diff --git a/tools/kwboot.c b/tools/kwboot.c
index e773f01..f598dc1 100644
--- a/tools/kwboot.c
+++ b/tools/kwboot.c
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ static unsigned char kwboot_msg_boot[] = {
 	0xBB, 0x11, 0x22, 0x33, 0x44, 0x55, 0x66, 0x77
 };
 
+static unsigned char kwboot_msg_none[] = {
+	0x00
+};
+
 #define KWBOOT_MSG_REQ_DELAY	10 /* ms */
 #define KWBOOT_MSG_RSP_TIMEO	50 /* ms */
 
@@ -268,17 +272,21 @@ kwboot_bootmsg(int tty, void *msg)
 	int rc;
 	char c;
 
-	kwboot_printv("Sending boot message. Please reboot the target...");
+	kwboot_printv(msg != kwboot_msg_none
+		      ? "Sending boot message. Please reboot the target..."
+		      : "Sensing target. Please reboot target into UART mode..." );
 
 	do {
 		rc = tcflush(tty, TCIOFLUSH);
 		if (rc)
 			break;
 
-		rc = kwboot_tty_send(tty, msg, 8);
-		if (rc) {
-			usleep(KWBOOT_MSG_REQ_DELAY * 1000);
-			continue;
+		if (msg != kwboot_msg_none) {
+			rc = kwboot_tty_send(tty, msg, 8);
+			if (rc) {
+				usleep(KWBOOT_MSG_REQ_DELAY * 1000);
+				continue;
+			}
 		}
 
 		rc = kwboot_tty_recv(tty, &c, 1, KWBOOT_MSG_RSP_TIMEO);
@@ -646,6 +654,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			imgpath = optarg;
 			break;
 
+		case 'n':
+			bootmsg = kwboot_msg_none;
+			break;
+
 		case 'p':
 			patch = 1;
 			break;