diff --git a/python/flash_release.py b/python/flash_release.py
index 6e77d6a7..ae50e6dc 100755
--- a/python/flash_release.py
+++ b/python/flash_release.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def flash_release(path=None, st_serial=None):
   zf = ZipFile(path)
   zf.printdir()
 
-  version = zf.read("version").decode()
+  version = zf.read("version").decode().strip()
   status("0. Preparing to flash " + str(version))
 
   code_bootstub = zf.read("bootstub.panda.bin")