diff --git a/stmhal/modpyb.c b/stmhal/modpyb.c
index 60f220be26..209d0fb4a4 100644
--- a/stmhal/modpyb.c
+++ b/stmhal/modpyb.c
@@ -190,8 +190,13 @@ STATIC const mp_map_elem_t pyb_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_Switch), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_switch_type },
 #endif
 
+#if MICROPY_HW_HAS_FLASH
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_Flash), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_type },
+#endif
+
 #if MICROPY_HW_HAS_SDCARD
-    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_SD), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_SD), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_obj }, // now obsolete
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_SDCard), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_type },
 #endif
 
 #if defined(MICROPY_HW_LED1)
diff --git a/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h b/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
index a6aef59af9..9ef9f22249 100644
--- a/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
+++ b/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
@@ -61,8 +61,9 @@ Q(write)
 Q(repl_uart)
 Q(time)
 Q(rng)
+Q(Flash)
 Q(SD)
-Q(SDcard)
+Q(SDCard)
 Q(FileIO)
 Q(flush)
 Q(boot.py)
diff --git a/stmhal/sdcard.c b/stmhal/sdcard.c
index ae18525196..fb480bbec8 100644
--- a/stmhal/sdcard.c
+++ b/stmhal/sdcard.c
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@
  * THE SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-#include STM32_HAL_H
-
 #include "py/nlr.h"
 #include "py/runtime.h"
+#include "lib/fatfs/ff.h"
+#include "extmod/fsusermount.h"
+
 #include "sdcard.h"
 #include "pin.h"
 #include "genhdr/pins.h"
@@ -279,9 +280,18 @@ mp_uint_t sdcard_write_blocks(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t n
 /******************************************************************************/
 // Micro Python bindings
 //
-// Note: these function are a bit ad-hoc at the moment and are mainly intended
-// for testing purposes.  In the future SD should be a proper class with a
-// consistent interface and methods to mount/unmount it.
+// Expose the SD card as an object with the block protocol.
+
+// there is a singleton SDCard object
+const mp_obj_base_t pyb_sdcard_obj = {&pyb_sdcard_type};
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_sdcard_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    // check arguments
+    mp_arg_check_num(n_args, n_kw, 0, 0, false);
+
+    // return singleton object
+    return (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_obj;
+}
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t sd_present(mp_obj_t self) {
     return mp_obj_new_bool(sdcard_is_present());
@@ -316,6 +326,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t sd_info(mp_obj_t self) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(sd_info_obj, sd_info);
 
+// now obsolete, kept for backwards compatibility
 STATIC mp_obj_t sd_read(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num) {
     uint8_t *dest = m_new(uint8_t, SDCARD_BLOCK_SIZE);
     mp_uint_t ret = sdcard_read_blocks(dest, mp_obj_get_int(block_num), 1);
@@ -329,6 +340,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t sd_read(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(sd_read_obj, sd_read);
 
+// now obsolete, kept for backwards compatibility
 STATIC mp_obj_t sd_write(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t data) {
     mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
     mp_get_buffer_raise(data, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
@@ -346,22 +358,70 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t sd_write(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t data) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(sd_write_obj, sd_write);
 
-STATIC const mp_map_elem_t sdcard_locals_dict_table[] = {
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_sdcard_readblocks(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t buf) {
+    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
+    mp_get_buffer_raise(buf, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_WRITE);
+    mp_uint_t ret = sdcard_read_blocks(bufinfo.buf, mp_obj_get_int(block_num), bufinfo.len / SDCARD_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    return mp_obj_new_bool(ret == 0);
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_sdcard_readblocks_obj, pyb_sdcard_readblocks);
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_sdcard_writeblocks(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t buf) {
+    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
+    mp_get_buffer_raise(buf, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
+    mp_uint_t ret = sdcard_write_blocks(bufinfo.buf, mp_obj_get_int(block_num), bufinfo.len / SDCARD_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    return mp_obj_new_bool(ret == 0);
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_sdcard_writeblocks_obj, pyb_sdcard_writeblocks);
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_sdcard_ioctl(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t cmd_in, mp_obj_t arg_in) {
+    mp_int_t cmd = mp_obj_get_int(cmd_in);
+    switch (cmd) {
+        case 1: // INIT
+            if (!sdcard_power_on()) {
+                return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(-1); // error
+            }
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // success
+
+        case 2: // DEINIT
+            sdcard_power_off();
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // success
+
+        case 3: // SYNC
+            // nothing to do
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // success
+
+        case 4: // SEC_COUNT
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // TODO
+
+        case 5: // SEC_SIZE
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(SDCARD_BLOCK_SIZE);
+
+        default: // unknown command
+            return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(-1); // error
+    }
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_sdcard_ioctl_obj, pyb_sdcard_ioctl);
+
+STATIC const mp_map_elem_t pyb_sdcard_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_present), (mp_obj_t)&sd_present_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_power), (mp_obj_t)&sd_power_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_info), (mp_obj_t)&sd_info_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_read), (mp_obj_t)&sd_read_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write), (mp_obj_t)&sd_write_obj },
+    // block device protocol
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readblocks), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_readblocks_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_writeblocks), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_writeblocks_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ioctl), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_ioctl_obj },
 };
 
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(sdcard_locals_dict, sdcard_locals_dict_table);
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(pyb_sdcard_locals_dict, pyb_sdcard_locals_dict_table);
 
-static const mp_obj_type_t sdcard_type = {
+const mp_obj_type_t pyb_sdcard_type = {
     { &mp_type_type },
-    .name = MP_QSTR_SDcard,
-    .locals_dict = (mp_obj_t)&sdcard_locals_dict,
+    .name = MP_QSTR_SDCard,
+    .make_new = pyb_sdcard_make_new,
+    .locals_dict = (mp_obj_t)&pyb_sdcard_locals_dict,
 };
 
-const mp_obj_base_t pyb_sdcard_obj = {&sdcard_type};
-
 #endif // MICROPY_HW_HAS_SDCARD
diff --git a/stmhal/sdcard.h b/stmhal/sdcard.h
index 8197768de0..06ca5ef1b3 100644
--- a/stmhal/sdcard.h
+++ b/stmhal/sdcard.h
@@ -37,4 +37,5 @@ uint64_t sdcard_get_capacity_in_bytes(void);
 mp_uint_t sdcard_read_blocks(uint8_t *dest, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks);
 mp_uint_t sdcard_write_blocks(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks);
 
+extern const struct _mp_obj_type_t pyb_sdcard_type;
 extern const struct _mp_obj_base_t pyb_sdcard_obj;
diff --git a/stmhal/storage.c b/stmhal/storage.c
index 29d373e60f..7bd55a2b20 100644
--- a/stmhal/storage.c
+++ b/stmhal/storage.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include STM32_HAL_H
 
 #include "py/obj.h"
+#include "py/runtime.h"
+#include "lib/fatfs/ff.h"
+#include "extmod/fsusermount.h"
+
 #include "systick.h"
 #include "led.h"
 #include "flash.h"
@@ -306,3 +309,81 @@ bool storage_write_block(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block) {
         return true;
     }
 }
+
+mp_uint_t storage_read_blocks(uint8_t *dest, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_blocks; i++) {
+        if (!storage_read_block(dest + i * FLASH_BLOCK_SIZE, block_num + i)) {
+            return 1; // error
+        }
+    }
+    return 0; // success
+}
+
+mp_uint_t storage_write_blocks(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks) {
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_blocks; i++) {
+        if (!storage_write_block(src + i * FLASH_BLOCK_SIZE, block_num + i)) {
+            return 1; // error
+        }
+    }
+    return 0; // success
+}
+
+/******************************************************************************/
+// MicroPython bindings
+//
+// Expose the flash as an object with the block protocol.
+
+// there is a singleton Flash object
+STATIC const mp_obj_base_t pyb_flash_obj = {&pyb_flash_type};
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_flash_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    // check arguments
+    mp_arg_check_num(n_args, n_kw, 0, 0, false);
+
+    // return singleton object
+    return (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_obj;
+}
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_flash_readblocks(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t buf) {
+    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
+    mp_get_buffer_raise(buf, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_WRITE);
+    mp_uint_t ret = storage_read_blocks(bufinfo.buf, mp_obj_get_int(block_num), bufinfo.len / FLASH_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(ret);
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_flash_readblocks_obj, pyb_flash_readblocks);
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_flash_writeblocks(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t block_num, mp_obj_t buf) {
+    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
+    mp_get_buffer_raise(buf, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
+    mp_uint_t ret = storage_write_blocks(bufinfo.buf, mp_obj_get_int(block_num), bufinfo.len / FLASH_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(ret);
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_flash_writeblocks_obj, pyb_flash_writeblocks);
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_flash_ioctl(mp_obj_t self, mp_obj_t cmd_in, mp_obj_t arg_in) {
+    mp_int_t cmd = mp_obj_get_int(cmd_in);
+    switch (cmd) {
+        case 1: storage_init(); return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // INIT
+        case 2: storage_flush(); return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // DEINIT; TODO properly
+        case 3: storage_flush(); return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(0); // SYNC
+        case 4: return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(storage_get_block_count()); // SEC_COUNT
+        case 5: return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(storage_get_block_size()); // SEC_SIZE
+        default: return mp_const_none;
+    }
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_3(pyb_flash_ioctl_obj, pyb_flash_ioctl);
+
+STATIC const mp_map_elem_t pyb_flash_locals_dict_table[] = {
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readblocks), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_readblocks_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_writeblocks), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_writeblocks_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ioctl), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_ioctl_obj },
+};
+
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(pyb_flash_locals_dict, pyb_flash_locals_dict_table);
+
+const mp_obj_type_t pyb_flash_type = {
+    { &mp_type_type },
+    .name = MP_QSTR_Flash,
+    .make_new = pyb_flash_make_new,
+    .locals_dict = (mp_obj_t)&pyb_flash_locals_dict,
+};
diff --git a/stmhal/storage.h b/stmhal/storage.h
index 4ff7abbe1c..30aa483095 100644
--- a/stmhal/storage.h
+++ b/stmhal/storage.h
@@ -36,3 +36,9 @@ void storage_irq_handler(void);
 void storage_flush(void);
 bool storage_read_block(uint8_t *dest, uint32_t block);
 bool storage_write_block(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block);
+
+// these return 0 on success, non-zero on error
+mp_uint_t storage_read_blocks(uint8_t *dest, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks);
+mp_uint_t storage_write_blocks(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block_num, uint32_t num_blocks);
+
+extern const struct _mp_obj_type_t pyb_flash_type;