diff --git a/common/Kconfig b/common/Kconfig
index ac282d8..0c342d8 100644
--- a/common/Kconfig
+++ b/common/Kconfig
@@ -1026,18 +1026,6 @@
 	  images that are bigger than the available memory. If unsure,
 	  say yes here.
 
-config FASTBOOT_BUF
-	bool
-	prompt "Download files to temporary buffer instead of file"
-	help
-	  With this option enabled the fastboot code will download files to a
-	  temporary buffer instead of a temporary file. Normally you want to
-	  use a file as this also works when your memory is fragmented. However,
-	  in some special cases, when the file consumer also better copes with
-	  a buffer, then using a buffer might be better.
-
-	  Say no here unless you know what you are doing.
-
 config FASTBOOT_CMD_OEM
 	bool
 	prompt "Enable OEM commands"
diff --git a/common/fastboot.c b/common/fastboot.c
index c32b0a0..302720c 100644
--- a/common/fastboot.c
+++ b/common/fastboot.c
@@ -53,14 +53,6 @@
 	struct list_head list;
 };
 
-static inline bool fastboot_download_to_buf(struct fastboot *fb)
-{
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_FASTBOOT_BUF))
-		return true;
-	else
-		return false;
-}
-
 static void fb_setvar(struct fb_variable *var, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
@@ -331,13 +323,9 @@
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	if (fastboot_download_to_buf(fb)) {
-		memcpy(fb->buf + fb->download_bytes, buffer, len);
-	} else {
-		ret = write(fb->download_fd, buffer, len);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			return ret;
-	}
+	ret = write(fb->download_fd, buffer, len);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
 
 	fb->download_bytes += len;
 	show_progress(fb->download_bytes);
@@ -346,8 +334,7 @@
 
 void fastboot_download_finished(struct fastboot *fb)
 {
-	if (!fastboot_download_to_buf(fb))
-		close(fb->download_fd);
+	close(fb->download_fd);
 
 	printf("\n");
 
@@ -367,21 +354,10 @@
 
 	init_progression_bar(fb->download_size);
 
-	if (fastboot_download_to_buf(fb)) {
-		free(fb->buf);
-		fb->buf = malloc(fb->download_size);
-		if (!fb->buf) {
-			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
-					  "not enough memory");
+	fb->download_fd = open(fb->tempname, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC);
+	if (fb->download_fd < 0) {
+		fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL, "internal error");
 			return;
-		}
-	} else {
-		fb->download_fd = open(fb->tempname, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC);
-		if (fb->download_fd < 0) {
-			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
-					  "internal error");
-			return;
-		}
 	}
 
 	if (!fb->download_size)
@@ -440,12 +416,11 @@
 }
 
 static int do_ubiformat(struct fastboot *fb, struct mtd_info *mtd,
-			const char *file, const void *buf, size_t len)
+			const char *file, size_t len)
 {
 	struct ubiformat_args args = {
 		.yes = 1,
 		.image = file,
-		.image_buf = buf,
 		.image_size = len,
 	};
 
@@ -588,7 +563,7 @@
 			}
 
 			if (pos == 0) {
-				ret = do_ubiformat(fb, mtd, NULL, NULL, 0);
+				ret = do_ubiformat(fb, mtd, NULL, 0);
 				if (ret)
 					goto out;
 			}
@@ -626,16 +601,10 @@
 {
 	struct file_list_entry *fentry;
 	int ret;
-	const char *filename = NULL, *sourcefile;
+	const char *filename = NULL;
 	enum filetype filetype;
 
-	if (fastboot_download_to_buf(fb)) {
-		sourcefile = NULL;
-		filetype = file_detect_type(fb->buf, fb->download_bytes);
-	} else {
-		sourcefile = fb->tempname;
-		filetype = file_name_detect_type(fb->tempname);
-	}
+	filetype = file_name_detect_type(fb->tempname);
 
 	fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_INFO, "Copying file to %s...",
 			  cmd);
@@ -650,8 +619,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (fb->cmd_flash) {
-		ret = fb->cmd_flash(fb, fentry, sourcefile, fb->buf,
-				      fb->download_size);
+		ret = fb->cmd_flash(fb, fentry, fb->tempname, fb->download_size);
 		if (ret != FASTBOOT_CMD_FALLTHROUGH)
 			goto out;
 	}
@@ -659,8 +627,7 @@
 	filename = fentry->filename;
 
 	if (filetype == filetype_android_sparse) {
-		if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_FASTBOOT_SPARSE) ||
-		    fastboot_download_to_buf(fb)) {
+		if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_FASTBOOT_SPARSE)) {
 			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
 					  "sparse image not supported");
 			ret = -EOPNOTSUPP;
@@ -685,8 +652,7 @@
 
 		mtd = get_mtd(fb, fentry->filename);
 
-		ret = do_ubiformat(fb, mtd, sourcefile, fb->buf,
-				   fb->download_size);
+		ret = do_ubiformat(fb, mtd, fb->tempname, fb->download_size);
 		if (ret) {
 			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
 					  "write partition: %s",
@@ -698,6 +664,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_BAREBOX_UPDATE) && filetype_is_barebox_image(filetype)) {
+		void *buf;
 		struct bbu_handler *handler;
 		struct bbu_data data = {
 			.devicefile = filename,
@@ -711,20 +678,16 @@
 		fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_INFO,
 				  "This is a barebox image...");
 
-		if (fastboot_download_to_buf(fb)) {
-			data.len = fb->download_size;
-		} else {
-			ret = read_file_2(sourcefile, &data.len, &fb->buf,
-					fb->download_size);
-			if (ret) {
-				fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
-						  "reading barebox");
-				goto out;
-			}
+		ret = read_file_2(fb->tempname, &data.len, &buf,
+				fb->download_size);
+		if (ret) {
+			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
+					  "reading barebox");
+			goto out;
 		}
 
-		data.image = fb->buf;
-		data.imagefile = sourcefile;
+		data.image = buf;
+		data.imagefile = fb->tempname;
 
 		ret = barebox_update(&data, handler);
 
@@ -732,15 +695,13 @@
 			fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
 				  "update barebox: %s", strerror(-ret));
 
+		free(buf);
+
 		goto out;
 	}
 
 copy:
-	if (fastboot_download_to_buf(fb))
-		ret = write_file(filename, fb->buf, fb->download_size);
-	else
-		ret = copy_file(fb->tempname, filename, 1);
-
+	ret = copy_file(fb->tempname, filename, 1);
 	if (ret)
 		fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_FAIL,
 				  "write partition: %s", strerror(-ret));
@@ -749,11 +710,7 @@
 	if (!ret)
 		fastboot_tx_print(fb, FASTBOOT_MSG_OKAY, "");
 
-	free(fb->buf);
-	fb->buf = NULL;
-
-	if (!fastboot_download_to_buf(fb))
-		unlink(fb->tempname);
+	unlink(fb->tempname);
 }
 
 static void cb_erase(struct fastboot *fb, const char *cmd)
diff --git a/include/fastboot.h b/include/fastboot.h
index b3e7155..d33f9d1 100644
--- a/include/fastboot.h
+++ b/include/fastboot.h
@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@
 	struct file_list *files;
 	int (*cmd_exec)(struct fastboot *fb, const char *cmd);
 	int (*cmd_flash)(struct fastboot *fb, struct file_list_entry *entry,
-			 const char *filename, const void *buf, size_t len);
+			 const char *filename, size_t len);
 	int download_fd;
-	void *buf;
 	char *tempname;
 
 	bool active;
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@
 	bool export_bbu;
 	int (*cmd_exec)(struct fastboot *fb, const char *cmd);
 	int (*cmd_flash)(struct fastboot *fb, struct file_list_entry *entry,
-			 const char *filename, const void *buf, size_t len);
+			 const char *filename, size_t len);
 };
 
 enum fastboot_msg_type {