diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_mkfs.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_mkfs.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..ac00f632d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_mkfs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import argparse
+import struct
+
+
+def get_argparser():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ARTIQ flash storage image generator")
+
+    parser.add_argument("output", help="output file")
+
+    parser.add_argument("-s", nargs=2, action="append", default=[],
+                        metavar=("KEY", "STRING"),
+                        help="add string")
+    parser.add_argument("-f", nargs=2, action="append", default=[],
+                        metavar=("KEY", "FILENAME"),
+                        help="add file contents")
+
+    return parser
+
+
+def write_record(f, key, value):
+    f.write(key.encode())
+    f.write(b"\x00")
+    key_size = len(key) + 1
+    if key_size % 4:
+        f.write(bytes(4 - (key_size % 4)))
+    f.write(struct.pack(">l", len(value)))
+    f.write(value)
+    value_size = len(value)
+    if value_size % 4:
+        f.write(bytes(4 - (value_size % 4)))
+
+
+def write_end_marker(f):
+    f.write(b"\xff\xff\xff\xff")
+
+
+def main():
+    args = get_argparser().parse_args()
+    with open(args.output, "wb") as fo:
+        for key, string in args.s:
+            write_record(fo, key, string.encode())
+        for key, filename in args.f:
+            with open(filename, "rb") as fi:
+                write_record(fo, key, fi.read())
+        write_end_marker(fo)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/doc/manual/utilities.rst b/doc/manual/utilities.rst
index 212180a23..ebf6c2bb9 100644
--- a/doc/manual/utilities.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/utilities.rst
@@ -83,3 +83,12 @@ Experiments compiled with this tool are not allowed to use RPCs, and their ``run
 .. argparse::
    :ref: artiq.frontend.artiq_compile.get_argparser
    :prog: artiq_compile
+
+Flash storage image generator
+-----------------------------
+
+This tool compiles key/value pairs into a binary image suitable for flashing into the flash storage space of the core device.
+
+.. argparse::
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.artiq_mkfs.get_argparser
+   :prog: artiq_mkfs
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index f4737297d..0b86af88c 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ scripts = [
     "artiq_compile=artiq.frontend.artiq_compile:main",
     "artiq_ctlmgr=artiq.frontend.artiq_ctlmgr:main",
     "artiq_master=artiq.frontend.artiq_master:main",
+    "artiq_mkfs=artiq.frontend.artiq_mkfs:main",
     "artiq_rpctool=artiq.frontend.artiq_rpctool:main",
     "artiq_run=artiq.frontend.artiq_run:main",
     "lda_controller=artiq.frontend.lda_controller:main",