diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d98e71f8..5baf750a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         "@blueprintjs/popover2": "^1.4.2",
         "@blueprintjs/select": "^4.4.2",
         "@pmmmwh/react-refresh-webpack-plugin": "^0.5.7",
-        "@pybricks/firmware": "4.17.0",
+        "@pybricks/firmware": "5.0.0",
         "@pybricks/ide-docs": "2.2.0",
         "@pybricks/mpy-cross-v5": "^2.0.0",
         "@pybricks/mpy-cross-v6": "^2.0.0",
diff --git a/src/firmware/sagas.ts b/src/firmware/sagas.ts
index aae9e780..62d1f483 100644
--- a/src/firmware/sagas.ts
+++ b/src/firmware/sagas.ts
@@ -201,11 +201,17 @@ function* loadFirmware(
     const firmwareBase = yield* call(() => reader.readFirmwareBase());
     const metadata = yield* call(() => reader.readMetadata());
 
-    // if a user program was not given, then use main.py from the frimware.zip
+    // if a user program was not given, then use main.py from the firmware.zip
     if (program === undefined) {
         program = yield* call(() => reader.readMainPy());
     }
 
+    // REVISIT: the firmware may eventually be changed to allow no main.py
+    // for now, ensure there is a program even if it does nothing
+    if (!program) {
+        program = '';
+    }
+
     if (![5, 6].includes(metadata['mpy-abi-version'])) {
         yield* put(
             didFailToFinish(
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 43188e5b..6d92e8a3 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2280,12 +2280,12 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@pybricks/firmware@npm:4.17.0":
-  version: 4.17.0
-  resolution: "@pybricks/firmware@npm:4.17.0"
+"@pybricks/firmware@npm:5.0.0":
+  version: 5.0.0
+  resolution: "@pybricks/firmware@npm:5.0.0"
   dependencies:
     jszip: ^3.7.1
-  checksum: 68d35727d101024f0c58bef0e7a8f245c7c5cbc8b38b2d3c638efc56a1ae84e03e52c596e3bfcdf0d22c1c9add4c2037d8fe4bf54e69b78763ec8c1169cc8517
+  checksum: 049dd90e988aa574cfa0ead1e62bcb74e6fdfc9b709bc1c40874ddf3abb63cd35555d22806c91184bc2e982912a001e0ef94ef72ef66217eb0319bcaf45a7cb3
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -2319,7 +2319,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@blueprintjs/popover2": ^1.4.2
     "@blueprintjs/select": ^4.4.2
     "@pmmmwh/react-refresh-webpack-plugin": ^0.5.7
-    "@pybricks/firmware": 4.17.0
+    "@pybricks/firmware": 5.0.0
     "@pybricks/ide-docs": 2.2.0
     "@pybricks/mpy-cross-v5": ^2.0.0
     "@pybricks/mpy-cross-v6": ^2.0.0