diff --git a/artiq/firmware/libproto_artiq/drtioaux_proto.rs b/artiq/firmware/libproto_artiq/drtioaux_proto.rs
index 267b983df..4e269fdd1 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/libproto_artiq/drtioaux_proto.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/libproto_artiq/drtioaux_proto.rs
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ pub enum Packet {
     CoreMgmtRebootRequest { destination: u8 },
     CoreMgmtAllocatorDebugRequest { destination: u8 },
     CoreMgmtFlashRequest { destination: u8, last: bool, length: u16, data: [u8; MASTER_PAYLOAD_MAX_SIZE] },
+    CoreMgmtDropLinkAck { destination: u8 },
+    CoreMgmtDropLink,
     CoreMgmtGetLogReply { last: bool, length: u16, data: [u8; SAT_PAYLOAD_MAX_SIZE] },
     CoreMgmtConfigReadReply { last: bool, length: u16, value: [u8; SAT_PAYLOAD_MAX_SIZE] },
     CoreMgmtReply { succeeded: bool },
@@ -521,6 +523,10 @@ impl Packet {
                     data: data,
                 }
             },
+            0xdf => Packet::CoreMgmtDropLink,
+            0xe0 => Packet::CoreMgmtDropLinkAck {
+                destination: reader.read_u8()?,
+            },
 
             ty => return Err(Error::UnknownPacket(ty))
         })
@@ -901,6 +907,12 @@ impl Packet {
                 writer.write_u16(length)?;
                 writer.write_all(&data[..length as usize])?;
             },
+            Packet::CoreMgmtDropLink => 
+                writer.write_u8(0xdf)?,
+            Packet::CoreMgmtDropLinkAck { destination } => {
+                writer.write_u8(0xe0)?;
+                writer.write_u8(destination)?;
+            },
         }
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/mgmt.rs b/artiq/firmware/runtime/mgmt.rs
index 65567b3bc..0c1b423d6 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/mgmt.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/mgmt.rs
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ mod remote_coremgmt {
     use alloc::{string::String, vec::Vec};
     use log::LevelFilter;
 
-    use board_artiq::{drtioaux::Packet, drtio_routing};
+    use board_artiq::{drtioaux, drtioaux::Packet, drtio_routing};
     use io::{Cursor, ProtoWrite};
     use mgmt_proto::{Error, Reply};
     use rtio_mgt::drtio;
@@ -550,6 +550,16 @@ mod remote_coremgmt {
                     destination: destination, length: len as u16, last: status.is_last(), data: *slice});
             match reply {
                 Ok(Packet::CoreMgmtReply { succeeded: true }) => Ok(()),
+                Ok(Packet::CoreMgmtDropLink) => {
+                    if status.is_last() {
+                        drtioaux::send(
+                            linkno, &Packet::CoreMgmtDropLinkAck { destination: destination }
+                        ).map_err(|_| drtio::Error::AuxError)
+                    } else {
+                        error!("received unexpected drop link packet");
+                        Err(drtio::Error::UnexpectedReply)
+                    }
+                }
                 Ok(packet) => {
                     error!("received unexpected aux packet: {:?}", packet);
                     Err(drtio::Error::UnexpectedReply)
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/satman/main.rs b/artiq/firmware/satman/main.rs
index 9a98528a6..1647c7955 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/satman/main.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/satman/main.rs
@@ -592,11 +592,28 @@ fn process_aux_packet(dmamgr: &mut DmaManager, analyzer: &mut Analyzer, kernelmg
 
             coremgr.add_image_data(&data, length as usize);
             if last {
-                coremgr.flash_image()
+                drtioaux::send(0, &drtioaux::Packet::CoreMgmtDropLink)
             } else {
                 drtioaux::send(0, &drtioaux::Packet::CoreMgmtReply { succeeded: true })
             }
         }
+        drtioaux::Packet::CoreMgmtDropLinkAck { destination: _destination } => {
+            forward!(router, _routing_table, _destination, *rank, *self_destination, _repeaters, &packet);
+
+            #[cfg(not(soc_platform = "efc"))]
+            unsafe {
+                csr::gt_drtio::txenable_write(0);
+            }
+
+            #[cfg(has_drtio_eem)]
+            unsafe {
+                csr::eem_transceiver::txenable_write(0);
+            }
+
+            coremgr.flash_image();
+            warn!("restarting");
+            unsafe { spiflash::reload(); }
+        }
 
         _ => {
             warn!("received unexpected aux packet");
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/satman/mgmt.rs b/artiq/firmware/satman/mgmt.rs
index 911a15d5d..2b44bc4bb 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/satman/mgmt.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/satman/mgmt.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crc::crc32;
 
 use routing::{Sliceable, SliceMeta};
 use board_artiq::drtioaux;
-use board_misoc::{mem, clock, config, csr, spiflash};
+use board_misoc::{mem, config, spiflash};
 use io::{Cursor, ProtoRead, ProtoWrite};
 use proto_artiq::drtioaux_proto::SAT_PAYLOAD_MAX_SIZE;
 
@@ -68,12 +68,7 @@ impl Manager {
         self.image_payload.write_all(&data[..data_len]).unwrap();
     }
 
-    pub fn clear_image_data(&mut self) {
-        self.image_payload.get_mut().clear();
-        self.image_payload.set_position(0);
-    }
-
-    pub fn flash_image(&mut self) -> Result<(), drtioaux::Error<!>> {
+    pub fn flash_image(&self) {
         let image = &self.image_payload.get_ref()[..];
 
         let (expected_crc, mut image) = {
@@ -84,13 +79,6 @@ impl Manager {
         let actual_crc = crc32::checksum_ieee(image);
 
         if actual_crc == expected_crc {
-            drtioaux::send(0, &drtioaux::Packet::CoreMgmtReply { succeeded: true })?;
-            #[cfg(not(soc_platform = "efc"))]
-            unsafe {
-                clock::spin_us(10000);
-                csr::gt_drtio::txenable_write(0);
-            }
-
             let bin_origins = [
                 ("gateware"  , 0                      ),
                 ("bootloader", mem::ROM_BASE          ),
@@ -98,7 +86,7 @@ impl Manager {
             ];
 
             for (name, origin) in bin_origins {
-                info!("Flashing {} binary...", name);
+                info!("flashing {} binary...", name);
                 let size = NativeEndian::read_u32(&image[..4]) as usize;
                 image = &image[4..];
 
@@ -108,13 +96,8 @@ impl Manager {
                 unsafe { spiflash::flash_binary(origin, bin) };
             }
 
-            warn!("restarting");
-            unsafe { spiflash::reload(); }
-
         } else {
-            error!("CRC failed in SDRAM (actual {:08x}, expected {:08x})", actual_crc, expected_crc);
-            self.clear_image_data();
-            drtioaux::send(0, &drtioaux::Packet::CoreMgmtReply { succeeded: false })
+            panic!("CRC failed in SDRAM (actual {:08x}, expected {:08x})", actual_crc, expected_crc);
         }
     }
 }