diff --git a/tools/net.cpp b/tools/net.cpp
index 899824d..8b0663e 100644
--- a/tools/net.cpp
+++ b/tools/net.cpp
@@ -28,12 +28,11 @@
 
 #include <ipmiblob/blob_errors.hpp>
 #include <stdplus/handle/managed.hpp>
+#include <stdplus/util/cexec.hpp>
 
 #include <cstdint>
 #include <cstring>
-#include <memory>
 #include <optional>
-#include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace
@@ -110,33 +109,58 @@
         off_t offset = 0;
 
         progress->start(fileSize);
+        auto confirmSend = [&]() {
+            if (bytesSent == 0)
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+            struct ipmi_flash::ExtChunkHdr chunk;
+            chunk.length = bytesSent;
+            std::vector<uint8_t> chunkBytes(sizeof(chunk));
+            std::memcpy(chunkBytes.data(), &chunk, sizeof(chunk));
+            /* This doesn't return anything on success. */
+            blob->writeBytes(session, offset - bytesSent, chunkBytes);
+            progress->updateProgress(bytesSent);
+        };
 
         do
         {
             bytesSent = sys->sendfile(*connFd, *inputFd, &offset, blockSize);
             if (bytesSent < 0)
             {
-                std::fprintf(stderr, "Failed to send data to BMC: %s\n",
-                             strerror(errno));
-                progress->abort();
-                return false;
+                // Not all input files support sendfile, fall back to a simple
+                // buffered mechanism if unsupported.
+                if (errno != EINVAL)
+                {
+                    CHECK_ERRNO(-1, "Sending data to BMC");
+                }
+                std::array<uint8_t, 4096> buf;
+                size_t left = 0;
+                do
+                {
+                    left += CHECK_ERRNO(sys->read(*inputFd, buf.data() + left,
+                                                  buf.size() - left),
+                                        "Reading data for BMC");
+                    bytesSent =
+                        CHECK_ERRNO(sys->send(*connFd, buf.data(), left, 0),
+                                    "Sending data to BMC");
+                    std::memmove(buf.data(), buf.data() + bytesSent,
+                                 left - bytesSent);
+                    left -= bytesSent;
+                    offset += bytesSent;
+                    confirmSend();
+                } while (bytesSent > 0);
+                break;
             }
-            else if (bytesSent > 0)
-            {
-                /* Ok, so the data is staged, now send the blob write with
-                 * the details.
-                 */
-                struct ipmi_flash::ExtChunkHdr chunk;
-                chunk.length = bytesSent;
-                std::vector<std::uint8_t> chunkBytes(sizeof(chunk));
-                std::memcpy(chunkBytes.data(), &chunk, sizeof(chunk));
-
-                /* This doesn't return anything on success. */
-                blob->writeBytes(session, offset - bytesSent, chunkBytes);
-                progress->updateProgress(bytesSent);
-            }
+            confirmSend();
         } while (bytesSent > 0);
     }
+    catch (const std::system_error& e)
+    {
+        std::fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", e.what());
+        progress->abort();
+        return false;
+    }
     catch (const ipmiblob::BlobException& b)
     {
         progress->abort();
diff --git a/tools/test/internal_sys_mock.hpp b/tools/test/internal_sys_mock.hpp
index fcd68bb..c45412d 100644
--- a/tools/test/internal_sys_mock.hpp
+++ b/tools/test/internal_sys_mock.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
     MOCK_METHOD(int, socket, (int, int, int), (const override));
     MOCK_METHOD(int, connect, (int, const struct sockaddr*, socklen_t),
                 (const override));
+    MOCK_METHOD(ssize_t, send, (int, const void*, size_t, int),
+                (const override));
     MOCK_METHOD(ssize_t, sendfile, (int, int, off_t*, size_t),
                 (const override));
     MOCK_METHOD(int, getaddrinfo,
diff --git a/tools/test/tools_net_unittest.cpp b/tools/test/tools_net_unittest.cpp
index f741edb..b291e1c 100644
--- a/tools/test/tools_net_unittest.cpp
+++ b/tools/test/tools_net_unittest.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 using ::testing::ContainerEq;
 using ::testing::DoAll;
 using ::testing::Field;
+using ::testing::Ge;
 using ::testing::Gt;
 using ::testing::InSequence;
 using ::testing::NotNull;
@@ -216,5 +217,55 @@
     EXPECT_TRUE(handler.sendContents(filePath, session));
 }
 
+TEST_F(NetHandleTest, successFallback)
+{
+    expectOpenFile();
+    expectAddrInfo();
+    expectConnection();
+
+    struct ipmi_flash::ExtChunkHdr chunk;
+    chunk.length = chunkSize;
+    std::vector<std::uint8_t> chunkBytes(sizeof(chunk));
+    std::memcpy(chunkBytes.data(), &chunk, sizeof(chunk));
+
+    {
+        InSequence seq;
+        EXPECT_CALL(sysMock, sendfile(connFd, inFd, _, _))
+            .WillOnce([](int, int, off_t*, size_t) {
+                errno = EINVAL;
+                return -1;
+            });
+
+        std::vector<uint8_t> chunk(chunkSize);
+        for (std::uint32_t offset = 0; offset < fakeFileSize;
+             offset += chunkSize)
+        {
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < chunkSize; ++i)
+            {
+                chunk[i] = i + offset;
+            }
+            EXPECT_CALL(sysMock, read(inFd, _, Ge(chunkSize)))
+                .WillOnce([chunk](int, void* buf, size_t) {
+                    memcpy(buf, chunk.data(), chunkSize);
+                    return chunkSize;
+                });
+            EXPECT_CALL(sysMock, send(connFd, _, chunkSize, 0))
+                .WillOnce([chunk](int, const void* data, size_t len, int) {
+                    std::vector<uint8_t> dcopy(len);
+                    memcpy(dcopy.data(), data, len);
+                    EXPECT_THAT(dcopy, ContainerEq(chunk));
+                    return chunkSize;
+                });
+            EXPECT_CALL(blobMock,
+                        writeBytes(session, offset, ContainerEq(chunkBytes)));
+            EXPECT_CALL(progMock, updateProgress(chunkSize));
+        }
+        EXPECT_CALL(sysMock, read(inFd, _, Ge(chunkSize))).WillOnce(Return(0));
+        EXPECT_CALL(sysMock, send(connFd, _, 0, 0)).WillOnce(Return(0));
+    }
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(handler.sendContents(filePath, session));
+}
+
 } // namespace
 } // namespace host_tool