diff --git a/doc/guides/nics/memif.rst b/doc/guides/nics/memif.rst
index ddeebed25..8e80105a4 100644
--- a/doc/guides/nics/memif.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/nics/memif.rst
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ client.
    "bsize=1024", "Size of single packet buffer", "2048", "uint16_t"
    "rsize=11", "Log2 of ring size. If rsize is 10, actual ring size is 1024", "10", "1-14"
    "socket=/tmp/memif.sock", "Socket filename", "/tmp/memif.sock", "string len 108"
+   "socket-abstract=no", "Set usage of abstract socket address", "yes", "yes|no"
    "mac=01:23:45:ab:cd:ef", "Mac address", "01:ab:23:cd:45:ef", ""
    "secret=abc123", "Secret is an optional security option, which if specified, must be matched by peer", "", "string len 24"
    "zero-copy=yes", "Enable/disable zero-copy slave mode. Only relevant to slave, requires '--single-file-segments' eal argument", "no", "yes|no"
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_20_11.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_20_11.rst
index 57e3edcdd..62891bed0 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_20_11.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_20_11.rst
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ New Features
   * Changed default link speed to unknown.
   * Added support for 200G link speed.
 
+* **Updated Memif PMD.**
+
+  * Added support for abstract socket address.
+  * Changed default socket address type to abstract.
+
 * **Added Ice Lake (Gen4) support for Intel NTB.**
 
   Added NTB device support (4th generation) for Intel Ice Lake platform.
diff --git a/drivers/net/memif/memif_socket.c b/drivers/net/memif/memif_socket.c
index 67794cb6f..7a26e3006 100644
--- a/drivers/net/memif/memif_socket.c
+++ b/drivers/net/memif/memif_socket.c
@@ -862,10 +862,10 @@ memif_listener_handler(void *arg)
 }
 
 static struct memif_socket *
-memif_socket_create(char *key, uint8_t listener)
+memif_socket_create(char *key, uint8_t listener, bool is_abstract)
 {
 	struct memif_socket *sock;
-	struct sockaddr_un un;
+	struct sockaddr_un un = { 0 };
 	int sockfd;
 	int ret;
 	int on = 1;
@@ -886,7 +886,13 @@ memif_socket_create(char *key, uint8_t listener)
 			goto error;
 
 		un.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-		strlcpy(un.sun_path, sock->filename, MEMIF_SOCKET_UN_SIZE);
+		if (is_abstract) {
+			/* abstract address */
+			un.sun_path[0] = '\0';
+			strlcpy(un.sun_path + 1, sock->filename, MEMIF_SOCKET_UN_SIZE - 1);
+		} else {
+			strlcpy(un.sun_path, sock->filename, MEMIF_SOCKET_UN_SIZE);
+		}
 
 		ret = setsockopt(sockfd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_PASSCRED, &on,
 				 sizeof(on));
@@ -963,7 +969,8 @@ memif_socket_init(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, const char *socket_filename)
 	ret = rte_hash_lookup_data(hash, key, (void **)&socket);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		socket = memif_socket_create(key,
-					     (pmd->role == MEMIF_ROLE_SLAVE) ? 0 : 1);
+			(pmd->role == MEMIF_ROLE_SLAVE) ? 0 : 1,
+			pmd->flags & ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT);
 		if (socket == NULL)
 			return -1;
 		ret = rte_hash_add_key_data(hash, key, socket);
@@ -1025,7 +1032,7 @@ memif_socket_remove_device(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	/* remove socket, if this was the last device using it */
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(&socket->dev_queue)) {
 		rte_hash_del_key(hash, socket->filename);
-		if (socket->listener) {
+		if (socket->listener && !(pmd->flags & ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT)) {
 			/* remove listener socket file,
 			 * so we can create new one later.
 			 */
@@ -1054,7 +1061,7 @@ memif_connect_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 {
 	int sockfd;
 	int ret;
-	struct sockaddr_un sun;
+	struct sockaddr_un sun = { 0 };
 	struct pmd_internals *pmd = dev->data->dev_private;
 
 	memset(pmd->local_disc_string, 0, ETH_MEMIF_DISC_STRING_SIZE);
@@ -1068,8 +1075,13 @@ memif_connect_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	}
 
 	sun.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
-
-	memcpy(sun.sun_path, pmd->socket_filename, sizeof(sun.sun_path) - 1);
+	if (pmd->flags & ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT) {
+		/* abstract address */
+		sun.sun_path[0] = '\0';
+		strlcpy(sun.sun_path + 1,  pmd->socket_filename, MEMIF_SOCKET_UN_SIZE - 1);
+	} else {
+		strlcpy(sun.sun_path,  pmd->socket_filename, MEMIF_SOCKET_UN_SIZE);
+	}
 
 	ret = connect(sockfd, (struct sockaddr *)&sun,
 		      sizeof(struct sockaddr_un));
diff --git a/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.c b/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.c
index ff8a58081..6f4596667 100644
--- a/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.c
+++ b/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #define ETH_MEMIF_PKT_BUFFER_SIZE_ARG	"bsize"
 #define ETH_MEMIF_RING_SIZE_ARG		"rsize"
 #define ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ARG		"socket"
+#define ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ABSTRACT_ARG	"socket-abstract"
 #define ETH_MEMIF_MAC_ARG		"mac"
 #define ETH_MEMIF_ZC_ARG		"zero-copy"
 #define ETH_MEMIF_SECRET_ARG		"secret"
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ static const char * const valid_arguments[] = {
 	ETH_MEMIF_PKT_BUFFER_SIZE_ARG,
 	ETH_MEMIF_RING_SIZE_ARG,
 	ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ARG,
+	ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ABSTRACT_ARG,
 	ETH_MEMIF_MAC_ARG,
 	ETH_MEMIF_ZC_ARG,
 	ETH_MEMIF_SECRET_ARG,
@@ -1654,7 +1656,23 @@ memif_set_socket_filename(const char *key __rte_unused, const char *value,
 	const char **socket_filename = (const char **)extra_args;
 
 	*socket_filename = value;
-	return memif_check_socket_filename(*socket_filename);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+memif_set_is_socket_abstract(const char *key __rte_unused, const char *value, void *extra_args)
+{
+	uint32_t *flags = (uint32_t *)extra_args;
+
+	if (strstr(value, "yes") != NULL) {
+		*flags |= ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT;
+	} else if (strstr(value, "no") != NULL) {
+		*flags &= ~ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT;
+	} else {
+		MIF_LOG(ERR, "Failed to parse socket-abstract param: %s.", value);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1740,6 +1758,9 @@ rte_pmd_memif_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev)
 		MIF_LOG(WARNING, "Failed to register mp action callback: %s",
 			strerror(rte_errno));
 
+	/* use abstract address by default */
+	flags |= ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT;
+
 	kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(rte_vdev_device_args(vdev), valid_arguments);
 
 	/* parse parameters */
@@ -1765,6 +1786,10 @@ rte_pmd_memif_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev)
 					 (void *)(&socket_filename));
 		if (ret < 0)
 			goto exit;
+		ret = rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ABSTRACT_ARG,
+					 &memif_set_is_socket_abstract, &flags);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto exit;
 		ret = rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, ETH_MEMIF_MAC_ARG,
 					 &memif_set_mac, ether_addr);
 		if (ret < 0)
@@ -1779,6 +1804,12 @@ rte_pmd_memif_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev)
 			goto exit;
 	}
 
+	if (!(flags & ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT)) {
+		ret = memif_check_socket_filename(socket_filename);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto exit;
+	}
+
 	/* create interface */
 	ret = memif_create(vdev, role, id, flags, socket_filename,
 			   log2_ring_size, pkt_buffer_size, secret, ether_addr);
@@ -1816,6 +1847,7 @@ RTE_PMD_REGISTER_PARAM_STRING(net_memif,
 			      ETH_MEMIF_PKT_BUFFER_SIZE_ARG "=<int>"
 			      ETH_MEMIF_RING_SIZE_ARG "=<int>"
 			      ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ARG "=<string>"
+				  ETH_MEMIF_SOCKET_ABSTRACT_ARG "=yes|no"
 			      ETH_MEMIF_MAC_ARG "=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx"
 			      ETH_MEMIF_ZC_ARG "=yes|no"
 			      ETH_MEMIF_SECRET_ARG "=<string>");
diff --git a/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.h b/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.h
index 6f45b7072..ac0a2f2d1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.h
+++ b/drivers/net/memif/rte_eth_memif.h
@@ -81,14 +81,16 @@ struct pmd_internals {
 	memif_interface_id_t id;		/**< unique id */
 	enum memif_role_t role;			/**< device role */
 	uint32_t flags;				/**< device status flags */
-#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_CONNECTING	(1 << 0)
+#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_CONNECTING		(1 << 0)
 /**< device is connecting */
-#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_CONNECTED	(1 << 1)
+#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_CONNECTED		(1 << 1)
 /**< device is connected */
-#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_ZERO_COPY	(1 << 2)
+#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_ZERO_COPY		(1 << 2)
 /**< device is zero-copy enabled */
-#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_DISABLED		(1 << 3)
+#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_DISABLED			(1 << 3)
 /**< device has not been configured and can not accept connection requests */
+#define ETH_MEMIF_FLAG_SOCKET_ABSTRACT	(1 << 4)
+/**< use abstract socket address */
 
 	char *socket_filename;			/**< pointer to socket filename */
 	char secret[ETH_MEMIF_SECRET_SIZE]; /**< secret (optional security parameter) */
