diff --git a/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable.go b/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable.go
index f1bb8e988cc..2c69a57804b 100644
--- a/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable.go
+++ b/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
+	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -63,15 +64,22 @@ func ensureFlashWritable(stepParams step.StepParams) step.StepExitError {
 	// grandteton v2023.25.2 introduced an error whereby mtd0 was set as spi0.1
 	// this breaks checks and remediations as it thinks flash1 is read-only
 	// let's put in a workaround so we can upgrade all the affected hosts
-	cmd := []string{"grep", "mtd0:.*spi0.1 /proc/mtd"}
-	_, _, stdout, _ := utils.RunCommand(cmd, 30*time.Second)
-	if strings.Contains(stdout, "mtd0") {
+	buf, err := fileutils.ReadFile("/proc/mtd")
+	if err != nil {
+		return step.ExitBadFlashChip{Err: err}
+	
+	}
+	mtdStr := string(buf)
+	mtdRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`mtd0:\s+\d+\s+\d+\s+"spi0\.1"`)
+	mtdMatch := mtdRegex.FindStringSubmatch(mtdStr)
+	if len(mtdMatch) > 0 {
 		log.Printf("Skipping ensure_flash_writable check for this device due to S356523")
-		return nil
+		return nil 
 	}
 
+
 	// First up check that fw_printenv works okay and produces output.
-	cmd = []string{"fw_printenv", "bootargs"}
+	cmd := []string{"fw_printenv", "bootargs"}
 	_, err, stdout, stderr := utils.RunCommand(cmd, 30*time.Second)
 	if err != nil || !strings.Contains(stdout, "bootargs") {
 		log.Printf("fw_printenv doesn't work: %v, stderr: %v", err, stderr)
diff --git a/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable_test.go b/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable_test.go
index bb6d3306fac..9c885e91bc3 100644
--- a/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable_test.go
+++ b/tools/flashy/checks_and_remediations/common/05_ensure_flash_writable_test.go
@@ -36,11 +36,13 @@ func TestEnsureFlashWritable(t *testing.T) {
 	// save log output into buf for testing
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	log.SetOutput(&buf)
+	readFileOrig := fileutils.ReadFile
 	fileExistsOrig := fileutils.FileExists
 	runCommandOrig := utils.RunCommand
 
 	defer func() {
 		log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
+		fileutils.ReadFile = readFileOrig
 		fileutils.FileExists = fileExistsOrig
 		utils.RunCommand = runCommandOrig
 	}()
@@ -78,7 +80,8 @@ func TestEnsureFlashWritable(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name:              "s356523 case",
 			vbootUtilExists:   true,
-			s356523:					 "mtd0: 08000000 00010000 \"spi0.1\"",
+			s356523:					 `mtd0: 08000000 00010000 "spi0.1"
+			mtd1: 00040000 00010000 "romx"`,
 			failPrint:         false,
 			failSet:           false,
 			failCheck:         false,
@@ -136,6 +139,9 @@ func TestEnsureFlashWritable(t *testing.T) {
 			fileutils.FileExists = func(filename string) bool {
 				return tc.vbootUtilExists
 			}
+			fileutils.ReadFile = func(filename string) ([]byte, error) {
+				return []byte(tc.s356523), nil
+			}
 			utils.RunCommand = func(cmdArr []string, timeout time.Duration) (int, error, string, string) {
 				if (cmdArr[0] == "fw_printenv") {
 					if (cmdArr[1] == "bootargs") {
@@ -158,10 +164,6 @@ func TestEnsureFlashWritable(t *testing.T) {
 						} else {
 							return 0, nil, "bootargs=foo", ""
 						}
-					} else if (cmdArr[0] == "grep") {
-						if (cmdArr[1] == "mtd0:.*spi0.1 /proc/mtd") {
-							return 0, nil, tc.s356523, ""
-						}
 					} else{
 						if (tc.failSet) {
 							return 0, errors.Errorf("err2"), "", "err2"