diff --git a/config/common_base b/config/common_base
index 964a6956e..37f692ce1 100644
--- a/config/common_base
+++ b/config/common_base
@@ -320,7 +320,6 @@ CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_AVF_16BYTE_RX_DESC=n
 #
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD=n
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DEBUG=n
-CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS=n
 
 #
 # Compile burst-oriented Mellanox ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5,
@@ -328,7 +327,11 @@ CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS=n
 #
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD=n
 CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DEBUG=n
-CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS=n
+
+# Linking method for mlx4/5 dependency on ibverbs and related libraries
+# Default linking is dynamic by linker.
+# Other option is dynamic by dlopen at run-time.
+CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN=n
 
 #
 # Compile burst-oriented Netronome NFP PMD driver
diff --git a/doc/guides/nics/mlx4.rst b/doc/guides/nics/mlx4.rst
index 5326d916e..88d467a23 100644
--- a/doc/guides/nics/mlx4.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/nics/mlx4.rst
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ These options can be modified in the ``.config`` file.
 
   Toggle compilation of librte_pmd_mlx4 itself.
 
-- ``CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS`` (default **n**)
+- ``CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN`` (default **n**)
 
   Build PMD with additional code to make it loadable without hard
   dependencies on **libibverbs** nor **libmlx4**, which may not be installed
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ Environment variables
   A list of directories in which to search for the rdma-core "glue" plug-in,
   separated by colons or semi-colons.
 
-  Only matters when compiled with ``CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS``
+  Only matters when compiled with ``CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN``
   enabled and most useful when ``CONFIG_RTE_EAL_PMD_PATH`` is also set,
   since ``LD_LIBRARY_PATH`` has no effect in this case.
 
diff --git a/doc/guides/nics/mlx5.rst b/doc/guides/nics/mlx5.rst
index add8bc1ed..749acd222 100644
--- a/doc/guides/nics/mlx5.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/nics/mlx5.rst
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ These options can be modified in the ``.config`` file.
 
   Toggle compilation of librte_pmd_mlx5 itself.
 
-- ``CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS`` (default **n**)
+- ``CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN`` (default **n**)
 
   Build PMD with additional code to make it loadable without hard
   dependencies on **libibverbs** nor **libmlx5**, which may not be installed
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ Environment variables
   A list of directories in which to search for the rdma-core "glue" plug-in,
   separated by colons or semi-colons.
 
-  Only matters when compiled with ``CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS``
+  Only matters when compiled with ``CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN``
   enabled and most useful when ``CONFIG_RTE_EAL_PMD_PATH`` is also set,
   since ``LD_LIBRARY_PATH`` has no effect in this case.
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx4/Makefile b/drivers/net/mlx4/Makefile
index 92e932250..724a4dcbc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx4/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx4/Makefile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ LIB_GLUE_VERSION = 18.02.0
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_ethdev.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_flow.c
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifneq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_glue.c
 endif
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_intr.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_rxtx.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_txq.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD) += mlx4_utils.c
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 INSTALL-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)-lib += $(LIB_GLUE)
 endif
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ CFLAGS += -D_DEFAULT_SOURCE
 CFLAGS += -D_XOPEN_SOURCE=600
 CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
 CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 CFLAGS += -DMLX4_GLUE='"$(LIB_GLUE)"'
 CFLAGS += -DMLX4_GLUE_VERSION='"$(LIB_GLUE_VERSION)"'
 CFLAGS_mlx4_glue.o += -fPIC
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ $(SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD):.c=.o): mlx4_autoconf.h
 # Generate dependency plug-in for rdma-core when the PMD must not be linked
 # directly, so that applications do not inherit this dependency.
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 
 $(LIB): $(LIB_GLUE)
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx4/meson.build b/drivers/net/mlx4/meson.build
index 7de571e2a..4bccd68e0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx4/meson.build
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx4/meson.build
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 # Copyright 2018 6WIND S.A.
 # Copyright 2018 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd
 
-pmd_dlopen = get_option('enable_driver_mlx_glue')
+pmd_dlopen = (get_option('ibverbs_link') == 'dlopen')
 LIB_GLUE_BASE = 'librte_pmd_mlx4_glue.so'
 LIB_GLUE_VERSION = '18.02.0'
 LIB_GLUE = LIB_GLUE_BASE + '.' + LIB_GLUE_VERSION
 if pmd_dlopen
-	dpdk_conf.set('RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS', 1)
+	dpdk_conf.set('RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN', 1)
 	cflags += [
 		'-DMLX4_GLUE="@0@"'.format(LIB_GLUE),
 		'-DMLX4_GLUE_VERSION="@0@"'.format(LIB_GLUE_VERSION),
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx4/mlx4.c b/drivers/net/mlx4/mlx4.c
index 7f07b8dc0..070cf7111 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx4/mlx4.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx4/mlx4.c
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ static struct rte_pci_driver mlx4_driver = {
 		     RTE_PCI_DRV_INTR_RMV,
 };
 
-#ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS
+#ifdef RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN
 
 /**
  * Suffix RTE_EAL_PMD_PATH with "-glue".
@@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ RTE_INIT(rte_mlx4_pmd_init)
 	 * using this PMD, which is not supported in forked processes.
 	 */
 	setenv("RDMAV_HUGEPAGES_SAFE", "1", 1);
-#ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS
+#ifdef RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN
 	if (mlx4_glue_init())
 		return;
 	assert(mlx4_glue);
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/Makefile b/drivers/net/mlx5/Makefile
index 1353c1827..47a7f4d68 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ LIB_GLUE_VERSION = 19.02.0
 
 # Sources.
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5.c
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifneq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5_glue.c
 endif
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5_rxq.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5_flow_verbs.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5_socket.c
 SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD) += mlx5_nl.c
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 INSTALL-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)-lib += $(LIB_GLUE)
 endif
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ CFLAGS += -D_XOPEN_SOURCE=600
 CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
 CFLAGS += -Wno-strict-prototypes
 CFLAGS += $(shell command -v pkg-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && pkg-config --cflags libmnl)
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 CFLAGS += -DMLX5_GLUE='"$(LIB_GLUE)"'
 CFLAGS += -DMLX5_GLUE_VERSION='"$(LIB_GLUE_VERSION)"'
 CFLAGS_mlx5_glue.o += -fPIC
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ $(SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD):.c=.o): mlx5_autoconf.h
 # Generate dependency plug-in for rdma-core when the PMD must not be linked
 # directly, so that applications do not inherit this dependency.
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
 
 $(LIB): $(LIB_GLUE)
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/meson.build b/drivers/net/mlx5/meson.build
index 8ba19e818..a1130d610 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/meson.build
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/meson.build
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 # Copyright 2018 6WIND S.A.
 # Copyright 2018 Mellanox Technologies, Ltd
 
-pmd_dlopen = get_option('enable_driver_mlx_glue')
+pmd_dlopen = (get_option('ibverbs_link') == 'dlopen')
 LIB_GLUE_BASE = 'librte_pmd_mlx5_glue.so'
 LIB_GLUE_VERSION = '19.02.0'
 LIB_GLUE = LIB_GLUE_BASE + '.' + LIB_GLUE_VERSION
 if pmd_dlopen
-	dpdk_conf.set('RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS', 1)
+	dpdk_conf.set('RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN', 1)
 	cflags += [
 		'-DMLX5_GLUE="@0@"'.format(LIB_GLUE),
 		'-DMLX5_GLUE_VERSION="@0@"'.format(LIB_GLUE_VERSION),
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
index 45210451d..f111e6ef8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
@@ -1609,7 +1609,7 @@ static struct rte_pci_driver mlx5_driver = {
 		      RTE_PCI_DRV_PROBE_AGAIN),
 };
 
-#ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS
+#ifdef RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN
 
 /**
  * Suffix RTE_EAL_PMD_PATH with "-glue".
@@ -1770,7 +1770,7 @@ RTE_INIT(rte_mlx5_pmd_init)
 	 * cleanup all the Verbs resources even when the device was removed.
 	 */
 	setenv("MLX5_DEVICE_FATAL_CLEANUP", "1", 1);
-#ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS
+#ifdef RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN
 	if (mlx5_glue_init())
 		return;
 	assert(mlx5_glue);
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 10b541615..574054597 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ option('allow_invalid_socket_id', type: 'boolean', value: false,
 	description: 'allow out-of-range NUMA socket id\'s for platforms that don\'t report the value correctly')
 option('drivers_install_subdir', type: 'string', value: 'dpdk/pmds-<VERSION>',
 	description: 'Subdirectory of libdir where to install PMDs. Defaults to using a versioned subdirectory.')
-option('enable_driver_mlx_glue', type: 'boolean', value: false,
-	description: 'Enable glue library for Mellanox PMDs')
+option('ibverbs_link', type: 'combo', choices : ['shared', 'dlopen'], value: 'shared',
+	description: 'Linkage method (shared/dlopen) for Mellanox PMDs with ibverbs dependencies.')
 option('enable_kmods', type: 'boolean', value: true,
 	description: 'build kernel modules')
 option('enable_docs', type: 'boolean', value: false,
diff --git a/mk/rte.app.mk b/mk/rte.app.mk
index 02e8b6f05..d5b1ec6b7 100644
--- a/mk/rte.app.mk
+++ b/mk/rte.app.mk
@@ -169,15 +169,14 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_KNI),y)
 _LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_PMD_KNI)        += -lrte_pmd_kni
 endif
 _LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_LIO_PMD)        += -lrte_pmd_lio
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
-_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx4 -ldl
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx4
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx5 -lmnl
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_IBVERBS_LINK_DLOPEN),y)
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)       += -ldl
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)       += -ldl
 else
-_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx4 -libverbs -lmlx4
-endif
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_DLOPEN_DEPS),y)
-_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx5 -ldl -lmnl
-else
-_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)       += -lrte_pmd_mlx5 -libverbs -lmlx5 -lmnl
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX4_PMD)       += -libverbs -lmlx4
+_LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MLX5_PMD)       += -libverbs -lmlx5
 endif
 _LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MVPP2_PMD)      += -lrte_pmd_mvpp2
 _LDLIBS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MVNETA_PMD)     += -lrte_pmd_mvneta
