diff --git a/device.c b/device.c
index ac939bf..76d9660 100644
--- a/device.c
+++ b/device.c
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ void device_boot(struct device *device, const void *data, size_t len)
 {
 	warnx("booting the board...");
 	if (device->set_active)
-		fastboot_set_active(device->fastboot, "a");
+		fastboot_set_active(device->fastboot, device->set_active);
 	fastboot_download(device->fastboot, data, len);
 	device->boot(device);
 }
diff --git a/device.h b/device.h
index 4077d4e..2c89f51 100644
--- a/device.h
+++ b/device.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ struct device {
 	void (*key)(struct device *device, int key, bool asserted);
 
 	void (*send_break)(struct device *dev);
-	bool set_active;
+	const char *set_active;
 
 	void *cdb;
 
diff --git a/device_parser.c b/device_parser.c
index 362d288..32ff49c 100644
--- a/device_parser.c
+++ b/device_parser.c
@@ -144,7 +144,10 @@ static void parse_board(struct device_parser *dp)
 			if (!dev->boot)
 				dev->boot = device_fastboot_boot;
 		} else if (!strcmp(key, "fastboot_set_active")) {
-			dev->set_active = !strcmp(value, "true");
+			if (!strcmp(value, "true"))
+				dev->set_active = "a";
+			else
+				dev->set_active = strdup(value);
 		} else if (!strcmp(key, "broken_fastboot_boot")) {
 			if (!strcmp(value, "true"))
 				dev->boot = device_fastboot_flash_reboot;