diff --git a/config/common_base b/config/common_base
index 00af811..6f91172 100644
--- a/config/common_base
+++ b/config/common_base
@@ -434,6 +434,11 @@ CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SKELETON_EVENTDEV=y
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SKELETON_EVENTDEV_DEBUG=n
 
 #
+# Compile PMD for software event device
+#
+CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV=y
+
+#
 # Compile librte_ring
 #
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_RING=y
diff --git a/drivers/event/Makefile b/drivers/event/Makefile
index 678279f..353441c 100644
--- a/drivers/event/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/event/Makefile
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@
 include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
 
 DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SKELETON_EVENTDEV) += skeleton
+DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += sw
 
 include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.subdir.mk
diff --git a/drivers/event/sw/Makefile b/drivers/event/sw/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6836e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/event/sw/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#   BSD LICENSE
+#
+#   Copyright(c) 2016-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+#
+#   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+#   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+#   are met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+#       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+#       distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+#       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+#       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+#   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+#   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+#   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+#   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+#   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+#   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+#   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+#   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+#   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+#   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+#   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
+
+
+# library name
+LIB = librte_pmd_sw_event.a
+
+# build flags
+CFLAGS += -O3
+CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
+# for older GCC versions, allow us to initialize an event using
+# designated initializers.
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_TOOLCHAIN_GCC),y)
+ifeq ($(shell test $(GCC_VERSION) -le 50 && echo 1), 1)
+CFLAGS += -Wno-missing-field-initializers
+endif
+endif
+
+# library version
+LIBABIVER := 1
+
+# versioning export map
+EXPORT_MAP := rte_pmd_evdev_sw_version.map
+
+# library source files
+SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += sw_evdev.c
+
+# export include files
+SYMLINK-y-include +=
+
+# library dependencies
+DEPDIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += lib/librte_eal
+DEPDIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += lib/librte_eventdev
+DEPDIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += lib/librte_kvargs
+DEPDIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += lib/librte_ring
+
+include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.lib.mk
diff --git a/drivers/event/sw/rte_pmd_evdev_sw_version.map b/drivers/event/sw/rte_pmd_evdev_sw_version.map
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f84b68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/event/sw/rte_pmd_evdev_sw_version.map
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+DPDK_17.02 {
+	local: *;
+};
diff --git a/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.c b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d60f00f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.c
@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+/*-
+ *   BSD LICENSE
+ *
+ *   Copyright(c) 2016-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *   are met:
+ *
+ *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *       distribution.
+ *     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+ *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <rte_vdev.h>
+#include <rte_memzone.h>
+#include <rte_kvargs.h>
+#include <rte_ring.h>
+
+#include "sw_evdev.h"
+
+#define EVENTDEV_NAME_SW_PMD event_sw
+#define NUMA_NODE_ARG "numa_node"
+#define SCHED_QUANTA_ARG "sched_quanta"
+#define CREDIT_QUANTA_ARG "credit_quanta"
+
+static int
+assign_numa_node(const char *key __rte_unused, const char *value, void *opaque)
+{
+	int *socket_id = opaque;
+	*socket_id = atoi(value);
+	if (*socket_id > RTE_MAX_NUMA_NODES)
+		return -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+set_sched_quanta(const char *key __rte_unused, const char *value, void *opaque)
+{
+	int *quanta = opaque;
+	*quanta = atoi(value);
+	if (*quanta < 0 || *quanta > 4096)
+		return -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+set_credit_quanta(const char *key __rte_unused, const char *value, void *opaque)
+{
+	int *credit = opaque;
+	*credit = atoi(value);
+	if (*credit < 0 || *credit > 128)
+		return -1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+sw_probe(const char *name, const char *params)
+{
+	static const struct rte_eventdev_ops evdev_sw_ops = {
+	};
+
+	static const char *const args[] = {
+		NUMA_NODE_ARG,
+		SCHED_QUANTA_ARG,
+		CREDIT_QUANTA_ARG,
+		NULL
+	};
+	struct rte_eventdev *dev;
+	struct sw_evdev *sw;
+	int socket_id = rte_socket_id();
+	int sched_quanta  = SW_DEFAULT_SCHED_QUANTA;
+	int credit_quanta = SW_DEFAULT_CREDIT_QUANTA;
+
+	if (params != NULL && params[0] != '\0') {
+		struct rte_kvargs *kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(params, args);
+
+		if (!kvlist) {
+			RTE_LOG(INFO, PMD,
+				"Ignoring unsupported parameters when creating device '%s'\n",
+				name);
+		} else {
+			int ret = rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, NUMA_NODE_ARG,
+					assign_numa_node, &socket_id);
+			if (ret != 0) {
+				RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD,
+					"%s: Error parsing numa node parameter",
+					name);
+				rte_kvargs_free(kvlist);
+				return ret;
+			}
+
+			ret = rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, SCHED_QUANTA_ARG,
+					set_sched_quanta, &sched_quanta);
+			if (ret != 0) {
+				RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD,
+					"%s: Error parsing sched quanta parameter",
+					name);
+				rte_kvargs_free(kvlist);
+				return ret;
+			}
+
+			ret = rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, CREDIT_QUANTA_ARG,
+					set_credit_quanta, &credit_quanta);
+			if (ret != 0) {
+				RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD,
+					"%s: Error parsing credit quanta parameter",
+					name);
+				rte_kvargs_free(kvlist);
+				return ret;
+			}
+
+			rte_kvargs_free(kvlist);
+		}
+	}
+
+	RTE_LOG(INFO, PMD,
+			"Creating eventdev sw device %s, numa_node=%d, sched_quanta=%d, credit_quanta=%d\n",
+			name, socket_id, sched_quanta, credit_quanta);
+
+	dev = rte_event_pmd_vdev_init(name,
+			sizeof(struct sw_evdev), socket_id);
+	if (dev == NULL) {
+		printf("eventdev vdev init() failed");
+		return -EFAULT;
+	}
+	dev->dev_ops = &evdev_sw_ops;
+
+	sw = dev->data->dev_private;
+	sw->data = dev->data;
+
+	/* copy values passed from vdev command line to instance */
+	sw->credit_update_quanta = credit_quanta;
+	sw->sched_quanta = sched_quanta;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+sw_remove(const char *name)
+{
+	if (name == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	RTE_LOG(INFO, PMD, "Closing eventdev sw device %s\n", name);
+	/* TODO unregister eventdev and release memzone */
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct rte_vdev_driver evdev_sw_pmd_drv = {
+	.probe = sw_probe,
+	.remove = sw_remove
+};
+
+RTE_PMD_REGISTER_VDEV(EVENTDEV_NAME_SW_PMD, evdev_sw_pmd_drv);
+RTE_PMD_REGISTER_PARAM_STRING(event_sw, NUMA_NODE_ARG "=<int> "
+		SCHED_QUANTA_ARG "=<int>" CREDIT_QUANTA_ARG "=<int>");
diff --git a/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.h b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9494659
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev.h
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*-
+ *   BSD LICENSE
+ *
+ *   Copyright(c) 2016-2017 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *   are met:
+ *
+ *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *       distribution.
+ *     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+ *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _SW_EVDEV_H_
+#define _SW_EVDEV_H_
+
+#include <rte_eventdev.h>
+#include <rte_eventdev_pmd.h>
+
+#define SW_DEFAULT_CREDIT_QUANTA 32
+#define SW_DEFAULT_SCHED_QUANTA 128
+
+struct sw_evdev {
+	struct rte_eventdev_data *data;
+
+	int32_t sched_quanta;
+	uint32_t credit_update_quanta;
+};
+
+static inline struct sw_evdev *
+sw_pmd_priv(const struct rte_eventdev *eventdev)
+{
+	return eventdev->data->dev_private;
+}
+
+static inline const struct sw_evdev *
+sw_pmd_priv_const(const struct rte_eventdev *eventdev)
+{
+	return eventdev->data->dev_private;
+}
+
+extern int sched_quanta;
+
+#endif /* _SW_EVDEV_H_ */
diff --git a/mk/rte.app.mk b/mk/rte.app.mk
index 8341c13..8dc0f9f 100644
--- a/mk/rte.app.mk
+++ b/mk/rte.app.mk
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ endif # CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_CRYPTODEV
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_EVENTDEV),y)
 _LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SKELETON_EVENTDEV) += -lrte_pmd_skeleton_event
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_SW_EVENTDEV) += -lrte_pmd_sw_event
 endif # CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_EVENTDEV
 
 endif # !CONFIG_RTE_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS
