diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java b/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
index 408a9a67e8d..c730a5824d3 100755
--- a/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ private boolean uploadViaBootloader(String buildPath, String className)
       "-P" + (Base.isWindows() ? "\\\\.\\" : "") + Preferences.get("serial.port"));
     commandDownloader.add(
       "-b" + Integer.parseInt(boardPreferences.get("upload.speed")));
-    commandDownloader.add("-D"); // don't erase
+    if (!boardPreferences.containsKey("upload.dont_erase")
+        || boardPreferences.get("upload.dont_erase").toLowerCase().equals("true"))
+	commandDownloader.add("-D"); // don't erase
     if (!Preferences.getBoolean("upload.verify")) commandDownloader.add("-V"); // disable verify
     commandDownloader.add("-Uflash:w:" + buildPath + File.separator + className + ".hex:i");