diff --git a/source/firm.c b/source/firm.c
index 6b07a8d..9b1700f 100755
--- a/source/firm.c
+++ b/source/firm.c
@@ -271,13 +271,15 @@ void main(void)
 static inline u32 loadFirm(FirmwareType firmType)
 {
     section = firm->section;
+    bool externalFirmExists = getFileSize("/luma/firmware.bin") != 0;
 
     //Load FIRM from CTRNAND, unless it's an O3DS and we're loading a pre-5.0 NATIVE FIRM
     u32 firmVersion = firmRead(firm, (u32)firmType);
 
-    if(!isN3DS && firmType == NATIVE_FIRM && firmVersion < 0x25)
+    if(firmType == NATIVE_FIRM && ((!isN3DS && firmVersion < 0x25) || externalFirmExists))
     {
-        if(!fileRead(firm, "/luma/firmware.bin") || (((u32)section[2].address >> 8) & 0xFF) != 0x68)
+        //Always load the external firmware file if it exists
+        if((!fileRead(firm, "/luma/firmware.bin") || (((u32)section[2].address >> 8) & 0xFF) != 0x68) && (!isN3DS && firmVersion < 0x25))
             error("An old unsupported FIRM has been detected.\nCopy firmware.bin in /luma to boot");
 
         //No assumption regarding FIRM version