diff --git a/src/flash/flash.c b/src/flash/flash.c
index 12f844181a5a0fe03c02fab1a98f4b0ca0cec2d8..0be0afc57c538a1eb6dc6a338e539b830c15fd8a 100644
--- a/src/flash/flash.c
+++ b/src/flash/flash.c
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ flash_driver_t *flash_drivers[] =
 
 flash_bank_t *flash_banks;
 static 	command_t *flash_cmd;
-/* enabled by default*/
-static int auto_erase = 1;
+
+/* flash auto-erase is disabled by default*/
+static int auto_erase = 0;
 
 /* wafer thin wrapper for invoking the flash driver */
 static int flash_driver_write(struct flash_bank_s *bank, u8 *buffer, u32 offset, u32 count)