diff --git a/doc/guides/nics/sfc_efx.rst b/doc/guides/nics/sfc_efx.rst
index 2e4c3d8..2bd29cc 100644
--- a/doc/guides/nics/sfc_efx.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/nics/sfc_efx.rst
@@ -330,6 +330,21 @@ boolean parameters value.
   firmware version is 6.2.1.1033 or higher, otherwise any positive
   value will select a fixed update period of **1000** milliseconds
 
+- ``fw_variant`` [dont-care|full-feature|ultra-low-latency|
+  capture-packed-stream] (default **dont-care**)
+
+  Choose the preferred firmware variant to use. In order for the selected
+  option to have an effect, the **sfboot** utility must be configured with the
+  **auto** firmware-variant option. The preferred firmware variant applies to
+  all ports on the NIC.
+  **dont-care** ensures that the driver can attach to an unprivileged function.
+  The datapath firmware type to use is controlled by the **sfboot**
+  utility.
+  **full-feature** chooses full featured firmware.
+  **ultra-low-latency** chooses firmware with fewer features but lower latency.
+  **capture-packed-stream** chooses firmware for SolarCapture packed stream
+  mode.
+
 
 Dynamic Logging Parameters
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
index 2a326fc..e2ba720 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "sfc_ev.h"
 #include "sfc_rx.h"
 #include "sfc_tx.h"
+#include "sfc_kvargs.h"
 
 
 int
@@ -740,6 +741,126 @@ sfc_detach(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 	sa->state = SFC_ADAPTER_UNINITIALIZED;
 }
 
+static int
+sfc_kvarg_fv_variant_handler(__rte_unused const char *key,
+			     const char *value_str, void *opaque)
+{
+	uint32_t *value = opaque;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(value_str, SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE) == 0)
+		*value = EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE;
+	else if (strcasecmp(value_str, SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED) == 0)
+		*value = EFX_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED;
+	else if (strcasecmp(value_str, SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY) == 0)
+		*value = EFX_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY;
+	else if (strcasecmp(value_str, SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM) == 0)
+		*value = EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM;
+	else
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+sfc_get_fw_variant(struct sfc_adapter *sa, efx_fw_variant_t *efv)
+{
+	efx_nic_fw_info_t enfi;
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = efx_nic_get_fw_version(sa->nic, &enfi);
+	if (rc != 0)
+		return rc;
+	else if (!enfi.enfi_dpcpu_fw_ids_valid)
+		return ENOTSUP;
+
+	/*
+	 * Firmware variant can be uniquely identified by the RxDPCPU
+	 * firmware id
+	 */
+	switch (enfi.enfi_rx_dpcpu_fw_id) {
+	case EFX_RXDP_FULL_FEATURED_FW_ID:
+		*efv = EFX_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED;
+		break;
+
+	case EFX_RXDP_LOW_LATENCY_FW_ID:
+		*efv = EFX_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY;
+		break;
+
+	case EFX_RXDP_PACKED_STREAM_FW_ID:
+		*efv = EFX_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM;
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		/*
+		 * Other firmware variants are not considered, since they are
+		 * not supported in the device parameters
+		 */
+		*efv = EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE;
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static const char *
+sfc_fw_variant2str(efx_fw_variant_t efv)
+{
+	switch (efv) {
+	case EFX_RXDP_FULL_FEATURED_FW_ID:
+		return SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED;
+	case EFX_RXDP_LOW_LATENCY_FW_ID:
+		return SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY;
+	case EFX_RXDP_PACKED_STREAM_FW_ID:
+		return SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM;
+	default:
+		return "unknown";
+	}
+}
+
+static int
+sfc_nic_probe(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
+{
+	efx_nic_t *enp = sa->nic;
+	efx_fw_variant_t preferred_efv;
+	efx_fw_variant_t efv;
+	int rc;
+
+	preferred_efv = EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE;
+	rc = sfc_kvargs_process(sa, SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT,
+				sfc_kvarg_fv_variant_handler,
+				&preferred_efv);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		sfc_err(sa, "invalid %s parameter value", SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	rc = efx_nic_probe(enp, preferred_efv);
+	if (rc == EACCES) {
+		/* Unprivileged functions cannot set FW variant */
+		rc = efx_nic_probe(enp, EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE);
+	}
+	if (rc != 0)
+		return rc;
+
+	rc = sfc_get_fw_variant(sa, &efv);
+	if (rc == ENOTSUP) {
+		sfc_warn(sa, "FW variant can not be obtained");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (rc != 0)
+		return rc;
+
+	/* Check that firmware variant was changed to the requested one */
+	if (preferred_efv != EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE && preferred_efv != efv) {
+		sfc_warn(sa, "FW variant has not changed to the requested %s",
+			 sfc_fw_variant2str(preferred_efv));
+	}
+
+	sfc_notice(sa, "running FW variant is %s", sfc_fw_variant2str(efv));
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int
 sfc_probe(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 {
@@ -780,7 +901,7 @@ sfc_probe(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 		goto fail_mcdi_init;
 
 	sfc_log_init(sa, "probe nic");
-	rc = efx_nic_probe(enp, EFX_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE);
+	rc = sfc_nic_probe(sa);
 	if (rc != 0)
 		goto fail_nic_probe;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
index f16d520..e140f8f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_ethdev.c
@@ -2065,6 +2065,7 @@ RTE_PMD_REGISTER_PARAM_STRING(net_sfc_efx,
 	SFC_KVARG_RX_DATAPATH "=" SFC_KVARG_VALUES_RX_DATAPATH " "
 	SFC_KVARG_TX_DATAPATH "=" SFC_KVARG_VALUES_TX_DATAPATH " "
 	SFC_KVARG_PERF_PROFILE "=" SFC_KVARG_VALUES_PERF_PROFILE " "
+	SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT "=" SFC_KVARG_VALUES_FW_VARIANT " "
 	SFC_KVARG_STATS_UPDATE_PERIOD_MS "=<long>");
 
 RTE_INIT(sfc_driver_register_logtype);
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.c b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.c
index 9c08bff..53fa939 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ sfc_kvargs_parse(struct sfc_adapter *sa)
 		SFC_KVARG_PERF_PROFILE,
 		SFC_KVARG_RX_DATAPATH,
 		SFC_KVARG_TX_DATAPATH,
+		SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT,
 		NULL,
 	};
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.h b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.h
index a84dc6b..1e578e7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.h
+++ b/drivers/net/sfc/sfc_kvargs.h
@@ -45,6 +45,18 @@ extern "C" {
 	    SFC_KVARG_DATAPATH_EF10 "|" \
 	    SFC_KVARG_DATAPATH_EF10_SIMPLE "]"
 
+#define SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT		"fw_variant"
+
+#define SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE		"dont-care"
+#define SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED	"full-feature"
+#define SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY	"ultra-low-latency"
+#define SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM	"capture-packed-stream"
+#define SFC_KVARG_VALUES_FW_VARIANT \
+	"[" SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_DONT_CARE "|" \
+	    SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_FULL_FEATURED "|" \
+	    SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_LOW_LATENCY "|" \
+	    SFC_KVARG_FW_VARIANT_PACKED_STREAM "]"
+
 struct sfc_adapter;
 
 int sfc_kvargs_parse(struct sfc_adapter *sa);
