diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index ba6950e34c..a3cc01d165 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 #include "supervisor/shared/workflow.h"
 #include "supervisor/usb.h"
 #include "supervisor/workflow.h"
+#include "supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h"
 
 #include "shared-bindings/microcontroller/__init__.h"
 #include "shared-bindings/microcontroller/Processor.h"
@@ -836,6 +837,12 @@ int __attribute__((used)) main(void) {
     // Start the debug serial
     serial_early_init();
 
+    #if !INTERNAL_FLASH_FILESYSTEM
+    // Set up anything that might need to get done before we try to use SPI flash
+    // This is needed for some boards where flash relies on GPIO setup to work
+    external_flash_setup();
+    #endif
+
     // Create a new filesystem only if we're not in a safe mode.
     // A power brownout here could make it appear as if there's
     // no SPI flash filesystem, and we might erase the existing one.
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/board.c b/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/board.c
index 289d68af29..9e862b3c01 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/board.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 
 #include "supervisor/board.h"
 #include "mpconfigboard.h"
+#include "common-hal/microcontroller/Pin.h"
+#include "hal/include/hal_gpio.h"
+#include "supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h"
 
 void board_init(void) {
 }
@@ -39,3 +42,20 @@ void reset_board(void) {
 
 void board_deinit(void) {
 }
+
+void external_flash_setup(void) {
+    // Do not reset the external flash write-protect and hold pins high
+    never_reset_pin_number(PIN_PB22);
+    never_reset_pin_number(PIN_PB23);
+
+    // note: using output instead of input+pullups because the pullups are a little weak
+    // Set the WP pin high
+    gpio_set_pin_function(PIN_PB22, GPIO_PIN_FUNCTION_OFF);
+    gpio_set_pin_direction(PIN_PB22, GPIO_DIRECTION_OUT);
+    gpio_set_pin_level(PIN_PB22, true);
+
+    // Set the HOLD pin high
+    gpio_set_pin_function(PIN_PB23, GPIO_PIN_FUNCTION_OFF);
+    gpio_set_pin_direction(PIN_PB23, GPIO_DIRECTION_OUT);
+    gpio_set_pin_level(PIN_PB23, true);
+}
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/mpconfigboard.h b/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/mpconfigboard.h
index 3c4ef44b88..15fbcc45de 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/mpconfigboard.h
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/boards/sparkfun_samd51_micromod/mpconfigboard.h
@@ -27,3 +27,7 @@
 // USB is always used internally so skip the pin objects for it.
 #define IGNORE_PIN_PA24     1
 #define IGNORE_PIN_PA25     1
+
+// The external flash chip has WP (write-protect) and hold pins we should ignore
+#define IGNORE_PIN_PB22
+#define IGNORE_PIN_PB23
diff --git a/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.mk b/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.mk
index 081048181e..535bd2f698 100644
--- a/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.mk
+++ b/py/circuitpy_mpconfig.mk
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ CFLAGS += -DMICROPY_PY_USELECT=$(MICROPY_PY_USELECT)
 MICROPY_PY_USELECT_SELECT ?= $(MICROPY_PY_USELECT)
 CFLAGS += -DMICROPY_PY_USELECT_SELECT=$(MICROPY_PY_USELECT_SELECT)
 
-
 CIRCUITPY_AESIO ?= $(CIRCUITPY_FULL_BUILD)
 CFLAGS += -DCIRCUITPY_AESIO=$(CIRCUITPY_AESIO)
 
diff --git a/supervisor/board.h b/supervisor/board.h
index 605c16f5dc..e3f0af79a3 100644
--- a/supervisor/board.h
+++ b/supervisor/board.h
@@ -47,5 +47,4 @@ void reset_board(void);
 // disabling USB, BLE or flash) because CircuitPython may continue to run.
 void board_deinit(void);
 
-
 #endif  // MICROPY_INCLUDED_SUPERVISOR_BOARD_H
diff --git a/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.c b/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.c
index 33d618276c..7da45fdc99 100644
--- a/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.c
+++ b/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.c
@@ -588,3 +588,6 @@ mp_uint_t supervisor_flash_write_blocks(const uint8_t *src, uint32_t block_num,
     }
     return 0; // success
 }
+
+void MP_WEAK external_flash_setup(void) {
+}
diff --git a/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h b/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h
index db5c677eb0..7966b64674 100644
--- a/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h
+++ b/supervisor/shared/external_flash/external_flash.h
@@ -47,4 +47,9 @@
 
 void supervisor_external_flash_flush(void);
 
+// Configure anything that needs to get set up before the external flash
+// is init'ed. For example, if GPIO needs to be configured to enable the
+// flash chip, as is the case on some boards.
+void external_flash_setup(void);
+
 #endif  // MICROPY_INCLUDED_SUPERVISOR_SHARED_EXTERNAL_FLASH_EXTERNAL_FLASH_H