diff --git a/plugins/partition/partition.py b/plugins/partition/partition.py
index 2e360bd..4832e07 100644
--- a/plugins/partition/partition.py
+++ b/plugins/partition/partition.py
@@ -436,9 +436,29 @@ class partition(cryptobox.plugins.base.CryptoBoxPlugin):
         # very ugly - maybe a uml bug?
         # it seems, like this can be avoided by running uml with the param "aio=2.4"
         (output, error) = proc.communicate()
-        if proc.returncode != 0:
+        fdisk_status = proc.returncode
+        if fdisk_status != 0:
             self.cbox.log.debug("partitioning failed: %s" % error)
-        return proc.returncode == 0
+        ##Every time we update a partition table, force the kernel
+        ##to reread it and update /proc/partitions. This particularly
+        ##applies to internal hard disks.
+        rereadpt_proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            shell = False,
+            stdin = subprocess.PIPE,
+            stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr = subprocess.PIPE,
+            args = [
+            self.cbox.prefs["Programs"]["super"],
+            self.cbox.prefs["Programs"]["CryptoBoxRootActions"],
+            "plugin",
+            os.path.join(self.plugin_dir, "root_action.py"),
+            "rereadpt",
+            self.blockdevice.devnodes[0]])
+        (output, error) = rereadpt_proc.communicate()
+        rereadpt_status = rereadpt_proc.returncode
+        if rereadpt_status != 0:
+            self.cbox.log.info("failed to reread the modified partition table: %s" % error)
+        return (fdisk_status == 0)
 
 
     def __get_sfdisk_layout(self, param_parts, is_filled):
diff --git a/plugins/partition/root_action.py b/plugins/partition/root_action.py
index b8713a8..fd61868 100755
--- a/plugins/partition/root_action.py
+++ b/plugins/partition/root_action.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ __revision__ = "$Id$"
 ## necessary: otherwise CryptoBoxRootActions.py will refuse to execute this script
 PLUGIN_TYPE = "cryptobox"
 
+BLKDEV_BIN = "/sbin/blockdev"
 SFDISK_BIN = "/sbin/sfdisk"
 MKFS_BIN = "/sbin/mkfs"
 LABEL_BIN = "/sbin/e2label"
@@ -46,6 +47,15 @@ def __partitionDevice(device):
     proc.wait()
     return proc.returncode == 0
 
+def __rereadPartitions(device):
+    proc = subprocess.Popen(
+        shell = False,
+        args  = [
+        BLKDEV_BIN,
+        "--rereadpt",
+        device])
+    proc.wait()
+    return proc.returncode == 0
 
 def __formatPartition(device, type):
     import time, threading
@@ -105,6 +115,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         elif args[0] == "label":
             if len(args) != 3: raise "InvalidArgNum"
             result = __labelPartition(args[1], args[2])
+        elif args[0] == "rereadpt":
+            if len(args) != 2: raise "InvalidArgNum"
+            result = __rereadPartitions(args[1])
         else:
             sys.stderr.write("%s: invalid action (%s)\n" % (self_bin, args[0]))
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/src/cryptobox/tests/tools.py b/src/cryptobox/tests/tools.py
index 4fabafd..4c78962 100644
--- a/src/cryptobox/tests/tools.py
+++ b/src/cryptobox/tests/tools.py
@@ -100,6 +100,18 @@ def prepare_partition(blockdevice):
         if proc.returncode != 0:
             raise Exception, "could not partition the device (%s): %s" \
                     % (blockdevice, output.strip())
+        ##Make sure the kernel knows about the changes we just made
+        rereadpt_proc = subprocess.Popen(
+            shell = False,
+            stdin = subprocess.PIPE,
+            stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr = subprocess.PIPE,
+            args = [ '/sbin/blockdev', '--rereadpt', blockdevice ])
+        (output, error) = rereadpt_proc.communicate()
+        rereadpt_status = rereadpt_proc.returncode
+        if rereadpt_status != 0:
+            raise Exception, "could not reread partition table on %s: %s" \
+                  % (blockdevice, output.strip())
         ## formatting
         format_device(blockdevice + "1", "vfat")
         format_device(blockdevice + "2", "ext3")