diff --git a/client/src/flash.c b/client/src/flash.c
index 7da19840f..6bd525ce0 100644
--- a/client/src/flash.c
+++ b/client/src/flash.c
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ static int chipid_to_mem_avail(uint32_t iChipID) {
 
 // Turn PHDRs into flasher segments, checking for PHDR sanity and merging adjacent
 // unaligned segments if needed
-static int build_segs_from_phdrs(flash_file_t *ctx, FILE *fd, uint32_t flash_end) {
+static int build_segs_from_phdrs(flash_file_t *ctx, uint32_t flash_size) {
+    uint32_t flash_end  = FLASH_START + flash_size;
     Elf32_Phdr_t *phdr = ctx->phdrs;
     flash_seg_t *seg;
     uint32_t last_end = 0;
@@ -149,11 +150,7 @@ static int build_segs_from_phdrs(flash_file_t *ctx, FILE *fd, uint32_t flash_end
             PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error: Out of memory");
             return PM3_EMALLOC;
         }
-        if (fseek(fd, offset, SEEK_SET) < 0 || fread(data, 1, filesz, fd) != filesz) {
-            PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading PHDR payload");
-            free(data);
-            return PM3_EFILE;
-        }
+        memcpy(data, ctx->elf + offset, filesz);
 
         uint32_t block_offset = paddr & (BLOCK_SIZE - 1);
         if (block_offset) {
@@ -209,7 +206,8 @@ static int build_segs_from_phdrs(flash_file_t *ctx, FILE *fd, uint32_t flash_end
 }
 
 // Sanity check segments and check for bootloader writes
-static int check_segs(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, uint32_t flash_end) {
+static int check_segs(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, uint32_t flash_size) {
+    uint32_t flash_end  = FLASH_START + flash_size;
     for (int i = 0; i < ctx->num_segs; i++) {
         flash_seg_t *seg = &ctx->segments[i];
 
@@ -237,170 +235,13 @@ static int check_segs(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, uint32_t flash_end) {
     return PM3_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-// Read an ELF file and do some checks
-int flash_check(flash_file_t *ctx, const char *name) {
+// Load an ELF file for flashing
+int flash_load(flash_file_t *ctx) {
     FILE *fd;
-    Elf32_Ehdr_t ehdr;
-    Elf32_Phdr_t *phdrs = NULL;
+    Elf32_Ehdr_t *ehdr;
     Elf32_Shdr_t *shdrs = NULL;
-    uint16_t num_phdrs;
-    uint16_t num_shdrs;
     uint8_t *shstr = NULL;
-    struct version_information_t *vi = NULL;
-    int res = PM3_EUNDEF;
-
-    fd = fopen(name, "rb");
-    if (!fd) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, _RED_("Could not open file") " %s  >>> ", name);
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-
-    PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, _CYAN_("Loading ELF file") _YELLOW_(" %s"), name);
-
-    if (fread(&ehdr, sizeof(ehdr), 1, fd) != 1) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF file header");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (memcmp(ehdr.e_ident, elf_ident, sizeof(elf_ident))
-            || le32(ehdr.e_version) != 1) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Not an ELF file or wrong ELF type");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (le16(ehdr.e_type) != ET_EXEC) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "ELF is not executable");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (le16(ehdr.e_machine) != EM_ARM) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Wrong ELF architecture");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (!ehdr.e_phnum || !ehdr.e_phoff) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "ELF has no PHDRs");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (le16(ehdr.e_phentsize) != sizeof(Elf32_Phdr_t)) {
-        // could be a structure padding issue...
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Either the ELF file or this code is made of fail");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    num_phdrs = le16(ehdr.e_phnum);
-
-    phdrs = calloc(le16(ehdr.e_phnum) * sizeof(Elf32_Phdr_t), sizeof(uint8_t));
-    if (!phdrs) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Out of memory");
-        res = PM3_EMALLOC;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fseek(fd, le32(ehdr.e_phoff), SEEK_SET) < 0) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF PHDRs");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fread(phdrs, sizeof(Elf32_Phdr_t), num_phdrs, fd) != num_phdrs) {
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF PHDRs");
-        goto fail;
-    }
-
-    num_shdrs = le16(ehdr.e_shnum);
-
-    shdrs = calloc(le16(ehdr.e_shnum) * sizeof(Elf32_Shdr_t), sizeof(uint8_t));
-    if (!shdrs) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Out of memory");
-        res = PM3_EMALLOC;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fseek(fd, le32(ehdr.e_shoff), SEEK_SET) < 0) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF SHDRs");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fread(shdrs, sizeof(Elf32_Shdr_t), num_shdrs, fd) != num_shdrs) {
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF SHDRs");
-        goto fail;
-    }
-
-    shstr = calloc(shdrs[ehdr.e_shstrndx].sh_size, sizeof(uint8_t));
-    if (!shstr) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Out of memory");
-        res = PM3_EMALLOC;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fseek(fd, le32(shdrs[ehdr.e_shstrndx].sh_offset), SEEK_SET) < 0) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF section string table");
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    if (fread(shstr, shdrs[ehdr.e_shstrndx].sh_size, 1, fd) != 1) {
-        res = PM3_EFILE;
-        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF section string table");
-        goto fail;
-    }
-
-    for (uint16_t i = 0; i < ehdr.e_shnum; i++) {
-        if (strcmp(((char *)shstr) + shdrs[i].sh_name, ".version_information") == 0) {
-            vi = calloc(shdrs[i].sh_size, sizeof(uint8_t));
-            if (!vi) {
-                PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Out of memory");
-                res = PM3_EMALLOC;
-                goto fail;
-            }
-            if (fseek(fd, le32(shdrs[i].sh_offset), SEEK_SET) < 0) {
-                PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF version_information section");
-                res = PM3_EFILE;
-                goto fail;
-            }
-            if (fread(vi, shdrs[i].sh_size, 1, fd) != 1) {
-                res = PM3_EFILE;
-                PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error while reading ELF version_information section");
-                goto fail;
-            }
-            if (strlen(g_version_information.armsrc) == 9) {
-                if (strncmp(vi->armsrc, g_version_information.armsrc, 9) != 0) {
-                    PrintAndLogEx(WARNING, _RED_("ARM firmware does not match the source at the time the client was compiled"));
-                    PrintAndLogEx(WARNING,  "Make sure to flash a correct and up-to-date version");
-// TODO: prompt user to continue or abort
-                }
-            }
-            free(vi);
-        }
-    }
-
-    free(shdrs);
-    free(shstr);
-    fclose(fd);
-    ctx->filename = name;
-    ctx->phdrs = phdrs;
-    ctx->num_phdrs = num_phdrs;
-    return PM3_SUCCESS;
-
-fail:
-    if (phdrs)
-        free(phdrs);
-    if (shdrs)
-        free(shdrs);
-    if (shstr)
-        free(shstr);
-    if (vi)
-        free(vi);
-    if (fd)
-        fclose(fd);
-    flash_free(ctx);
-    return res;
-}
-
-// Load an ELF file and prepare it for flashing
-int flash_load(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, int flash_size) {
-    FILE *fd;
-    uint32_t flash_end  = FLASH_START + flash_size;
+     struct version_information_t *vi = NULL;
     int res = PM3_EUNDEF;
 
     fd = fopen(ctx->filename, "rb");
@@ -410,19 +251,104 @@ int flash_load(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, int flash_size) {
         goto fail;
     }
 
-    res = build_segs_from_phdrs(ctx, fd, flash_end);
-    if (res != PM3_SUCCESS)
-        goto fail;
-    res = check_segs(ctx, can_write_bl, flash_end);
-    if (res != PM3_SUCCESS)
-        goto fail;
+    PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, _CYAN_("Loading ELF file") _YELLOW_(" %s"), ctx->filename);
 
+    // get filesize in order to malloc memory
+    fseek(fd, 0, SEEK_END);
+    long fsize = ftell(fd);
+    fseek(fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
+
+    if (fsize <= 0) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error, when getting filesize");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        fclose(fd);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    ctx->elf = calloc(fsize, sizeof(uint8_t));
+    if (!ctx->elf) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error, cannot allocate memory");
+        res = PM3_EMALLOC;
+        fclose(fd);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    size_t bytes_read = fread(ctx->elf, 1, fsize, fd);
     fclose(fd);
+
+    if (bytes_read != fsize) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Error, bytes read mismatch file size");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    ehdr = (Elf32_Ehdr_t *)ctx->elf;
+    if (memcmp(ehdr->e_ident, elf_ident, sizeof(elf_ident))
+            || le32(ehdr->e_version) != 1) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Not an ELF file or wrong ELF type");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    if (le16(ehdr->e_type) != ET_EXEC) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "ELF is not executable");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    if (le16(ehdr->e_machine) != EM_ARM) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Wrong ELF architecture");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    if (!ehdr->e_phnum || !ehdr->e_phoff) {
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "ELF has no PHDRs");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    if (le16(ehdr->e_phentsize) != sizeof(Elf32_Phdr_t)) {
+        // could be a structure padding issue...
+        PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "Either the ELF file or this code is made of fail");
+        res = PM3_EFILE;
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    ctx->num_phdrs = le16(ehdr->e_phnum);
+    ctx->phdrs = (Elf32_Phdr_t *)(ctx->elf + le32(ehdr->e_phoff));
+    shdrs = (Elf32_Shdr_t *)(ctx->elf + le32(ehdr->e_shoff));
+    shdrs = (Elf32_Shdr_t *)(ctx->elf + le32(ehdr->e_shoff));
+    shstr = ctx->elf + le32(shdrs[ehdr->e_shstrndx].sh_offset);
+
+    for (uint16_t i = 0; i < le16(ehdr->e_shnum); i++) {
+        if (strcmp(((char *)shstr) + shdrs[i].sh_name, ".version_information") == 0) {
+            vi = (struct version_information_t *)(ctx->elf + le32(shdrs[i].sh_offset));
+            if (strlen(g_version_information.armsrc) == 9) {
+                if (strncmp(vi->armsrc, g_version_information.armsrc, 9) != 0) {
+                    PrintAndLogEx(WARNING, _RED_("ARM firmware does not match the source at the time the client was compiled"));
+                    PrintAndLogEx(WARNING,  "Make sure to flash a correct and up-to-date version");
+// TODO: prompt user to continue or abort
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return PM3_SUCCESS;
+
+fail:
+    flash_free(ctx);
+    return res;
+}
+
+// Prepare an ELF file for flashing
+int flash_prepare(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, int flash_size) {
+    int res = PM3_EUNDEF;
+
+    res = build_segs_from_phdrs(ctx, flash_size);
+    if (res != PM3_SUCCESS)
+        goto fail;
+    res = check_segs(ctx, can_write_bl, flash_size);
+    if (res != PM3_SUCCESS)
+        goto fail;
+
     return PM3_SUCCESS;
 
 fail:
-    if (fd)
-        fclose(fd);
     flash_free(ctx);
     return res;
 }
@@ -719,6 +645,16 @@ int flash_write(flash_file_t *ctx) {
 void flash_free(flash_file_t *ctx) {
     if (!ctx)
         return;
+    if (ctx->filename != NULL) {
+        free(ctx->filename);
+        ctx->filename = NULL;
+    }
+    if (ctx->elf) {
+        free(ctx->elf);
+        ctx->elf = NULL;
+        ctx->phdrs = NULL;
+        ctx->num_phdrs = 0;
+    }
     if (ctx->segments) {
         for (int i = 0; i < ctx->num_segs; i++)
             free(ctx->segments[i].data);
@@ -726,11 +662,6 @@ void flash_free(flash_file_t *ctx) {
         ctx->segments = NULL;
         ctx->num_segs = 0;
     }
-    if (ctx->phdrs) {
-        free(ctx->phdrs);
-        ctx->phdrs = NULL;
-        ctx->num_phdrs = 0;
-    }
 }
 
 // just reset the unit
diff --git a/client/src/flash.h b/client/src/flash.h
index beb994c6a..b4cac2e2a 100644
--- a/client/src/flash.h
+++ b/client/src/flash.h
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ typedef struct {
 } flash_seg_t;
 
 typedef struct {
-    const char *filename;
+    char *filename;
+    uint8_t *elf;
     Elf32_Phdr_t *phdrs;
     uint16_t num_phdrs;
     int can_write_bl;
@@ -40,8 +41,8 @@ typedef struct {
     flash_seg_t *segments;
 } flash_file_t;
 
-int flash_check(flash_file_t *ctx, const char *name);
-int flash_load(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, int flash_size);
+int flash_load(flash_file_t *ctx);
+int flash_prepare(flash_file_t *ctx, int can_write_bl, int flash_size);
 int flash_start_flashing(int enable_bl_writes, char *serial_port_name, uint32_t *max_allowed);
 int flash_write(flash_file_t *ctx);
 void flash_free(flash_file_t *ctx);
diff --git a/client/src/proxmark3.c b/client/src/proxmark3.c
index 2b0f0ac6d..1fce51cd8 100644
--- a/client/src/proxmark3.c
+++ b/client/src/proxmark3.c
@@ -607,7 +607,6 @@ static int flash_pm3(char *serial_port_name, uint8_t num_files, char *filenames[
     int ret = PM3_EUNDEF;
     flash_file_t files[FLASH_MAX_FILES];
     memset(files, 0, sizeof(files));
-    char *filepaths[FLASH_MAX_FILES] = {0};
 
     if (serial_port_name == NULL) {
         PrintAndLogEx(ERR, "You must specify a port.\n");
@@ -627,16 +626,16 @@ static int flash_pm3(char *serial_port_name, uint8_t num_files, char *filenames[
         if (ret != PM3_SUCCESS) {
             goto finish2;
         }
-        filepaths[i] = path;
+        files[i].filename = path;
     }
 
     PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, "About to use the following file%s:", num_files > 1 ? "s" : "");
     for (int i = 0 ; i < num_files; ++i) {
-        PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, "   "_YELLOW_("%s"), filepaths[i]);
+        PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, "   "_YELLOW_("%s"), files[i].filename);
     }
 
     for (int i = 0 ; i < num_files; ++i) {
-        ret = flash_check(&files[i], filepaths[i]);
+        ret = flash_load(&files[i]);
         if (ret != PM3_SUCCESS) {
             goto finish;
         }
@@ -661,7 +660,7 @@ static int flash_pm3(char *serial_port_name, uint8_t num_files, char *filenames[
         goto finish;
 
     for (int i = 0 ; i < num_files; ++i) {
-        ret = flash_load(&files[i], can_write_bl, max_allowed * ONE_KB);
+        ret = flash_prepare(&files[i], can_write_bl, max_allowed * ONE_KB);
         if (ret != PM3_SUCCESS) {
             goto finish;
         }
@@ -686,8 +685,6 @@ finish:
 finish2:
     for (int i = 0 ; i < num_files; ++i) {
         flash_free(&files[i]);
-        if (filepaths[i] != NULL)
-            free(filepaths[i]);
     }
     if (ret == PM3_SUCCESS)
         PrintAndLogEx(SUCCESS, _CYAN_("All done"));