diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-plugin-synapticsmst.c b/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-plugin-synapticsmst.c
index 83c9eee93..780064834 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-plugin-synapticsmst.c
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/fu-plugin-synapticsmst.c
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ fu_plugin_update (FuPlugin *plugin,
 	guint8 layer;
 	guint8 rad;
 	gboolean reboot;
+	gboolean install_force;
 
 	/* extract details to build a new device */
 	kind = synapticsmst_device_kind_from_string (fu_device_get_metadata (dev, "SynapticsMSTKind"));
@@ -359,11 +360,14 @@ fu_plugin_update (FuPlugin *plugin,
 	if (!synapticsmst_device_enumerate_device (device, error))
 		return FALSE;
 	reboot = !fu_device_has_custom_flag (dev, "skip-restart");
+	install_force = (flags & FWUPD_INSTALL_FLAG_FORCE) != 0 ||
+			fu_device_has_custom_flag (dev, "ignore-board-id");
 	fu_device_set_status (dev, FWUPD_STATUS_DEVICE_WRITE);
 	if (!synapticsmst_device_write_firmware (device, blob_fw,
 						 fu_synapticsmst_write_progress_cb,
 						 dev,
 						 reboot,
+						 install_force,
 						 error)) {
 		g_prefix_error (error, "failed to flash firmware: ");
 		return FALSE;
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.c b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.c
index 57d8516bd..3598abfa1 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.c
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.c
@@ -1117,6 +1117,7 @@ synapticsmst_device_write_firmware (SynapticsMSTDevice *device,
 				    GFileProgressCallback progress_cb,
 				    gpointer progress_data,
 				    gboolean reboot,
+				    gboolean install_force,
 				    GError **error)
 {
 	const guint8 *payload_data;
@@ -1137,21 +1138,16 @@ synapticsmst_device_write_firmware (SynapticsMSTDevice *device,
 		return FALSE;
 	}
 
-	/* TODO: May need a way to override this to cover field
-	 * issues of invalid firmware flashed*/
 	/* check firmware and board ID again */
 	tmp = (*(payload_data + ADDR_CUSTOMER_ID) << 8) + *(payload_data + ADDR_BOARD_ID);
-	if (synapticsmst_device_get_board_id (device) >> 8 == 0) {
-		g_warning ("EVB board detected, bypassing customer ID check");
-	} else {
-		if (tmp != synapticsmst_device_get_board_id (device)) {
-			g_set_error_literal (error,
-						G_IO_ERROR,
-						G_IO_ERROR_INVALID_DATA,
-						"board ID mismatch");
-			return FALSE;
-		}
+	if (tmp != synapticsmst_device_get_board_id (device) && !install_force) {
+		g_set_error_literal (error,
+				     G_IO_ERROR,
+				     G_IO_ERROR_INVALID_DATA,
+				     "board ID mismatch");
+		return FALSE;
 	}
+
 	/* open device */
 	if (!synapticsmst_device_open (device, error)) {
 		g_prefix_error (error,
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.h b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.h
index e0cdecb77..c3bc4a579 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.h
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst-device.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ gboolean	 synapticsmst_device_write_firmware		(SynapticsMSTDevice *device,
 								 GFileProgressCallback	progress_cb,
 								 gpointer user_data,
 								 gboolean reboot,
+								 gboolean install_force,
 								 GError	**error);
 
 G_END_DECLS
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst.quirk b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst.quirk
index 25b3bf354..6a5c8ad2e 100644
--- a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst.quirk
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst.quirk
@@ -15,10 +15,6 @@
 # To override this behavior add the custom flag "skip-restart"
 #
 
-[SynapticsMSTBoardID=2]
-Name = Synaptics EVB development board
-DeviceKind = evb
-
 [SynapticsMSTBoardID=272]
 Name = Dell X6 Platform
 DeviceKind = system
diff --git a/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst_evb.quirk b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst_evb.quirk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..209e7c7ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/synapticsmst/synapticsmst_evb.quirk
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Synaptics MST early validation board support
+#
+# This is not installed by default, but can be used to exercise new boards
+# that don't yet have customer ID or board ID bytes filled out.
+#
+# To use it, load the quirk file into the quirks directory for the fwupd installation
+# Usually this is /usr/share/fwupd/quirks.d
+#
+# Note: The flag "ignore-board-id" will be used to ignore the board ID checking in
+# during flashing. This shouldn't be used in practice for production boards.
+#
+
+[SynapticsMSTBoardID=2]
+Name = Synaptics EVB development board
+DeviceKind = panamera_evb
+
+[Guid=MST-panamera_evb-vmm5331-2]
+Flags = ignore-board-id