--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdpart.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdpart.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 
 #include "mtdcore.h"
 
+#define MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL	0x8000 /* partition only covers parts of an erase block */
+
 /* Our partition linked list */
 static LIST_HEAD(mtd_partitions);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(mtd_partitions_mutex);
@@ -252,13 +254,60 @@ static int part_erase(struct mtd_info *m
 		return -EROFS;
 	if (instr->addr >= mtd->size)
 		return -EINVAL;
+
+	instr->partial_start = false;
+	if (mtd->flags & MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL) {
+		size_t readlen = 0;
+		u64 mtd_ofs;
+
+		instr->erase_buf = kmalloc(part->master->erasesize, GFP_ATOMIC);
+		if (!instr->erase_buf)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+
+		mtd_ofs = part->offset + instr->addr;
+		instr->erase_buf_ofs = do_div(mtd_ofs, part->master->erasesize);
+
+		if (instr->erase_buf_ofs > 0) {
+			instr->addr -= instr->erase_buf_ofs;
+			ret = mtd_read(part->master,
+				instr->addr + part->offset,
+				part->master->erasesize,
+				&readlen, instr->erase_buf);
+
+			instr->partial_start = true;
+		} else {
+			mtd_ofs = part->offset + part->mtd.size;
+			instr->erase_buf_ofs = part->master->erasesize -
+				do_div(mtd_ofs, part->master->erasesize);
+
+			if (instr->erase_buf_ofs > 0) {
+				instr->len += instr->erase_buf_ofs;
+				ret = mtd_read(part->master,
+					part->offset + instr->addr +
+					instr->len - part->master->erasesize,
+					part->master->erasesize, &readlen,
+					instr->erase_buf);
+			} else {
+				ret = 0;
+			}
+		}
+		if (ret < 0) {
+			kfree(instr->erase_buf);
+			return ret;
+		}
+
+	}
+
 	instr->addr += part->offset;
 	ret = mtd_erase(part->master, instr);
 	if (ret) {
 		if (instr->fail_addr != MTD_FAIL_ADDR_UNKNOWN)
 			instr->fail_addr -= part->offset;
 		instr->addr -= part->offset;
+		if (mtd->flags & MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL)
+			kfree(instr->erase_buf);
 	}
+
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -266,7 +315,25 @@ void mtd_erase_callback(struct erase_inf
 {
 	if (instr->mtd->erase == part_erase) {
 		struct mtd_part *part = PART(instr->mtd);
+		size_t wrlen = 0;
 
+		if (instr->mtd->flags & MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL) {
+			if (instr->partial_start) {
+				part->master->write(part->master,
+					instr->addr, instr->erase_buf_ofs,
+					&wrlen, instr->erase_buf);
+				instr->addr += instr->erase_buf_ofs;
+			} else {
+				instr->len -= instr->erase_buf_ofs;
+				part->master->write(part->master,
+					instr->addr + instr->len,
+					instr->erase_buf_ofs, &wrlen,
+					instr->erase_buf +
+					part->master->erasesize -
+					instr->erase_buf_ofs);
+			}
+			kfree(instr->erase_buf);
+		}
 		if (instr->fail_addr != MTD_FAIL_ADDR_UNKNOWN)
 			instr->fail_addr -= part->offset;
 		instr->addr -= part->offset;
@@ -537,18 +604,24 @@ static struct mtd_part *allocate_partiti
 	if ((slave->mtd.flags & MTD_WRITEABLE) &&
 	    mtd_mod_by_eb(slave->offset, &slave->mtd)) {
 		/* Doesn't start on a boundary of major erase size */
-		/* FIXME: Let it be writable if it is on a boundary of
-		 * _minor_ erase size though */
-		slave->mtd.flags &= ~MTD_WRITEABLE;
-		printk(KERN_WARNING"mtd: partition \"%s\" doesn't start on an erase block boundary -- force read-only\n",
-			part->name);
+		slave->mtd.flags |= MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL;
+		if (((u32) slave->mtd.size) > master->erasesize)
+			slave->mtd.flags &= ~MTD_WRITEABLE;
+		else
+			slave->mtd.erasesize = slave->mtd.size;
 	}
 	if ((slave->mtd.flags & MTD_WRITEABLE) &&
-	    mtd_mod_by_eb(slave->mtd.size, &slave->mtd)) {
-		slave->mtd.flags &= ~MTD_WRITEABLE;
-		printk(KERN_WARNING"mtd: partition \"%s\" doesn't end on an erase block -- force read-only\n",
-			part->name);
+	    mtd_mod_by_eb(slave->offset + slave->mtd.size, &slave->mtd)) {
+		slave->mtd.flags |= MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL;
+
+		if ((u32) slave->mtd.size > master->erasesize)
+			slave->mtd.flags &= ~MTD_WRITEABLE;
+		else
+			slave->mtd.erasesize = slave->mtd.size;
 	}
+	if ((slave->mtd.flags & (MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL|MTD_WRITEABLE)) == MTD_ERASE_PARTIAL)
+		printk(KERN_WARNING"mtd: partition \"%s\" must either start or end on erase block boundary or be smaller than an erase block -- forcing read-only\n",
+				part->name);
 
 	slave->mtd.ecclayout = master->ecclayout;
 	if (master->block_isbad) {
--- a/include/linux/mtd/mtd.h
+++ b/include/linux/mtd/mtd.h
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ struct erase_info {
 	u_long priv;
 	u_char state;
 	struct erase_info *next;
+
+	u8 *erase_buf;
+	u32 erase_buf_ofs;
+	bool partial_start;
 };
 
 struct mtd_erase_region_info {
