diff --git a/scripts/build_littlefs.py b/scripts/build_littlefs.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd1bf85bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build_littlefs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Builds a LittleFS image from the data/ folder without going through PlatformIO.
+# Mirrors build_fs_image() in the pioarduino espressif32 platform builder, so the
+# output is interchangeable with "platformio run --target buildfs".
+#
+# Needs littlefs-python, which is already installed in the PlatformIO venv:
+#   ~/.platformio/penv/bin/python scripts/build_littlefs.py
+#
+# Defaults match the s_16M_P board (2MB spiffs partition, littlefs 2.0).
+
+import argparse
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from littlefs import LittleFS
+
+
+def auto_int(value):
+    return int(value, 0)
+
+
+def build(source_dir, target_file, fs_size, block_size, disk_version):
+    fs = LittleFS(
+        block_size=block_size,
+        block_count=fs_size // block_size,
+        read_size=1,
+        prog_size=1,
+        cache_size=block_size,
+        lookahead_size=32,
+        block_cycles=500,
+        name_max=64,  # ESP-IDF default filename length
+        disk_version=disk_version,
+        mount=False,
+    )
+
+    # explicit format() + mount() on a fresh instance, see the platform builder
+    # for why the constructor's auto-mount is avoided
+    fs.format()
+    fs.mount()
+
+    for item in sorted(source_dir.rglob("*")):
+        rel_path = item.relative_to(source_dir)
+        fs_path = rel_path.as_posix()
+
+        if item.is_dir():
+            fs.makedirs(fs_path, exist_ok=True)
+        else:
+            if rel_path.parent != Path("."):
+                fs.makedirs(rel_path.parent.as_posix(), exist_ok=True)
+            with fs.open(fs_path, "wb") as dest:
+                dest.write(item.read_bytes())
+        print(f"  {fs_path}")
+
+        # ESP-IDF compatible mtime attribute
+        mtime = int(item.stat().st_mtime)
+        fs.setattr(fs_path, "t", mtime.to_bytes(4, "little"))
+
+    target_file.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    target_file.write_bytes(fs.context.buffer)
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Build a LittleFS image from a folder")
+    parser.add_argument("source", nargs="?", default="data", type=Path)
+    parser.add_argument("target", nargs="?", default=Path(".pio/build/s_16M_P/littlefs.bin"), type=Path)
+    parser.add_argument("--size", default=0x200000, type=auto_int, help="partition size, default 0x200000")
+    parser.add_argument("--block", default=0x1000, type=auto_int, help="block size, default 0x1000")
+    parser.add_argument("--version", default="2.0", help="littlefs disk version, default 2.0")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    major, _, minor = args.version.partition(".")
+    disk_version = (int(major) << 16) | int(minor or 0)
+
+    print(f"Building {args.target} ({args.size // 1024} KB) from {args.source}/")
+    build(args.source, args.target, args.size, args.block, disk_version)
+    print(f"Wrote {args.target.stat().st_size} bytes")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/scripts/do_fresh_install.sh b/scripts/do_fresh_install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..790ced624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/do_fresh_install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+
+ESPTOOL=~/.platformio/penv/bin/esptool
+PORT=/dev/ttyUSB0
+BUILD=../.pio/build/s_16M_P
+BOOT_APP0=~/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin
+
+# erase
+$ESPTOOL --chip esp32 --port $PORT --after no-reset erase-flash
+
+# create the filesystem
+~/.platformio/penv/bin/python build_littlefs.py data $BUILD/littlefs.bin
+
+# upload filesystem (spiffs partition @ 0xdf0000), leave halted so it doesn't boot yet
+$ESPTOOL --chip esp32 --port $PORT --baud 460800 \
+  --before default-reset --after no-reset \
+  write-flash -z --flash-mode dio --flash-freq 80m --flash-size detect \
+  0xdf0000 $BUILD/littlefs.bin
+
+# flash bootloader + partition table + app (app0 @ 0x490000), then boot
+$ESPTOOL --chip esp32 --port $PORT --baud 460800 \
+  --before default-reset --after hard-reset \
+  write-flash -z --flash-mode dio --flash-freq 80m --flash-size detect \
+  0x1000   $BUILD/bootloader.bin \
+  0x8000   $BUILD/partitions.bin \
+  0xe000   $BOOT_APP0 \
+  0x490000 $BUILD/firmware.bin