diff --git a/board/pedal/Makefile b/board/pedal/Makefile
index 47431d9ed13a41..b1a7e5861f17dc 100644
--- a/board/pedal/Makefile
+++ b/board/pedal/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ DFU_UTIL = "dfu-util"
 CERT = ../../certs/debug
 CFLAGS += "-DALLOW_DEBUG"
 
-all: obj/bootstub.bin obj/$(PROJ_NAME).bin
+usbflash: obj/$(PROJ_NAME).bin
+	../../tests/pedal/enter_canloader.py
+	PYTHONPATH=../../ python -c "from python import Panda; p = Panda(); assert(p.bootstub); p.flash('obj/$(PROJ_NAME).bin', reconnect=False)"
+
+recover: obj/bootstub.bin obj/$(PROJ_NAME).bin
 	$(DFU_UTIL) -d 0483:df11 -a 0 -s 0x08004000 -D obj/$(PROJ_NAME).bin
 	$(DFU_UTIL) -d 0483:df11 -a 0 -s 0x08000000:leave -D obj/bootstub.bin
 
diff --git a/python/__init__.py b/python/__init__.py
index 215fe733e99015..79a33fa9faad46 100644
--- a/python/__init__.py
+++ b/python/__init__.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def connect(self, claim=True, wait=False):
     assert(self._handle != None)
     print("connected")
 
-  def reset(self, enter_bootstub=False, enter_bootloader=False):
+  def reset(self, enter_bootstub=False, enter_bootloader=False, reconnect=True):
     # reset
     try:
       if enter_bootloader:
@@ -184,6 +184,8 @@ def reset(self, enter_bootstub=False, enter_bootloader=False):
       pass
     if not enter_bootloader:
       self.close()
+      if reconnect == False:
+        return
       time.sleep(1.0)
       success = False
       # wait up to 15 seconds
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ def reset(self, enter_bootstub=False, enter_bootloader=False):
       if not success:
         raise Exception("reset failed")
 
-  def flash(self, fn=None, code=None):
+  def flash(self, fn=None, code=None, reconnect=True):
     if not self.bootstub:
       self.reset(enter_bootstub=True)
     assert(self.bootstub)
@@ -247,7 +249,7 @@ def flash(self, fn=None, code=None):
 
     # reset
     print("flash: resetting")
-    self.reset()
+    self.reset(reconnect=reconnect)
 
   def recover(self):
     self.reset(enter_bootloader=True)