diff --git a/tools/env/fw_env.c b/tools/env/fw_env.c
index a5d7595..3a5ad02 100644
--- a/tools/env/fw_env.c
+++ b/tools/env/fw_env.c
@@ -1427,14 +1427,21 @@ int fw_env_open(struct env_opts *opts)
 	}
 
 	dev_current = 0;
-	if (flash_io(O_RDONLY)) {
+
+	if (!flash_io(O_RDONLY)) {
+		crc0 = crc32(0, (uint8_t *)environment.data, ENV_SIZE);
+		crc0_ok = (crc0 == *environment.crc);
+	} else if (have_redund_env) {
+		/*
+		 * to give the redundant env a chance, maybe it's good:
+		 * mark env crc0 invalid then test below if crc1 is ok
+		 */
+		crc0_ok = 0;
+	} else {
 		ret = -EIO;
 		goto open_cleanup;
 	}
 
-	crc0 = crc32(0, (uint8_t *)environment.data, ENV_SIZE);
-
-	crc0_ok = (crc0 == *environment.crc);
 	if (!have_redund_env) {
 		if (!crc0_ok) {
 			fprintf(stderr,
@@ -1462,8 +1469,10 @@ int fw_env_open(struct env_opts *opts)
 		 */
 		environment.image = addr1;
 		if (flash_io(O_RDONLY)) {
-			ret = -EIO;
-			goto open_cleanup;
+			crc1_ok = 0;
+		} else {
+			crc1 = crc32(0, (uint8_t *)redundant->data, ENV_SIZE);
+			crc1_ok = (crc1 == redundant->crc);
 		}
 
 		/* Check flag scheme compatibility */
@@ -1489,9 +1498,6 @@ int fw_env_open(struct env_opts *opts)
 			goto open_cleanup;
 		}
 
-		crc1 = crc32(0, (uint8_t *)redundant->data, ENV_SIZE);
-
-		crc1_ok = (crc1 == redundant->crc);
 		flag1 = redundant->flags;
 
 		if (crc0_ok && !crc1_ok) {