diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/wic.rst b/documentation/dev-manual/wic.rst
index fced0e170c..792fa35fa7 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/wic.rst
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/wic.rst
@@ -507,7 +507,13 @@ built your image, and boot from the media. You can write the image by using
 
 or ::
 
-   $ sudo dd if=mkefidisk-201804191017-sda.direct of=/dev/sdX
+   $ sudo dd if=mkefidisk-201804191017-sda.direct of=/dev/sdX bs=2M conv=sparse
+
+.. note::
+
+   The option ``conv=sparse`` is a GNU extension to skip writing of blocks
+   with purely zeros. If your ``dd`` (e.g. BusyBox) does not support it, you
+   can safely remove this option.
 
 .. note::
 
diff --git a/meta-yocto-bsp/README.hardware.md b/meta-yocto-bsp/README.hardware.md
index d2cc05f909..a824963e4e 100644
--- a/meta-yocto-bsp/README.hardware.md
+++ b/meta-yocto-bsp/README.hardware.md
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ Depending on the device, it can boot from a traditional hard-disk, a USB device,
 or over the network. Writing generated images to physical media is
 straightforward with a caveat for USB devices. The following examples assume the
 target boot device is /dev/sdb, be sure to verify this and use the correct
-device as the following commands are run as root and are not reversable.
+device as the following commands are run as root and are not reversible.
 
 USB Device:
 
@@ -105,7 +105,11 @@ USB Device:
   2. Use the `dd` utility to write the image to the raw block device. For
      example:
 
-         # dd if=core-image-minimal-genericx86.hddimg of=/dev/sdb
+         # dd if=core-image-minimal-genericx86.hddimg of=/dev/sdb bs=2M conv=sparse
+
+      The option `conv=sparse` is a GNU extension to skip writing of blocks with
+      purely zeros. If your `dd` doesn't support it, you can safely drop this
+      option.
 
   If the device fails to boot with "Boot error" displayed, or apparently
   stops just after the SYSLINUX version banner, it is likely the BIOS cannot
@@ -119,9 +123,11 @@ USB Device:
 
   2. Use a ".wic" image with an EFI partition
 
-     1. With a default grub-efi bootloader:
+     1. With a default grub-efi bootloader (`conv=sparse` is a GNU extension to
+        skip empty blocks for speed up; remove it, if your `dd` doesn't support
+        it):
 
-            # dd if=core-image-minimal-genericx86-64.wic of=/dev/sdb
+            # dd if=core-image-minimal-genericx86-64.wic of=/dev/sdb bs=2M conv=sparse
 
      2. Use systemd-boot instead. Build an image with `EFI_PROVIDER="systemd-boot"` then use the above
        `dd` command to write the image to a USB stick.
@@ -179,8 +185,10 @@ From a Linux system with access to the image files perform the following steps:
 
          $ bitbake core-image-minimal
 
-  2. Use the "dd" utility to write the image to the SD card. For example:
+  2. Use the `dd` utility to write the image to the SD card. For example
+     (`conv=sparse` is a GNU extension to skip empty blocks for speed up; remove
+     it, if your `dd` doesn't support it):
 
-         # dd if=core-image-minimal-beaglebone-yocto.wic of=/dev/sdb
+         # dd if=core-image-minimal-beaglebone-yocto.wic of=/dev/sdb bs=2M conv=sparse
 
   3. Insert the SD card into the Beaglebone and boot the board.