An iterative solution was proposed for the Emmons problem that describes the Blasius boundary layer flow over a gasifying flat plate, characterized by the Spalding heat transfer number, B. Results show that the accuracy of the solution increases with increasing iteration steps, and can be considered to be satisfactory at the second to third iteration steps for a wide range of B considered. It is further shown that accuracy of the solution at the first iteration step, which has a simple solution form, can be substantially augmented by using a fitted expression for the gasification rate parameter, -f(0; B), determined from the rigorous numerical solution. Inaccuracies and fundamental inadequacies of several existing solutions are demonstrated, especially for their divergent behavior as B -> 0 and/or infinity. Potential utility of the present solution procedure to other boundary layer problems is suggested. Published by Elsevier Ltd.