diff --git a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_demo.py b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_demo.py
index 616fed42..cd09a773 100644
--- a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_demo.py
+++ b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_demo.py
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ import pimoroni_i2c
 import breakout_vl53l5cx
 import time
 
+# The VL53L5CX requires a firmware blob to start up.
+# Make sure you upload "vl53l5cx_firmware.bin" via Thonny to the root of your filesystem
+# You can find it here: https://github.com/ST-mirror/VL53L5CX_ULD_driver/blob/no-fw/lite/en/vl53l5cx_firmware.bin
+
 PINS_BREAKOUT_GARDEN = {"sda": 4, "scl": 5}
 PINS_PICO_EXPLORER = {"sda": 20, "scl": 21}
 
@@ -11,7 +15,7 @@ i2c = pimoroni_i2c.PimoroniI2C(**PINS_BREAKOUT_GARDEN, baudrate=2_000_000)
 
 print("Starting up sensor...")
 t_sta = time.ticks_ms()
-sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c, firmware=open("vl53l5cx_firmware.bin").read())
+sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c)
 t_end = time.ticks_ms()
 print("Done in {}ms...".format(t_end - t_sta))
 
diff --git a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_motion.py b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_motion.py
index 42da1fab..51325d00 100644
--- a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_motion.py
+++ b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_motion.py
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ import breakout_vl53l5cx
 import time
 from ulab import numpy
 
+# The VL53L5CX requires a firmware blob to start up.
+# Make sure you upload "vl53l5cx_firmware.bin" via Thonny to the root of your filesystem
+# You can find it here: https://github.com/ST-mirror/VL53L5CX_ULD_driver/blob/no-fw/lite/en/vl53l5cx_firmware.bin
+
 PINS_BREAKOUT_GARDEN = {"sda": 4, "scl": 5}
 PINS_PICO_EXPLORER = {"sda": 20, "scl": 21}
 
@@ -12,7 +16,7 @@ i2c = pimoroni_i2c.PimoroniI2C(**PINS_BREAKOUT_GARDEN, baudrate=2_000_000)
 
 print("Starting up sensor...")
 t_sta = time.ticks_ms()
-sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c, firmware=open("vl53l5cx_firmware.bin").read())
+sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c)
 t_end = time.ticks_ms()
 print("Done in {}ms...".format(t_end - t_sta))
 
diff --git a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_object_tracking.py b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_object_tracking.py
index 3d4361a2..ce3aa4b9 100644
--- a/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_object_tracking.py
+++ b/micropython/examples/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx_object_tracking.py
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ import breakout_vl53l5cx
 import time
 from ulab import numpy
 
+# The VL53L5CX requires a firmware blob to start up.
+# Make sure you upload "vl53l5cx_firmware.bin" via Thonny to the root of your filesystem
+# You can find it here: https://github.com/ST-mirror/VL53L5CX_ULD_driver/blob/no-fw/lite/en/vl53l5cx_firmware.bin
+
 # This example attempts to track a "bright" object (such as a white business card)
 # It uses reflectance to identify the target and compute the X/Y coordinates
 # of its "center of mass" in the sensors view.
@@ -24,7 +28,7 @@ i2c = pimoroni_i2c.PimoroniI2C(**PINS_BREAKOUT_GARDEN, baudrate=2_000_000)
 
 print("Starting up sensor...")
 t_sta = time.ticks_ms()
-sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c, firmware=open("vl53l5cx_firmware.bin").read())
+sensor = breakout_vl53l5cx.VL53L5CX(i2c)
 t_end = time.ticks_ms()
 print("Done in {}ms...".format(t_end - t_sta))
 
diff --git a/micropython/modules/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx.cpp b/micropython/modules/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx.cpp
index c37d231f..335d2aba 100644
--- a/micropython/modules/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx.cpp
+++ b/micropython/modules/breakout_vl53l5cx/vl53l5cx.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 extern "C" {
 #include "vl53l5cx.h"
 #include "pimoroni_i2c.h"
+#include "py/stream.h"
+#include "py/reader.h"
+#include "extmod/vfs.h"
 
 typedef struct _mp_obj_float_t {
     mp_obj_base_t base;
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@ mp_obj_t VL53L5CX_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw
     static const mp_arg_t allowed_args[] = {
         { MP_QSTR_i2c, MP_ARG_OBJ, {.u_obj = nullptr} },
         { MP_QSTR_addr, MP_ARG_INT, {.u_int = pimoroni::VL53L5CX::DEFAULT_ADDRESS} },
-        { MP_QSTR_firmware, MP_ARG_OBJ | MP_ARG_REQUIRED }
+        { MP_QSTR_firmware, MP_ARG_OBJ, {.u_obj = nullptr} }
     };
 
     // Parse args.
@@ -79,22 +82,44 @@ mp_obj_t VL53L5CX_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw
         return mp_const_none;
     }
 
-    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
-    mp_get_buffer_raise(args[ARG_firmware].u_obj, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
-    if(bufinfo.len != (size_t)(84 * 1024)) {  // firmware blob is always 84K
-        mp_raise_ValueError("Supplied firmware should be 84k bytes!");
-    }
-
     _PimoroniI2C_obj_t *i2c = (_PimoroniI2C_obj_t *)MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[ARG_i2c].u_obj);
     int addr = args[ARG_addr].u_int;
 
     self = m_new_obj_with_finaliser(_VL53L5CX_obj_t);
     self->base.type = &VL53L5CX_type;
     self->i2c = i2c;
+
+    mp_buffer_info_t bufinfo;
+    const size_t firmware_size = 84 * 1024;
+
+    if(args[ARG_firmware].u_obj == nullptr) {
+        mp_obj_t args[2] = {
+            mp_obj_new_str("vl53l5cx_firmware.bin", strlen("vl53l5cx_firmware.bin")),
+            MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_r),
+        };
+        bufinfo.buf = (void *)m_new(uint8_t, firmware_size);
+        mp_obj_t file = mp_vfs_open(MP_ARRAY_SIZE(args), &args[0], (mp_map_t *)&mp_const_empty_map);
+        int errcode;
+        bufinfo.len = mp_stream_rw(file, bufinfo.buf, firmware_size, &errcode, MP_STREAM_RW_READ | MP_STREAM_RW_ONCE);
+        if (errcode != 0) {
+            mp_raise_msg(&mp_type_RuntimeError, MP_ERROR_TEXT("OSError reading vl53l5cx_firmware.bin"));
+        }
+    } else {
+        mp_get_buffer_raise(args[ARG_firmware].u_obj, &bufinfo, MP_BUFFER_READ);
+    }
+
+    if(bufinfo.len != (size_t)(firmware_size)) {  // firmware blob is always 84K
+        mp_raise_ValueError("Firmware must be 84k bytes!");
+    }
+
     self->breakout = new pimoroni::VL53L5CX(i2c->i2c, (uint8_t *)bufinfo.buf, addr);
 
     if(!self->breakout->init()) {
-        mp_raise_msg(&mp_type_RuntimeError, "VL53L5CX: error initialising");
+        mp_raise_msg(&mp_type_RuntimeError, "VL53L5CX: init error");
+    }
+
+    if(args[ARG_firmware].u_obj == nullptr) {
+        m_free(bufinfo.buf);
     }
 
     return MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(self);