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A simple reordering of the reaction sequence allowed the improved synthesis of EIDD‐2801, an antiviral drug with promising activity against the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, starting from uridine. Compared to the original route, the yield was enhanced from 17 % to 61 %, and fewer isolation/purification steps were needed. In addition, a continuous flow procedure for the final acetonide deprotection was developed, which proved to be favorable toward selectivity and reproducibility.