diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx.h b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx.h
index bb903e5..4994745 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx.h
@@ -129,9 +129,22 @@ efx_nic_create(
 	__in		efsys_lock_t *eslp,
 	__deref_out	efx_nic_t **enpp);
 
+/* EFX_FW_VARIANT codes map one to one on MC_CMD_FW codes */
+typedef enum efx_fw_variant_e {
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_HIGH_TX_RATE,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM_HASH_MODE_1,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_RULES_ENGINE,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_DPDK,
+	EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE = 0xffffffff
+} efx_fw_variant_t;
+
 extern	__checkReturn	efx_rc_t
 efx_nic_probe(
-	__in		efx_nic_t *enp);
+	__in		efx_nic_t *enp,
+	__in		efx_fw_variant_t efv);
 
 extern	__checkReturn	efx_rc_t
 efx_nic_init(
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_impl.h b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_impl.h
index a1bd03d..b1d4f57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_impl.h
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_impl.h
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ struct efx_nic_s {
 	const efx_ev_ops_t	*en_eevop;
 	const efx_tx_ops_t	*en_etxop;
 	const efx_rx_ops_t	*en_erxop;
+	efx_fw_variant_t	efv;
 #if EFSYS_OPT_FILTER
 	efx_filter_t		en_filter;
 	const efx_filter_ops_t	*en_efop;
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_mcdi.c b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_mcdi.c
index a78a226..d8b4598 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_mcdi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_mcdi.c
@@ -1264,13 +1264,19 @@ efx_mcdi_drv_attach(
 	req.emr_out_length = MC_CMD_DRV_ATTACH_EXT_OUT_LEN;
 
 	/*
-	 * Use DONT_CARE for the datapath firmware type to ensure that the
-	 * driver can attach to an unprivileged function. The datapath firmware
-	 * type to use is controlled by the 'sfboot' utility.
+	 * Typically, client drivers use DONT_CARE for the datapath firmware
+	 * type to ensure that the driver can attach to an unprivileged
+	 * function. The datapath firmware type to use is controlled by the
+	 * 'sfboot' utility.
+	 * If a client driver wishes to attach with a specific datapath firmware
+	 * type, that can be passed in second argument of efx_nic_probe API. One
+	 * such example is the ESXi native driver that attempts attaching with
+	 * FULL_FEATURED datapath firmware type first and fall backs to
+	 * DONT_CARE datapath firmware type if MC_CMD_DRV_ATTACH fails.
 	 */
 	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, DRV_ATTACH_IN_NEW_STATE, attach ? 1 : 0);
 	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, DRV_ATTACH_IN_UPDATE, 1);
-	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, DRV_ATTACH_IN_FIRMWARE_ID, MC_CMD_FW_DONT_CARE);
+	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, DRV_ATTACH_IN_FIRMWARE_ID, enp->efv);
 
 	efx_mcdi_execute(enp, &req);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_nic.c b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_nic.c
index 35e84e3..3be32ad 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_nic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/base/efx_nic.c
@@ -290,7 +290,8 @@ efx_nic_create(
 
 	__checkReturn	efx_rc_t
 efx_nic_probe(
-	__in		efx_nic_t *enp)
+	__in		efx_nic_t *enp,
+	__in		efx_fw_variant_t efv)
 {
 	const efx_nic_ops_t *enop;
 	efx_rc_t rc;
@@ -301,7 +302,27 @@ efx_nic_probe(
 #endif	/* EFSYS_OPT_MCDI */
 	EFSYS_ASSERT(!(enp->en_mod_flags & EFX_MOD_PROBE));
 
+	/* Ensure FW variant codes match with MC_CMD_FW codes */
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_FULL_FEATURED);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_LOW_LATENCY);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_PACKED_STREAM);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_HIGH_TX_RATE ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_HIGH_TX_RATE);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM_HASH_MODE_1 ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_PACKED_STREAM_HASH_MODE_1);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_RULES_ENGINE ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_RULES_ENGINE);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_DPDK ==
+	    MC_CMD_FW_DPDK);
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE ==
+	    (int)MC_CMD_FW_DONT_CARE);
+
 	enop = enp->en_enop;
+	enp->efv = efv;
+
 	if ((rc = enop->eno_probe(enp)) != 0)
 		goto fail1;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
index 681e117..2a326fc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ sfc_probe(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 		goto fail_mcdi_init;
 
 	sfc_log_init(sa, "probe nic");
-	rc = efx_nic_probe(enp);
+	rc = efx_nic_probe(enp, EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE);
 	if (rc != 0)
 		goto fail_nic_probe;
 
