diff --git a/alpaca.c b/alpaca.c
index a6bd133..b292621 100644
--- a/alpaca.c
+++ b/alpaca.c
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ void *alpaca_open(struct device *dev)
 		err(1, "failed to open %s", dev->alpaca_dev);
 
 	alpaca_device_power(alpaca, 0);
-	alpaca_usb_device_power(alpaca, 0);
+
+	if (dev->usb_always_on)
+		alpaca_usb_device_power(alpaca, 1);
+	else
+		alpaca_usb_device_power(alpaca, 0);
 
 	usleep(500000);
 
@@ -156,7 +160,9 @@ int alpaca_power_on(struct device *dev)
 int alpaca_power_off(struct device *dev)
 {
 	alpaca_device_power(dev->cdb, 0);
-	alpaca_usb_device_power(dev->cdb, 0);
+
+	if (!dev->usb_always_on)
+		alpaca_usb_device_power(dev->cdb, 0);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/device.h b/device.h
index 5dce18a..0e94b1c 100644
--- a/device.h
+++ b/device.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct device {
 	unsigned voltage;
 	bool tickle_mmc;
 	bool pshold_shutdown;
+	bool usb_always_on;
 	struct fastboot *fastboot;
 	unsigned int fastboot_key_timeout;
 
diff --git a/device_parser.c b/device_parser.c
index 0ebe151..3e71a95 100644
--- a/device_parser.c
+++ b/device_parser.c
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ static void parse_board(struct device_parser *dp)
 			dev->description = strdup(value);
 		} else if (!strcmp(key, "fastboot_key_timeout")) {
 			dev->fastboot_key_timeout = strtoul(value, NULL, 10);
+		} else if (!strcmp(key, "usb_always_on")) {
+			dev->usb_always_on = !strcmp(value, "true");
 		} else {
 			fprintf(stderr, "device parser: unknown key \"%s\"\n", key);
 			exit(1);