diff --git a/tools/esp32.py b/tools/esp32.py
index 31e3a70..522d7aa 100644
--- a/tools/esp32.py
+++ b/tools/esp32.py
@@ -23,21 +23,15 @@ Import("env")
 platform = env.PioPlatform()
 
 import sys
+import os
+import subprocess
 from os.path import join
 
-sys.path.append(join(platform.get_package_dir("tool-esptoolpy")))
-import esptool
-
-def esptool_call(cmd):
-    try:
-        esptool.main(cmd)
-    except SystemExit as e:
-        # Fetch sys.exit() without leaving the script
-        if e.code == 0:
-            return True
-        else:
-            print(f"❌ esptool failed with exit code: {e.code}")
-            return False
+def normalize_paths(cmd):
+    for i, arg in enumerate(cmd):
+        if isinstance(arg, str) and '/' in arg:
+            cmd[i] = os.path.normpath(arg)
+    return cmd
 
 def esp32_create_combined_bin(source, target, env):
     print("Generating combined binary for serial flashing")
@@ -77,9 +71,12 @@ def esp32_create_combined_bin(source, target, env):
     print(f" - {hex(app_offset)} | {firmware_name}")
     cmd += [hex(app_offset), firmware_name]
 
-    print('Using esptool.py arguments: %s' % ' '.join(cmd))
-
-    esptool_call(cmd)
+    # print('Using esptool.py arguments: %s' % ' '.join(cmd))
+    cmdline = [env.subst("$OBJCOPY")] + normalize_paths(cmd)
+    print('Command Line: %s' % cmdline)
+    result = subprocess.run(cmdline, text=True, check=False, stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL)
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        print(f"esptool create firmware failed with exit code: {result.returncode}")
 
 
 env.AddPostAction("$BUILD_DIR/${PROGNAME}.bin", esp32_create_combined_bin)