diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
index f894f3155b..0383d253a3 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/common.sh
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ run_ramfs() { # <command> [...]
 	install_bin /usr/sbin/ubirsvol
 	install_bin /usr/sbin/ubirmvol
 	install_bin /usr/sbin/ubimkvol
+	install_bin /usr/sbin/partx
 	for file in $RAMFS_COPY_BIN; do
 		install_bin ${file//:/ }
 	done
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/sbin/sysupgrade b/package/base-files/files/sbin/sysupgrade
index 93f0749108..2f441f868b 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/sbin/sysupgrade
+++ b/package/base-files/files/sbin/sysupgrade
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export INTERACTIVE=0
 export VERBOSE=1
 export SAVE_CONFIG=1
 export SAVE_OVERLAY=0
+export SAVE_PARTITIONS=1
 export DELAY=
 export CONF_IMAGE=
 export CONF_BACKUP_LIST=0
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ while [ -n "$1" ]; do
 		-q) export VERBOSE="$(($VERBOSE - 1))";;
 		-n) export SAVE_CONFIG=0;;
 		-c) export SAVE_OVERLAY=1;;
+		-p) export SAVE_PARTITIONS=0;;
 		-b|--create-backup) export CONF_BACKUP="$2" NEED_IMAGE=1; shift;;
 		-r|--restore-backup) export CONF_RESTORE="$2" NEED_IMAGE=1; shift;;
 		-l|--list-backup) export CONF_BACKUP_LIST=1; break;;
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ upgrade-option:
 	-i           interactive mode
 	-c           attempt to preserve all changed files in /etc/
 	-n           do not save configuration over reflash
+	-p           do not attempt to restore the partition table after flash.
 	-T | --test
 	             Verify image and config .tar.gz but do not actually flash.
 	-F | --force
diff --git a/target/linux/x86/Makefile b/target/linux/x86/Makefile
index e4bc0d9a50..45bb8c7cac 100644
--- a/target/linux/x86/Makefile
+++ b/target/linux/x86/Makefile
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ FEATURES:=squashfs ext4 vdi vmdk pcmcia targz
 SUBTARGETS=generic xen_domu ep80579 geode kvm_guest 64
 MAINTAINER:=Felix Fietkau <nbd@openwrt.org>
 
+DEFAULT_PACKAGES += partx-utils
+
 KERNEL_PATCHVER:=4.4
 
 KERNELNAME:=bzImage
diff --git a/target/linux/x86/base-files/lib/upgrade/platform.sh b/target/linux/x86/base-files/lib/upgrade/platform.sh
index 73ab5ef079..86696aec04 100644
--- a/target/linux/x86/base-files/lib/upgrade/platform.sh
+++ b/target/linux/x86/base-files/lib/upgrade/platform.sh
@@ -55,12 +55,59 @@ platform_copy_config() {
 	fi
 }
 
+get_partitions() { # <device> <filename>
+	local disk="$1"
+	local filename="$2"
+
+	if [ -b "$disk" -o -f "$disk" ]; then
+		echo "Reading partition table from $filename..."
+		partx -r "$disk" -gbo NR,START,SECTORS > "/tmp/partx.$filename"
+	fi
+}
+
 platform_do_upgrade() {
 	platform_export_bootpart
+	disk="${BOOTPART%[0-9]}"
 
-	if [ -b "${BOOTPART%[0-9]}" ]; then
+	if [ -b "$disk" ]; then
 		sync
-		get_image "$@" | dd of="${BOOTPART%[0-9]}" bs=4096 conv=fsync
+		if [ "$SAVE_PARTITIONS" = "1" ]; then
+			get_partitions "$disk" bootdisk
+
+
+			#get block size
+			sectors="$(partx -r $disk -gbo SECTORS --nr 1:1)"
+			size="$(partx -r $disk -gbo SIZE --nr 1:1)"
+			ibs="$(($size / $sectors))"
+
+			#extract the boot sector from the image
+			get_image "$@" | dd of=/tmp/image.bs count=1 bs=512b
+
+			get_partitions /tmp/image.bs image
+
+			#compare tables
+			diff="$(grep -F -x -v -f /tmp/partx.bootdisk /tmp/partx.image)"
+			if [ -n "$diff" ]; then
+				echo "Partition layout is changed.  Full image will be written."
+				ask_bool 0 "Abort" && exit
+
+				get_image "$@" | dd of="$disk" bs=4096 conv=fsync
+				return 0
+			fi
+
+			#iterate over each partition from the image and write it to the boot disk
+			while read part start size; do
+			echo "Writing image to $disk$part..."
+				get_image "$@" | dd of="$disk$part" ibs="$ibs" obs=1M skip="$start" count="$size" conv=fsync
+			done < /tmp/partx.image
+
+			#copy partition uuid
+			echo "Writing new UUID to $disk$part..."
+			get_image "$@" | dd of="$disk" bs=1 skip=440 count=4 seek=440 conv=fsync
+		else
+			get_image "$@" | dd of="$disk" bs=4096 conv=fsync
+		fi
+
 		sleep 1
 	fi
 }