diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/programViaBlackfin.h b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/programViaBlackfin.h
index 9abe2e678..384551c30 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/programViaBlackfin.h
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/include/programViaBlackfin.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ int FPGATouchFlash(char *mess);
 int resetFPGA(char *mess);
 
 int emptyTempFolder(char *mess);
+int allowKernelUpdate(char *mess);
 /**
  * deletes old file
  * verify memory available to copy
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/common.c b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/common.c
index 5f6a2b2d6..b76349c16 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/common.c
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/common.c
@@ -403,7 +403,8 @@ int verifyChecksum(char *mess, char *functionType, char *clientChecksum,
     if (strcmp(clientChecksum, checksum)) {
         sprintf(mess,
                 "Could not %s. Checksum of %s does not match. Client "
-                "checksum:%s, copied checksum:%s\n",
+                "checksum:%s, copied checksum:%. Please try again before "
+                "rebooting.\n",
                 functionType, msg, clientChecksum, checksum);
         LOG(logERROR, (mess));
         return FAIL;
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/programViaBlackfin.c b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/programViaBlackfin.c
index 662de51e7..bc418f923 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/programViaBlackfin.c
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/programViaBlackfin.c
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@
 #define CMD_GET_FPGA_FLASH_DRIVE    "awk \'$4== \"\\\"bitfile(spi)\\\"\" {print $1}\' /proc/mtd"
 #define CMD_GET_KERNEL_FLASH_DRIVE  "awk \'$4== \"\\\"linux\" {print $1}\' /proc/mtd"
 
+
+#define CMD_GET_AMD_FLASH  "dmesg | grep Amd"
+
 #define FLASH_BUFFER_MEMORY_SIZE (128 * 1024) // 500 KB
 // clang-format on
 
@@ -245,6 +248,41 @@ int emptyTempFolder(char *mess) {
 #endif
 }
 
+int allowKernelUpdate(char *mess) {
+    LOG(logINFO, ("\tVerifying kernel update allowed...\n"));
+
+#ifdef VIRTUAL
+    return OK;
+#endif
+    char retvals[MAX_STR_LENGTH] = {0};
+    if (executeCommand(CMD_GET_AMD_FLASH, retvals, logDEBUG1) == FAIL) {
+        snprintf(
+            mess, MAX_STR_LENGTH,
+            "Could not update %s. (Could not figure out if Amd flash: %s)\n",
+            messageType, retvals);
+        LOG(logERROR, (mess));
+        return FAIL;
+    }
+    // amd flash found
+    if (strlen(retvals) > 1) {
+        LOG(logINFO, ("\tAmd Flash found\n"));
+        // only current kernel works with amd flash
+        if (validateKernelVersion(KERNEL_DATE_VRSN_3GPIO) == FAIL) {
+            getKernelVersion(retvals);
+            snprintf(mess, MAX_STR_LENGTH,
+                     "Could not update %s. Kernel version %s is too old to "
+                     "update the Amd flash\n",
+                     messageType, retvals);
+            LOG(logERROR, (mess));
+            return FAIL;
+        }
+    } else {
+        LOG(logINFO, ("\tNot Amd Flash\n"));
+    }
+    LOG(logINFO, ("\tKernel and flash ok for updating kernel\n"));
+    return OK;
+}
+
 int preparetoCopyProgram(char *mess, char *functionType, FILE **fd,
                          uint64_t fsize) {
 
diff --git a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/slsDetectorServer_funcs.c b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/slsDetectorServer_funcs.c
index da7b40c10..5c82cfb0f 100644
--- a/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/slsDetectorServer_funcs.c
+++ b/slsDetectorServers/slsDetectorServer/src/slsDetectorServer_funcs.c
@@ -9255,10 +9255,11 @@ int get_kernel_version(int file_des) {
     ret = getKernelVersion(retvals);
     if (ret == FAIL) {
         if (snprintf(mess, MAX_STR_LENGTH, "Could not get kernel version. %s\n",
-                 retvals) >= MAX_STR_LENGTH) {
+                     retvals) >= MAX_STR_LENGTH) {
             ret = FAIL;
-            strcpy(mess, "Could not get kernel version. Reason too long to copy\n");
-        } 
+            strcpy(mess,
+                   "Could not get kernel version. Reason too long to copy\n");
+        }
         LOG(logERROR, (mess));
     } else {
         LOG(logDEBUG1, ("kernel version: [%s]\n", retvals));
@@ -9372,6 +9373,13 @@ void receive_program_via_blackfin(int file_des, enum PROGRAM_INDEX index,
             functionType);
     LOG(logERROR, (mess));
 #else
+    // check kernel update is allowed  (Non Amd OR AMD + current kernel)
+    ret = allowKernelUpdate(mess);
+    if (ret == FAIL) {
+        Server_SendResult(file_des, INT32, NULL, 0);
+        return;
+    }
+
     // open file and allocate memory for part program
     FILE *fd = NULL;
     ret = preparetoCopyProgram(mess, functionType, &fd, filesize);