diff --git a/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile b/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
index 8e2089df26..f0d50a1e58 100644
--- a/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
+++ b/dist/tools/cc2538-bsl/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 PKG_NAME=cc2538-bsl
 PKG_URL=https://github.com/JelmerT/cc2538-bsl.git
-PKG_VERSION=733e6f5b496402e40ad6d12df3d0372e205b8883
+PKG_VERSION=11de8cb2933d23ce001a1af14225ff4f5cd1983c
 PKG_LICENSE=BSD-3-Clause
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
diff --git a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
index 35b94c4596..a4bba6be03 100755
--- a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
@@ -13,68 +13,93 @@ from testrunner import run
 from testrunner.spawn import MAKE
 
 
-def flash_slot(slotnum, version):
-    cmd = [
-        MAKE,
-        "RIOTBOOT_SKIP_COMPILE=1",
-        "riotboot/flash-slot{}".format(slotnum),
-        "APP_VER={}".format(version),
-    ]
-    assert subprocess.call(cmd) == 0
+class RiotbootDevice:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.slot_num = None
+        self.app_ver = None
+
+    def flash_current_slot_and_app_ver(self):
+        cmd = [
+            MAKE,
+            "RIOTBOOT_SKIP_COMPILE=1",
+            "riotboot/flash-slot{}".format(self.slot_num),
+            "APP_VER={}".format(self.app_ver),
+        ]
+        assert(self.slot_num is not None)
+        assert(self.app_ver is not None)
+        assert subprocess.call(cmd) == 0
+
+    def get_current_slot_and_app_ver(self, child):
+        # Ask for current slot, should be 0 or 1
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("curslotnr")
+        child.expect(r"Current slot=([0-1])")
+        self.slot_num = int(child.match.group(1))
+
+        # Ask for current APP_VER
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("curslothdr")
+        child.expect(r"Image Version: (?P<app_ver>0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8})\r\n")
+        self.app_ver = int(child.match.group("app_ver"), 16)
+
+    def check_current_slot_and_app_ver(self, child):
+        # Check if it's running on the expected slot
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("curslotnr")
+        child.expect_exact("Current slot={}".format(self.slot_num))
+
+        # Ask for current slot header info and check for basic output integrity
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("curslothdr")
+        # Magic number is "RIOT" (always in little endian)
+        child.expect_exact("Image magic_number: 0x544f4952")
+        # Other info is hardware/app dependent so we just check basic compliance
+        child.expect_exact("Image Version: {0:#0{1}x}".format(self.app_ver, 10))
+        child.expect(r"Image start address: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
+        child.expect(r"Header chksum: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
+
+        # Ask for address of slot 0
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("getslotaddr 0")
+        child.expect(r"Slot 0 address=0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
+
+        # Ask for data of all slots
+        child.expect_exact('>')
+        child.sendline("dumpaddrs")
+        child.expect(r"slot 0: metadata: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{1,8} "
+                     r"image: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
+        child.expect(r"slot 1: metadata: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{1,8} "
+                     r"image: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
+        child.expect_exact('>')
 
 
-def assert_check_slot(child, slotnum, version):
-    # Check if it's running on the expected slot
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("curslotnr")
-    child.expect_exact("Current slot={}".format(slotnum))
+def testfunc():
+    # This test requires flashing slot binaries. Some flashers like
+    # cc2538-bsl need to attach to the serial terminal in order to be
+    # able to flash. Since `run(func)` spawns a terminal a different
+    # `run(func)` is called after every flash in order to detach and
+    # re-attach the terminal between flashes
+    dev = RiotbootDevice()
+    # Get the current slot number and application version
+    ret = run(dev.get_current_slot_and_app_ver)
+    if ret != 0:
+        return ret
 
-    # Ask for current slot header info and check for basic output integrity
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("curslothdr")
-    # Magic number is "RIOT" (always in little endian)
-    child.expect_exact("Image magic_number: 0x544f4952")
-    # Other info is hardware/app dependent so we just check basic compliance
-    child.expect_exact("Image Version: {0:#0{1}x}".format(version, 10))
-    child.expect(r"Image start address: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
-    child.expect(r"Header chksum: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
-
-    # Ask for address of slot 0
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("getslotaddr 0")
-    child.expect(r"Slot 0 address=0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
-
-    # Ask for data of all slots
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("dumpaddrs")
-    child.expect(r"slot 0: metadata: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{1,8} "
-                 r"image: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
-    child.expect(r"slot 1: metadata: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{1,8} "
-                 r"image: 0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8}\r\n")
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-
-
-def testfunc(child):
-    # Ask for current slot, should be 0 or 1
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("curslotnr")
-    child.expect(r"Current slot=([0-1])")
-    slotnum = int(child.match.group(1))
-
-    # Ask for current APP_VER
-    child.expect_exact('>')
-    child.sendline("curslothdr")
-    child.expect(r"Image Version: (?P<app_ver>0x[0-9a-fA-F]{8})\r\n")
-    current_app_ver = int(child.match.group("app_ver"), 16)
-
-    # Flash to both slots and verify basic functions
-    for version in [current_app_ver + 1, current_app_ver + 2]:
-        slotnum = slotnum ^ 1
-        flash_slot(slotnum, version)
-        assert_check_slot(child, slotnum, version)
+    # flash to both slots and verify
+    for version in [dev.app_ver + 1, dev.app_ver + 2]:
+        # update slot number and application version
+        dev.slot_num = dev.slot_num ^ 1
+        dev.app_ver = version
+        # flash
+        dev.flash_current_slot_and_app_ver()
+        # verify its running from the correct slot with the right version
+        ret = run(dev.check_current_slot_and_app_ver)
+        if ret != 0:
+            return ret
 
     print("TEST PASSED")
+    return 0
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    sys.exit(run(testfunc))
+    sys.exit(testfunc())