diff --git a/cli_classic.c b/cli_classic.c
index 1b9c5ba3a..3cd78d408 100644
--- a/cli_classic.c
+++ b/cli_classic.c
@@ -840,8 +840,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		ret = do_read(fill_flash, filename);
 	else if (extract_it)
 		ret = do_extract(fill_flash);
-	else if (erase_it)
-		ret = do_erase(fill_flash);
+	else if (erase_it) {
+		ret = flashrom_flash_erase(fill_flash);
+		/*
+		 * FIXME: Do we really want the scary warning if erase failed?
+		 * After all, after erase the chip is either blank or partially
+		 * blank or it has the old contents. A blank chip won't boot,
+		 * so if the user wanted erase and reboots afterwards, the user
+		 * knows very well that booting won't work.
+		 */
+		if (ret)
+			emergency_help_message();
+	}
 	else if (write_it)
 		ret = do_write(fill_flash, filename, referencefile);
 	else if (verify_it)
diff --git a/flash.h b/flash.h
index 391a2d42f..11e638921 100644
--- a/flash.h
+++ b/flash.h
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ int probe_flash(struct registered_master *mst, int startchip, struct flashctx *f
 int read_flash_to_file(struct flashctx *flash, const char *filename);
 int verify_range(struct flashctx *flash, const uint8_t *cmpbuf, unsigned int start, unsigned int len);
 int need_erase(const uint8_t *have, const uint8_t *want, unsigned int len, enum write_granularity gran, const uint8_t erased_value);
+void emergency_help_message(void);
 void print_version(void);
 void print_buildinfo(void);
 void print_banner(void);
@@ -355,7 +356,6 @@ int prepare_flash_access(struct flashctx *, bool read_it, bool write_it, bool er
 void finalize_flash_access(struct flashctx *);
 int do_read(struct flashctx *, const char *filename);
 int do_extract(struct flashctx *);
-int do_erase(struct flashctx *);
 int do_write(struct flashctx *, const char *const filename, const char *const referencefile);
 int do_verify(struct flashctx *, const char *const filename);
 int register_chip_restore(chip_restore_fn_cb_t func, struct flashctx *flash, uint8_t status);
diff --git a/flashrom.c b/flashrom.c
index dd443b934..1cdddab82 100644
--- a/flashrom.c
+++ b/flashrom.c
@@ -1553,7 +1553,7 @@ static void nonfatal_help_message(void)
 			 "https://www.flashrom.org/Contact for details), thanks!\n");
 }
 
-static void emergency_help_message(void)
+void emergency_help_message(void)
 {
 	msg_gerr("Your flash chip is in an unknown state.\n");
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
@@ -2208,23 +2208,6 @@ int do_extract(struct flashctx *const flash)
 	return do_read(flash, NULL);
 }
 
-int do_erase(struct flashctx *const flash)
-{
-	const int ret = flashrom_flash_erase(flash);
-
-	/*
-	 * FIXME: Do we really want the scary warning if erase failed?
-	 * After all, after erase the chip is either blank or partially
-	 * blank or it has the old contents. A blank chip won't boot,
-	 * so if the user wanted erase and reboots afterwards, the user
-	 * knows very well that booting won't work.
-	 */
-	if (ret)
-		emergency_help_message();
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 int do_write(struct flashctx *const flash, const char *const filename, const char *const referencefile)
 {
 	const size_t flash_size = flash->chip->total_size * 1024;