diff --git a/tcl/target/at91sam4lXX.cfg b/tcl/target/at91sam4lXX.cfg
index 590d78f357047f0a3d4ab95c565cd19440b02d80..77ff98a8c95eac2dc038d654683d1602e879a8ba 100644
--- a/tcl/target/at91sam4lXX.cfg
+++ b/tcl/target/at91sam4lXX.cfg
@@ -6,3 +6,6 @@ source [find target/at91sam4XXX.cfg]
 set _FLASHNAME $_CHIPNAME.flash
 flash bank $_FLASHNAME at91sam4l 0x00000000 0 1 1 $_TARGETNAME
 
+# if srst is not fitted use VECTRESET to perform a soft reset
+# this will only reset the core, not the peripherals
+cortex_m reset_config vectreset