2 = NULL;
+	strtok(tempstr, ":");
+	tempstr2 = strtok(NULL, ":");
+	if (tempstr == NULL || tempstr2 == NULL) {
+		free(tempstr);
+		msg_pinfo("Please supply the board vendor and model name with the "
+			  "-p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<model> option.\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
+	*vendor = strdup(tempstr);
+	*model = strdup(tempstr2);
+	msg_pspew("-p internal:mainboard: vendor=\"%s\", model=\"%s\"\n", tempstr, tempstr2);
+	free(tempstr);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Match boards on vendor and model name.
+ * Hint: the parameters can come either from the coreboot table or the command line (i.e. the user).
+ * Require main PCI IDs to match too as extra safety.
+ * vendor and model must be non-NULL!
+ */
+static const struct board_match *board_match_name(const char *vendor, const char *model)
 {
 	const struct board_match *board = board_matches;
 	const struct board_match *partmatch = NULL;
 
 	for (; board->vendor_name; board++) {
-		if (vendor && (!board->lb_vendor
-			       || strcasecmp(board->lb_vendor, vendor)))
+		if (!board->lb_vendor || strcasecmp(board->lb_vendor, vendor))
 			continue;
 
-		if (!board->lb_part || strcasecmp(board->lb_part, part))
+		if (!board->lb_part || strcasecmp(board->lb_part, model))
 			continue;
 
-		if (!pci_dev_find(board->first_vendor, board->first_device))
+		if (!pci_dev_find(board->first_vendor, board->first_device)) {
+			msg_pdbg("Odd. Board name \"%s\":\"%s\" matches, but first PCI device %04x:%04x "
+				 "doesn't.\n", vendor, model, board->first_vendor, board->first_device);
 			continue;
+		}
 
-		if (board->second_vendor &&
-		    !pci_dev_find(board->second_vendor, board->second_device))
+		if (!pci_dev_find(board->second_vendor, board->second_device)) {
+			msg_pdbg("Odd. Board name \"%s\":\"%s\" matches, but second PCI device %04x:%04x "
+				 "doesn't.\n", vendor, model, board->second_vendor, board->second_device);
 			continue;
-
-		if (vendor)
-			return board;
+		}
 
 		if (partmatch) {
-			/* a second entry has a matching part name */
-			msg_pinfo("AMBIGUOUS BOARD NAME: %s\n", part);
-			msg_pinfo("At least vendors '%s' and '%s' match.\n",
-				  partmatch->lb_vendor, board->lb_vendor);
-			msg_perr("Please use the full -p internal:mainboard="
-				 "vendor:part syntax.\n");
+			/* More than one entry has a matching name. */
+			msg_perr("Board name \"%s\":\"%s\" and PCI IDs matched more than one board enable "
+				 "entry. Please report a bug at flashrom@flashrom.org\n", vendor, model);
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		partmatch = board;
@@ -2486,15 +2510,7 @@
 	if (partmatch)
 		return partmatch;
 
-	if (!partvendor_from_cbtable) {
-		/* Only warn if the mainboard type was not gathered from the
-		 * coreboot table. If it was, the coreboot implementor is
-		 * expected to fix flashrom, too.
-		 */
-		msg_perr("\nUnknown vendor:board from -p internal:mainboard="
-			 " programmer parameter:\n%s:%s\n\n",
-			 vendor, part);
-	}
+	msg_perr("No suitable board enable found for vendor=\"%s\", model=\"%s\".\n", vendor, model);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -2534,9 +2550,10 @@
 
 		if (board->dmi_pattern) {
 			if (!has_dmi_support) {
-				msg_perr("WARNING: Can't autodetect %s %s,"
-					 " DMI info unavailable.\n",
+				msg_perr("WARNING: Can't autodetect %s %s, DMI info unavailable.\n",
 					 board->vendor_name, board->board_name);
+				msg_pinfo("Please supply the board vendor and model name with the "
+					  "-p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<model> option.\n");
 				continue;
 			} else {
 				if (!dmi_match(board->dmi_pattern))
@@ -2550,7 +2567,7 @@
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static int unsafe_board_handler(const struct board_match *board)
+static int board_enable_safetycheck(const struct board_match *board)
 {
 	if (!board)
 		return 1;
@@ -2559,18 +2576,15 @@
 		return 0;
 
 	if (!force_boardenable) {
-		msg_pinfo("WARNING: Your mainboard is %s %s, but the mainboard-specific\n"
-			  "code has not been tested, and thus will not be executed by default.\n"
-			  "Depending on your hardware environment, erasing, writing or even probing\n"
-			  "can fail without running the board specific code.\n\n"
+		msg_pinfo("WARNING: The mainboard-specific code for %s %s has not been tested,\n"
+			  "and thus will not be executed by default. Depending on your hardware,\n"
+			  "erasing, writing or even probing can fail without running this code.\n\n"
 			  "Please see the man page (section PROGRAMMER SPECIFIC INFO, subsection\n"
-			  "\"internal programmer\") for details.\n",
-			  board->vendor_name, board->board_name);
+			  "\"internal programmer\") for details.\n", board->vendor_name, board->board_name);
 		return 1;
 	}
 	msg_pinfo("NOTE: Running an untested board enable procedure.\n"
-		  "Please report success/failure to flashrom@flashrom.org\n"
-		  "with your board name and SUCCESS or FAILURE in the subject.\n");
+		  "Please report success/failure to flashrom@flashrom.org.\n");
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2581,12 +2595,12 @@
 
 	board = board_match_pci_ids(phase);
 
-	if (unsafe_board_handler(board))
-		board = NULL;
-
 	if (!board)
 		return 0;
 
+	if (board_enable_safetycheck(board))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!board->enable) {
 		/* Not sure if there is a valid case for this. */
 		msg_perr("Board match found, but nothing to do?\n");
@@ -2606,36 +2620,37 @@
 	board_handle_phase(P2);
 }
 
-int board_flash_enable(const char *vendor, const char *part)
+int board_flash_enable(const char *vendor, const char *model)
 {
 	const struct board_match *board = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (part)
-		board = board_match_cbname(vendor, part);
-
-	if (!board)
+	if (vendor && model) {
+		board = board_match_name(vendor, model);
+		if (!board) /* if a board was given it has to match, else we abort here. */
+			return 1;
+	} else {
 		board = board_match_pci_ids(P3);
+		if (!board) /* i.e. there is just no board enable available for this board */
+			return 0;
+	}
 
-	if (unsafe_board_handler(board))
-		board = NULL;
+	if (board_enable_safetycheck(board))
+		return 1;
 
-	if (board) {
-		if (board->max_rom_decode_parallel)
-			max_rom_decode.parallel =
-				board->max_rom_decode_parallel * 1024;
+	/* limit the maximum size of the parallel bus */
+	if (board->max_rom_decode_parallel)
+		max_rom_decode.parallel = board->max_rom_decode_parallel * 1024;
 
-		if (board->enable != NULL) {
-			msg_pinfo("Disabling flash write protection for "
-				  "board \"%s %s\"... ", board->vendor_name,
-				  board->board_name);
+	if (board->enable != NULL) {
+		msg_pinfo("Enabling full flash access for board \"%s %s\"... ",
+			  board->vendor_name, board->board_name);
 
-			ret = board->enable();
-			if (ret)
-				msg_pinfo("FAILED!\n");
-			else
-				msg_pinfo("OK.\n");
-		}
+		ret = board->enable();
+		if (ret)
+			msg_pinfo("FAILED!\n");
+		else
+			msg_pinfo("OK.\n");
 	}
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/cbtable.c b/cbtable.c
index dde12ac..bd83ea5 100644
--- a/cbtable.c
+++ b/cbtable.c
@@ -24,57 +24,36 @@
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include "flash.h"
 #include "programmer.h"
 #include "coreboot_tables.h"
 
-char *lb_part = NULL, *lb_vendor = NULL;
-int partvendor_from_cbtable = 0;
-static char *def_name = "DEFAULT";
-static char *mainboard_vendor = NULL;
-static char *mainboard_part = NULL;
+static char *cb_vendor = NULL, *cb_model = NULL;
 
-/* Parse the [<vendor>:]<board> string specified by the user as part of
- * -p internal:mainboard=[<vendor>:]<board> and set lb_vendor and lb_part
- * to the extracted values.
- * Note: strtok modifies the original string, so we work on a copy and allocate
- * memory for lb_vendor and lb_part with strdup.
+/* Tries to find coreboot IDs in the supplied image and compares them to the current IDs.
+ * Returns...
+ * 	-1	if IDs in the image do not match the IDs embedded in the current firmware,
+ * 	 0	if the IDs could not be found in the image or if they match correctly.
  */
-void lb_vendor_dev_from_string(const char *boardstring)
+int cb_check_image(uint8_t *image, int size)
 {
-	/* strtok may modify the original string. */
-	char *tempstr = strdup(boardstring);
-	char *tempstr2 = NULL;
-	strtok(tempstr, ":");
-	tempstr2 = strtok(NULL, ":");
-	if (tempstr2) {
-		lb_vendor = strdup(tempstr);
-		lb_part = strdup(tempstr2);
-	} else {
-		lb_vendor = NULL;
-		lb_part = strdup(tempstr);
-	}
-	free(tempstr);
-}
-
-int show_id(uint8_t *bios, int size)
-{
+	const char *image_vendor = NULL;
+	const char *image_model = NULL;
 	unsigned int *walk;
 	unsigned int mb_part_offset, mb_vendor_offset;
 	char *mb_part, *mb_vendor;
 
-	mainboard_vendor = def_name;
-	mainboard_part = def_name;
-
-	walk = (unsigned int *)(bios + size - 0x10);
+	walk = (unsigned int *)(image + size - 0x10);
 	walk--;
 
 	if ((*walk) == 0 || ((*walk) & 0x3ff) != 0) {
-		/* We might have an NVIDIA chipset BIOS which stores the ID information somewhere else. */
-		walk = (unsigned int *)(bios + size - 0x80);
+		/* Some NVIDIA chipsets store chipset soft straps (IIRC Hypertransport init info etc.) in
+		 * flash at exactly the location where coreboot image size, coreboot vendor name pointer and
+		 * coreboot board name pointer are usually stored. In this case coreboot uses an alternate
+		 * location for the coreboot image data. */
+		walk = (unsigned int *)(image + size - 0x80);
 		walk--;
 	}
 
@@ -88,49 +67,38 @@
 	mb_vendor_offset = *(walk - 2);
 	if ((*walk) == 0 || ((*walk) & 0x3ff) != 0 || (*walk) > size ||
 	    mb_part_offset > size || mb_vendor_offset > size) {
-		msg_pinfo("Flash image seems to be a legacy BIOS. Disabling coreboot-related checks.\n");
+		msg_pdbg("Flash image seems to be a legacy BIOS. Disabling coreboot-related checks.\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	mb_part = (char *)(bios + size - mb_part_offset);
-	mb_vendor = (char *)(bios + size - mb_vendor_offset);
+	mb_part = (char *)(image + size - mb_part_offset);
+	mb_vendor = (char *)(image + size - mb_vendor_offset);
 	if (!isprint((unsigned char)*mb_part) ||
 	    !isprint((unsigned char)*mb_vendor)) {
-		msg_pinfo("Flash image seems to have garbage in the ID location. Disabling checks.\n");
+		msg_pdbg("Flash image seems to have garbage in the ID location. "
+			 "Disabling coreboot-related checks.\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
 	msg_pdbg("coreboot last image size (not ROM size) is %d bytes.\n", *walk);
 
-	mainboard_part = strdup(mb_part);
-	mainboard_vendor = strdup(mb_vendor);
-	msg_pdbg("Manufacturer: %s\n", mainboard_vendor);
-	msg_pdbg("Mainboard ID: %s\n", mainboard_part);
+	image_vendor = strdup(mb_vendor);
+	image_model = strdup(mb_part);
+	msg_pdbg("Manufacturer: %s\n", image_vendor);
+	msg_pdbg("Mainboard ID: %s\n", image_model);
 
 	/* If these are not set, the coreboot table was not found. */
-	if (!lb_vendor || !lb_part) {
-		msg_pinfo("Note: If the following flash access fails, try "
-			  "-p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<mainboard>.\n");
+	if (!cb_vendor || !cb_model)
 		return 0;
-	}
 
 	/* These comparisons are case insensitive to make things a little less user^Werror prone. */
-	if (!strcasecmp(mainboard_vendor, lb_vendor) &&
-	    !strcasecmp(mainboard_part, lb_part)) {
-		msg_pdbg("This firmware image matches this mainboard.\n");
+	if (!strcasecmp(image_vendor, cb_vendor) && !strcasecmp(image_model, cb_model)) {
+		msg_pdbg2("This coreboot image matches this mainboard.\n");
 	} else {
-		if (force_boardmismatch) {
-			msg_pinfo("WARNING: This firmware image does not "
-			       "seem to fit to this machine - forcing it.\n");
-		} else {
-			msg_pinfo("ERROR: Your firmware image (%s:%s) does not appear to\n"
-				  "       be correct for the detected mainboard (%s:%s)\n\n"
-				  "Override with -p internal:boardmismatch=force to ignore the board name\n"
-				  "in the firmware image or override the detected mainboard with\n"
-				  "-p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<mainboard>.\n\n",
-				  mainboard_vendor, mainboard_part, lb_vendor, lb_part);
-			return 1;
-		}
+		msg_pinfo("WARNING: This coreboot image (%s:%s) does not appear to\n"
+			  "         be correct for the detected mainboard (%s:%s).\n",
+			  image_vendor, image_model, cb_vendor, cb_model);
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -242,22 +210,15 @@
 	rec = (struct lb_mainboard *)ptr;
 	max_size = rec->size - sizeof(*rec);
 	msg_pdbg("Vendor ID: %.*s, part ID: %.*s\n",
-	       max_size - rec->vendor_idx,
-	       rec->strings + rec->vendor_idx,
-	       max_size - rec->part_number_idx,
-	       rec->strings + rec->part_number_idx);
-	snprintf(vendor, 255, "%.*s", max_size - rec->vendor_idx,
-		 rec->strings + rec->vendor_idx);
-	snprintf(part, 255, "%.*s", max_size - rec->part_number_idx,
-		 rec->strings + rec->part_number_idx);
+	         max_size - rec->vendor_idx,
+	         rec->strings + rec->vendor_idx,
+	         max_size - rec->part_number_idx,
+	         rec->strings + rec->part_number_idx);
+	snprintf(vendor, 255, "%.*s", max_size - rec->vendor_idx, rec->strings + rec->vendor_idx);
+	snprintf(part, 255, "%.*s", max_size - rec->part_number_idx, rec->strings + rec->part_number_idx);
 
-	if (lb_part) {
-		msg_pdbg("Overwritten by command line, vendor ID: %s, part ID: %s.\n", lb_vendor, lb_part);
-	} else {
-		partvendor_from_cbtable = 1;
-		lb_part = strdup(part);
-		lb_vendor = strdup(vendor);
-	}
+	cb_vendor = strdup(vendor);
+	cb_model = strdup(part);
 }
 
 static struct lb_record *next_record(struct lb_record *rec)
@@ -265,8 +226,7 @@
 	return (struct lb_record *)(((char *)rec) + rec->size);
 }
 
-static void search_lb_records(struct lb_record *rec, struct lb_record *last,
-			      unsigned long addr)
+static void search_lb_records(struct lb_record *rec, struct lb_record *last, unsigned long addr)
 {
 	struct lb_record *next;
 	int count;
@@ -284,7 +244,8 @@
 }
 
 #define BYTES_TO_MAP (1024*1024)
-int coreboot_init(void)
+/* returns 0 if the table was parsed successfully and cb_vendor/cb_model have been set. */
+int cb_parse_table(const char **vendor, const char **model)
 {
 	uint8_t *table_area;
 	unsigned long addr, start;
@@ -317,8 +278,7 @@
 			physunmap(table_area, BYTES_TO_MAP);
 			table_area = physmap_try_ro("high tables", start, BYTES_TO_MAP);
 			if (ERROR_PTR == table_area) {
-				msg_perr("Failed getting access to coreboot "
-					 "high tables.\n");
+				msg_perr("Failed getting access to coreboot high tables.\n");
 				return -1;
 			}
 			lb_table = find_lb_table(table_area, 0x00000, 0x1000);
@@ -340,6 +300,7 @@
 	     lb_table->table_bytes, lb_table->table_checksum,
 	     lb_table->table_entries);
 	search_lb_records(rec, last, addr + lb_table->header_bytes);
-
+	*vendor = cb_vendor;
+	*model = cb_model;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/flashrom.8 b/flashrom.8
index f37d5e9..33e6e23 100644
--- a/flashrom.8
+++ b/flashrom.8
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
 identify the mainboard (which is the exception), or if you want to override
 the detected mainboard model, you can specify the mainboard using the
 .sp
-.B "  flashrom \-p internal:mainboard=[<vendor>:]<board>"
+.B "  flashrom \-p internal:mainboard=<vendor>:<board>"
 syntax.
 .sp
 See the 'Known boards' or 'Known laptops' section in the output
diff --git a/flashrom.c b/flashrom.c
index 9544155..ee01e60 100644
--- a/flashrom.c
+++ b/flashrom.c
@@ -1012,12 +1012,11 @@
 					  "work, but to support all possible "
 					  "features");
 
-			msg_cinfo(" we need to add them manually.\nYou "
-				  "can help us by mailing us the output of "
-				  "the following command to flashrom@flashrom."
-				  "org: \n'flashrom -VV [plus the "
-				  "-p/--programmer parameter (if needed)]"
-				  "'\nThanks for your help!\n"
+			msg_cinfo(" we need to add them manually.\n"
+				  "You can help us by mailing us the output of the following command to "
+				  "flashrom@flashrom.org:\n"
+				  "'flashrom -VV [plus the -p/--programmer parameter]'\n"
+				  "Thanks for your help!\n"
 				  "===\n");
 		}
 
@@ -1814,11 +1813,16 @@
 		}
 
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
-		if (programmer == PROGRAMMER_INTERNAL)
-			if (show_id(newcontents, size)) {
+		if (programmer == PROGRAMMER_INTERNAL && cb_check_image(newcontents, size) < 0) {
+			if (force_boardmismatch) {
+				msg_pinfo("Proceeding anyway because user forced us to.\n");
+			} else {
+				msg_perr("Aborting. You can override this with "
+					 "-p internal:boardmismatch=force.\n");
 				ret = 1;
 				goto out;
 			}
+		}
 #endif
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal.c b/internal.c
index 3ecc348..f3ccbde 100644
--- a/internal.c
+++ b/internal.c
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@
 #endif
 	int force_laptop = 0;
 	int not_a_laptop = 0;
+	const char *board_vendor = NULL;
+	const char *board_model = NULL;
+	const char *cb_vendor = NULL;
+	const char *cb_model = NULL;
 	char *arg;
 
 	arg = extract_programmer_param("boardenable");
@@ -217,7 +221,10 @@
 
 	arg = extract_programmer_param("mainboard");
 	if (arg && strlen(arg)) {
-		lb_vendor_dev_from_string(arg);
+		if (board_parse_parameter(arg, &board_vendor, &board_model)) {
+			free(arg);
+			return 1;
+		}
 	} else if (arg && !strlen(arg)) {
 		msg_perr("Missing argument for mainboard.\n");
 		free(arg);
@@ -249,10 +256,20 @@
 	}
 
 #if defined(__i386__) || defined(__x86_64__)
-	/* We look at the cbtable first to see if we need a
-	 * mainboard specific flash enable sequence.
-	 */
-	coreboot_init();
+	if (cb_parse_table(&cb_vendor, &cb_model) == 0) { /* coreboot IDs valid */
+		/* If no -p internal:mainboard was given but there are valid coreboot IDs then use those. */
+		if (board_vendor == NULL || board_model == NULL) {
+			board_vendor = cb_vendor;
+			board_model = cb_model;
+		} else if (strcasecmp(board_vendor, cb_vendor) || strcasecmp(board_model, cb_model)) {
+			msg_pinfo("WARNING: The mainboard IDs set by -p internal:mainboard (%s:%s) do not\n"
+				  "         match the current coreboot IDs of the mainboard (%s:%s).\n",
+				  board_vendor, board_model, cb_vendor, cb_model);
+			if (!force_boardmismatch)
+				return 1;
+			msg_pinfo("Continuing anyway.\n");
+		}
+	}
 
 	dmi_init();
 
@@ -321,11 +338,13 @@
 	init_superio_ite();
 #endif
 
-	board_flash_enable(lb_vendor, lb_part);
+	if (board_flash_enable(board_vendor, board_model)) {
+		msg_perr("Aborting to be safe.\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	/* Even if chipset init returns an error code, we don't want to abort.
 	 * The error code might have been a warning only.
-	 * Besides that, we don't check the board enable return code either.
 	 */
 #if defined(__i386__) || defined(__x86_64__) || defined (__mips)
 	register_par_programmer(&par_programmer_internal, internal_buses_supported);
diff --git a/programmer.h b/programmer.h
index 7d06be3..a32cd79 100644
--- a/programmer.h
+++ b/programmer.h
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@
 
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
 /* board_enable.c */
+int board_parse_parameter(const char *boardstring, const char **vendor, const char **model);
 void w836xx_ext_enter(uint16_t port);
 void w836xx_ext_leave(uint16_t port);
 void probe_superio_winbond(void);
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@
 void sio_mask(uint16_t port, uint8_t reg, uint8_t data, uint8_t mask);
 void board_handle_before_superio(void);
 void board_handle_before_laptop(void);
-int board_flash_enable(const char *vendor, const char *part);
+int board_flash_enable(const char *vendor, const char *model);
 
 /* chipset_enable.c */
 int chipset_flash_enable(void);
@@ -273,11 +274,8 @@
 void cleanup_cpu_msr(void);
 
 /* cbtable.c */
-void lb_vendor_dev_from_string(const char *boardstring);
-int show_id(uint8_t *bios, int size);
-int coreboot_init(void);
-extern char *lb_part, *lb_vendor;
-extern int partvendor_from_cbtable;
+int cb_parse_table(const char **vendor, const char **model);
+int cb_check_image(uint8_t *bios, int size);
 
 /* dmi.c */
 extern int has_dmi_support;