diff --git a/bootloader/common.c b/bootloader/common.c
index 67b5816694..362c3b4d11 100644
--- a/bootloader/common.c
+++ b/bootloader/common.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ char *strerror(int error)
     }
 }
 
-void error(int errortype, int error)
+void error(int errortype, int error, bool shutdown)
 {
     switch(errortype)
     {
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ void error(int errortype, int error)
 
     lcd_update();
     sleep(5*HZ);
-    power_off();
+    if(shutdown)
+        power_off();
 }
 
 /* Load firmware image in a format created by tools/scramble */
diff --git a/bootloader/common.h b/bootloader/common.h
index 2cdf5865b2..6713585ad8 100644
--- a/bootloader/common.h
+++ b/bootloader/common.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ extern bool verbose;
 void reset_screen(void);
 void printf(const char *format, ...);
 char *strerror(int error);
-void error(int errortype, int error);
+void error(int errortype, int error, bool shutdown);
 int load_firmware(unsigned char* buf, char* firmware, int buffer_size);
 int load_raw_firmware(unsigned char* buf, char* firmware, int buffer_size);
 #ifdef ROCKBOX_HAS_LOGF
diff --git a/bootloader/creativezvm.c b/bootloader/creativezvm.c
index 73968c3b3f..7dcbac7dcc 100644
--- a/bootloader/creativezvm.c
+++ b/bootloader/creativezvm.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void main(void)
 
         ret = disk_mount_all();
         if (ret <= 0)
-            error(EDISK, ret);
+            error(EDISK, ret, true);
         
         printf("Loading Rockbox firmware...");
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void main(void)
 
         ret = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size);
         if(ret < 0)
-            error(EBOOTFILE, ret);
+            error(EBOOTFILE, ret, true);
         
         else if(ret == EOK)
         {
diff --git a/bootloader/gigabeat-s.c b/bootloader/gigabeat-s.c
index dcff26c4de..b6db9e633f 100644
--- a/bootloader/gigabeat-s.c
+++ b/bootloader/gigabeat-s.c
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ static void __attribute__((noreturn)) handle_firmware_load(void)
                            load_buf_size);
 
     if(rc < 0)
-        error(EBOOTFILE, rc);
+        error(EBOOTFILE, rc, true);
 
     /* Pause to look at messages */
     pause_if_button_pressed(false);
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ void main(void)
     if(rc)
     {
         reset_screen();
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
     }
 
     disk_init();
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ void main(void)
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK, rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("Init complete");
diff --git a/bootloader/gigabeat.c b/bootloader/gigabeat.c
index 7a634b329c..cfba4bb38d 100644
--- a/bootloader/gigabeat.c
+++ b/bootloader/gigabeat.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ void main(void)
     if(rc)
     {
         reset_screen();
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
     }
 
     disk_init();
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ void main(void)
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK, rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("Loading firmware");
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ void main(void)
 
     rc = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size);
     if(rc < 0)
-        error(EBOOTFILE, rc);
+        error(EBOOTFILE, rc, true);
 
     storage_close();
     system_prepare_fw_start();
diff --git a/bootloader/main-e200r-installer.c b/bootloader/main-e200r-installer.c
index defdea4574..178a03b42e 100644
--- a/bootloader/main-e200r-installer.c
+++ b/bootloader/main-e200r-installer.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void* main(void)
 
     if (num_partitions<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,num_partitions);
+        error(EDISK, num_partitions, true);
     }
 
     pinfo = disk_partinfo(1);
diff --git a/bootloader/main-pp.c b/bootloader/main-pp.c
index 37f42eda43..f0e9e7cdf3 100644
--- a/bootloader/main-pp.c
+++ b/bootloader/main-pp.c
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ void* main(void)
         }
         printf(buf);
     } else {
-        error(EATA, i);
+        error(EATA, i, true);
     }
 #endif
 
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ void* main(void)
     num_partitions = disk_mount_all();
     if (num_partitions<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,num_partitions);
+        error(EDISK,num_partitions, true);
     }
 
     /* Just list the first 2 partitions since we don't have any devices yet 
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ void* main(void)
             return (void*)loadbuffer;
         }
         
-        error(0, 0);
+        error(0, 0, true);
     }
     return (void*)loadbuffer;
 }
diff --git a/bootloader/mini2440.c b/bootloader/mini2440.c
index f4441c3730..23f135cb1a 100644
--- a/bootloader/mini2440.c
+++ b/bootloader/mini2440.c
@@ -85,14 +85,14 @@ int main(void)
     if(rc)
     {
         reset_screen();
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
     }
 
     disk_init(IF_MD(0));
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK,rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("Loading firmware");
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ int main(void)
 
     rc = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size);
     if(rc < 0)
-        error(EBOOTFILE, rc);
+        error(EBOOTFILE, rc, true);
     
     printf("Loaded firmware %d\n", rc);
     
diff --git a/bootloader/mrobe500.c b/bootloader/mrobe500.c
index d6ca58e009..39e898b4c0 100644
--- a/bootloader/mrobe500.c
+++ b/bootloader/mrobe500.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ void main(void)
     if(rc)
     {
         reset_screen();
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("disk");
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ void main(void)
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK,rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("Loading firmware");
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ void main(void)
 
     rc = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size);
     if(rc < 0)
-        error(EBOOTFILE, rc);
+        error(EBOOTFILE, rc, true);
 
     if (rc == EOK)
     {
diff --git a/bootloader/ondavx747.c b/bootloader/ondavx747.c
index 4dfc78d58c..2903b04252 100644
--- a/bootloader/ondavx747.c
+++ b/bootloader/ondavx747.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static int boot_of(void)
     printf("Mounting disk...");
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc <= 0)
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK, rc, true);
 
     /* TODO: get this from the NAND flash instead of SD */
     fd = open("/ccpmp.bin", O_RDONLY);
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ static int boot_rockbox(void)
     printf("Mounting disk...");
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc <= 0)
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK,rc, true);
 
     printf("Loading firmware...");
     rc = load_firmware((unsigned char *)CONFIG_SDRAM_START, BOOTFILE, 0x400000);
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ static void reset_configuration(void)
 
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc <= 0)
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK,rc, true);
 
     if(rename(ROCKBOX_DIR "/config.cfg", ROCKBOX_DIR "/config.old") == 0)
         show_splash(HZ/2, "Configuration reset successfully!");
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ int main(void)
 
     rc = storage_init();
     if(rc)
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
 
     /* Don't mount the disks yet, there could be file system/partition errors
        which are fixable in USB mode */
diff --git a/bootloader/sansa_as3525.c b/bootloader/sansa_as3525.c
index 3eb6159800..4219038d9a 100644
--- a/bootloader/sansa_as3525.c
+++ b/bootloader/sansa_as3525.c
@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include "config.h"
 #include "lcd.h"
-#ifdef USE_ROCKBOX_USB
 #include "usb.h"
 #include "sysfont.h"
-#endif /* USE_ROCKBOX_USB */
 #include "backlight.h"
 #include "button-target.h"
 #include "common.h"
@@ -41,6 +39,33 @@
 
 int show_logo(void);
 
+static void usb_mode(void)
+{
+    if(usb_detect() != USB_INSERTED)
+    {
+        const char msg[] = "Plug USB cable";
+        reset_screen();
+        lcd_putsxy( (LCD_WIDTH - (SYSFONT_WIDTH * sizeof(msg))) / 2,
+                    (LCD_HEIGHT - SYSFONT_HEIGHT) / 2, msg);
+        lcd_update();
+
+        /* wait until USB is plugged */
+        while(usb_detect() != USB_INSERTED) ;
+    }
+
+    const char msg[] = "Bootloader USB mode";
+    reset_screen();
+    lcd_putsxy( (LCD_WIDTH - (SYSFONT_WIDTH * sizeof(msg))) / 2,
+                (LCD_HEIGHT - SYSFONT_HEIGHT) / 2, msg);
+    lcd_update();
+
+    while(usb_detect() == USB_INSERTED)
+        sleep(HZ);
+
+    reset_screen();
+    lcd_update();
+}
+
 void main(void) __attribute__((noreturn));
 void main(void)
 {
@@ -84,53 +109,41 @@ void main(void)
 
     ret = storage_init();
     if(ret < 0)
-        error(EATA,ret);
+        error(EATA, ret, true);
 
-#ifdef USE_ROCKBOX_USB
     usb_init();
     usb_start_monitoring();
-    if(usb_detect() == USB_INSERTED)
+
+    /* Enter USB mode if USB is plugged and SELECT button is pressed */
+    if(btn & BUTTON_SELECT && usb_detect() == USB_INSERTED)
+        usb_mode();
+
+    while(!disk_init(IF_MV(0)))
+        usb_mode();
+
+    while((ret = disk_mount_all()) <= 0)
     {
-        const char msg[] = "Bootloader USB mode";
-        reset_screen();
-        lcd_putsxy( (LCD_WIDTH - (SYSFONT_WIDTH * sizeof(msg))) / 2,
-                    (LCD_HEIGHT - SYSFONT_HEIGHT) / 2, msg);
-        lcd_update();
-
-        while(usb_detect() == USB_INSERTED)
-            sleep(HZ);
-
-        reset_screen();
-        lcd_update();
+        error(EDISK, ret, false);
+        usb_mode();
     }
-#endif /* USE_ROCKBOX_USB */
-
-    if(!disk_init(IF_MV(0)))
-        panicf("disk_init failed!");
-
-    ret = disk_mount_all();
-
-    if(ret <= 0)
-        error(EDISK, ret);
 
     printf("Loading firmware");
 
     loadbuffer = (unsigned char*)DRAM_ORIG; /* DRAM */
     buffer_size = (int)(loadbuffer + (DRAM_SIZE) - TTB_SIZE);
 
-    ret = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size);
-    if(ret < 0)
-        error(EBOOTFILE, ret);
-
-    if (ret == EOK)
+    while((ret = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, buffer_size)) < 0)
     {
-        kernel_entry = (void*) loadbuffer;
-        cpucache_invalidate();
-        printf("Executing");
-        kernel_entry();
-        printf("ERR: Failed to boot");
+        error(EBOOTFILE, ret, false);
+        usb_mode();
     }
 
+    kernel_entry = (void*) loadbuffer;
+    cpucache_invalidate();
+    printf("Executing");
+    kernel_entry();
+    printf("ERR: Failed to boot");
+
     /* never returns */
     while(1) ;
 }
diff --git a/bootloader/telechips.c b/bootloader/telechips.c
index 9e9e75c183..adf3e63483 100644
--- a/bootloader/telechips.c
+++ b/bootloader/telechips.c
@@ -158,21 +158,21 @@ void* main(void)
     if(rc)
     {
         reset_screen();
-        error(EATA, rc);
+        error(EATA, rc, true);
     }
 
     printf("mount");
     rc = disk_mount_all();
     if (rc<=0)
     {
-        error(EDISK,rc);
+        error(EDISK,rc, true);
     }
 
     rc = load_firmware(loadbuffer, BOOTFILE, MAX_LOAD_SIZE);
 
     if (rc < 0)
     {
-        error(EBOOTFILE,rc);
+        error(EBOOTFILE,rc, true);
     }
     else if (rc == EOK)
     {