diff --git a/boards/nrf52840-mdk/Makefile.include b/boards/nrf52840-mdk/Makefile.include
index cda1e9e7727e..c324b10a2c80 100644
--- a/boards/nrf52840-mdk/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/nrf52840-mdk/Makefile.include
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ PROGRAMMER ?= pyocd
 ifeq (pyocd,$(PROGRAMMER))
   # The board is not recognized automatically by pyocd, so the CPU target
   # option is passed explicitly
-  export FLASH_TARGET_TYPE ?= -t $(CPU)
+  export FLASH_TARGET_TYPE ?= -t nrf52840
   include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/pyocd.inc.mk
 else ifeq (openocd,$(PROGRAMMER))
   DEBUG_ADAPTER = dap
diff --git a/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh b/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
index 5998dd906992..1a935cd0a1dc 100755
--- a/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@
 # CPU Target type.
 # Use `-t` followed by value. Example: -t nrf51
 : ${FLASH_TARGET_TYPE:=}
+# This is an optional offset to the base address that can be used to flash an
+# image in a different location than it is linked at. This feature can be useful
+# when flashing images for firmware swapping/remapping boot loaders.
+# Default offset is 0, meaning the image will be flashed at the address that it
+# was linked at.
+: ${IMAGE_OFFSET:=0}
 
 #
 # Examples of alternative debugger configurations
@@ -112,8 +118,13 @@ test_hexfile() {
 do_flash() {
     HEX_FILE=$1
     test_hexfile
+
+    if [ "${IMAGE_OFFSET}" != "0" ]; then
+        echo "Flashing with IMAGE_OFFSET: ${IMAGE_OFFSET}"
+    fi
+
     # flash device
-    sh -c "${PYOCD_FLASH} ${FLASH_TARGET_TYPE} \"${HEX_FILE}\"" &&
+    sh -c "${PYOCD_FLASH} ${FLASH_TARGET_TYPE} -a ${IMAGE_OFFSET} \"${HEX_FILE}\"" &&
     echo 'Done flashing'
 }