diff --git a/src/flash/nor/core.c b/src/flash/nor/core.c
index 00f73f214..1bd09b444 100644
--- a/src/flash/nor/core.c
+++ b/src/flash/nor/core.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ int flash_get_bank_count(void)
 	return i;
 }
 
-struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name(const char *name)
+struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name_noprobe(const char *name)
 {
 	unsigned requested = get_flash_name_index(name);
 	unsigned found = 0;
@@ -197,6 +197,26 @@ struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name(const char *name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	struct flash_bank *bank;
+	int retval;
+
+	bank = get_flash_bank_by_name_noprobe(name);
+	if (bank != NULL)
+	{
+		retval = bank->driver->auto_probe(bank);
+
+		if (retval != ERROR_OK)
+		{
+			LOG_ERROR("auto_probe failed %d\n", retval);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return bank;
+}
+
 int get_flash_bank_by_num(int num, struct flash_bank **bank)
 {
 	struct flash_bank *p = get_flash_bank_by_num_noprobe(num);
@@ -660,7 +680,7 @@ int flash_write_unlock(struct target *target, struct image *image,
 			intptr_t diff = (intptr_t)sections[section] - (intptr_t)image->sections;
 			int t_section_num = diff / sizeof(struct imageection);
 
-			LOG_DEBUG("image_read_section: section = %d, t_section_num = %d, section_offset = %d, buffer_size = %d, size_read = %d", 
+			LOG_DEBUG("image_read_section: section = %d, t_section_num = %d, section_offset = %d, buffer_size = %d, size_read = %d",
 				 (int)section,
 (int)t_section_num, (int)section_offset, (int)buffer_size, (int)size_read);
 			if ((retval = image_read_section(image, t_section_num, section_offset,
diff --git a/src/flash/nor/core.h b/src/flash/nor/core.h
index a35f64f68..17f1c53f9 100644
--- a/src/flash/nor/core.h
+++ b/src/flash/nor/core.h
@@ -170,7 +170,15 @@ int default_flash_mem_blank_check(struct flash_bank *bank);
  */
 struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name(const char *name);
 /**
- * Returns a flash bank by the specified flash_bank_s bank_number, @a num.
+ * Returns the flash bank specified by @a name, which matches the
+ * driver name and a suffix (option) specify the driver-specific
+ * bank number. The suffix consists of the '.' and the driver-specific
+ * bank number: when two str9x banks are defined, then 'str9x.1' refers
+ * to the second.
+ */
+struct flash_bank *get_flash_bank_by_name_noprobe(const char *name);
+/**
+ * Returns the flash bank like get_flash_bank_by_name(), without probing.
  * @param num The flash bank number.
  * @param bank returned bank if fn returns ERROR_OK
  * @returns ERROR_OK if successful
diff --git a/src/flash/nor/tcl.c b/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
index 80d9a27c5..b3dbd7b8e 100644
--- a/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
+++ b/src/flash/nor/tcl.c
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_flash_bank_command)
 	}
 
 	/* check the flash bank name is unique */
-	if (get_flash_bank_by_name(bank_name) != NULL)
+	if (get_flash_bank_by_name_noprobe(bank_name) != NULL)
 	{
 		/* flash bank name already exists  */
 		LOG_ERROR("flash bank name '%s' already exists", bank_name);