diff --git a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_pmd.h b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_pmd.h
index d009e24309..82a5c4db33 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_pmd.h
+++ b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_pmd.h
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ struct rte_eventdev {
 	/**< Pointer to PMD dequeue function. */
 	event_dequeue_burst_t dequeue_burst;
 	/**< Pointer to PMD dequeue burst function. */
+	event_maintain_t maintain;
+	/**< Pointer to PMD port maintenance function. */
 	event_tx_adapter_enqueue_t txa_enqueue_same_dest;
 	/**< Pointer to PMD eth Tx adapter burst enqueue function with
 	 * events destined to same Eth port & Tx queue.
diff --git a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_private.c b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_private.c
index 9084833847..6395c21dce 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_private.c
+++ b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_private.c
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ dummy_event_dequeue_burst(__rte_unused void *port,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void
+dummy_event_maintain(__rte_unused void *port)
+{
+	RTE_EDEV_LOG_ERR(
+		"maintenance requested for unconfigured event device");
+}
+
 static uint16_t
 dummy_event_tx_adapter_enqueue(__rte_unused void *port,
 			       __rte_unused struct rte_event ev[],
@@ -85,6 +92,7 @@ event_dev_fp_ops_reset(struct rte_event_fp_ops *fp_op)
 		.enqueue_forward_burst = dummy_event_enqueue_burst,
 		.dequeue = dummy_event_dequeue,
 		.dequeue_burst = dummy_event_dequeue_burst,
+		.maintain = dummy_event_maintain,
 		.txa_enqueue = dummy_event_tx_adapter_enqueue,
 		.txa_enqueue_same_dest =
 			dummy_event_tx_adapter_enqueue_same_dest,
@@ -105,6 +113,7 @@ event_dev_fp_ops_set(struct rte_event_fp_ops *fp_op,
 	fp_op->enqueue_forward_burst = dev->enqueue_forward_burst;
 	fp_op->dequeue = dev->dequeue;
 	fp_op->dequeue_burst = dev->dequeue_burst;
+	fp_op->maintain = dev->maintain;
 	fp_op->txa_enqueue = dev->txa_enqueue;
 	fp_op->txa_enqueue_same_dest = dev->txa_enqueue_same_dest;
 	fp_op->ca_enqueue = dev->ca_enqueue;
diff --git a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_trace_points.c b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_trace_points.c
index 237d9383fd..de6b1f4417 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/eventdev_trace_points.c
+++ b/lib/eventdev/eventdev_trace_points.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ RTE_TRACE_POINT_REGISTER(rte_eventdev_trace_enq_burst,
 RTE_TRACE_POINT_REGISTER(rte_eventdev_trace_deq_burst,
 	lib.eventdev.deq.burst)
 
+RTE_TRACE_POINT_REGISTER(rte_eventdev_trace_maintain,
+	lib.eventdev.maintain)
+
 /* Eventdev Rx adapter trace points */
 RTE_TRACE_POINT_REGISTER(rte_eventdev_trace_eth_rx_adapter_create,
 	lib.eventdev.rx.adapter.create)
diff --git a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev.h b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev.h
index 0abed56bef..aad89c66f3 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev.h
+++ b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev.h
@@ -299,6 +299,15 @@ struct rte_event;
  * the content of this field is implementation dependent.
  */
 
+#define RTE_EVENT_DEV_CAP_REQUIRES_MAINT (1ULL << 10)
+/**< Event device requires calls to rte_event_maintain() during
+ * periods when neither rte_event_dequeue_burst() nor
+ * rte_event_enqueue_burst() are called on a port. This will allow the
+ * event device to perform internal processing, such as flushing
+ * buffered events, return credits to a global pool, or process
+ * signaling related to load balancing.
+ */
+
 /* Event device priority levels */
 #define RTE_EVENT_DEV_PRIORITY_HIGHEST   0
 /**< Highest priority expressed across eventdev subsystem
@@ -2063,6 +2072,60 @@ rte_event_dequeue_burst(uint8_t dev_id, uint8_t port_id, struct rte_event ev[],
 					       timeout_ticks);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Maintain an event device.
+ *
+ * This function is only relevant for event devices which has the
+ * RTE_EVENT_DEV_CAP_REQUIRES_MAINT flag set. Such devices require the
+ * application to call rte_event_maintain() on a port during periods
+ * which it is neither enqueuing nor dequeuing events from that
+ * port. rte_event_maintain() is a low-overhead function and should be
+ * called at a high rate (e.g., in the applications poll loop).
+ *
+ * No port may be left unmaintained.
+ *
+ * rte_event_maintain() may be called on event devices which haven't
+ * set RTE_EVENT_DEV_CAP_REQUIRES_MAINT flag, in which case it is a
+ * no-operation.
+ *
+ * @param dev_id
+ *   The identifier of the device.
+ * @param port_id
+ *   The identifier of the event port.
+ * @return
+ *  - 0 on success.
+ *  - -EINVAL if *dev_id* or *port_id* is invalid
+ *
+ * @see RTE_EVENT_DEV_CAP_REQUIRES_MAINT
+ */
+static inline int
+rte_event_maintain(uint8_t dev_id, uint8_t port_id)
+{
+	const struct rte_event_fp_ops *fp_ops;
+	void *port;
+
+	fp_ops = &rte_event_fp_ops[dev_id];
+	port = fp_ops->data[port_id];
+#ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_EVENTDEV_DEBUG
+	if (dev_id >= RTE_EVENT_MAX_DEVS ||
+	    port_id >= RTE_EVENT_MAX_PORTS_PER_DEV) {
+		rte_errno = EINVAL;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if (port == NULL) {
+		rte_errno = EINVAL;
+		return 0;
+	}
+#endif
+	rte_eventdev_trace_maintain(dev_id, port_id);
+
+	if (fp_ops->maintain != NULL)
+		fp_ops->maintain(port);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_core.h b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_core.h
index 61d5ebdc44..61fa65cab3 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_core.h
+++ b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_core.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ typedef uint16_t (*event_dequeue_burst_t)(void *port, struct rte_event ev[],
 					  uint64_t timeout_ticks);
 /**< @internal Dequeue burst of events from port of a device */
 
+typedef void (*event_maintain_t)(void *port);
+/**< @internal Maintains a port */
+
 typedef uint16_t (*event_tx_adapter_enqueue_t)(void *port,
 					       struct rte_event ev[],
 					       uint16_t nb_events);
@@ -54,6 +57,8 @@ struct rte_event_fp_ops {
 	/**< PMD dequeue function. */
 	event_dequeue_burst_t dequeue_burst;
 	/**< PMD dequeue burst function. */
+	event_maintain_t maintain;
+	/**< PMD port maintenance function. */
 	event_tx_adapter_enqueue_t txa_enqueue;
 	/**< PMD Tx adapter enqueue function. */
 	event_tx_adapter_enqueue_t txa_enqueue_same_dest;
diff --git a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_trace_fp.h b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_trace_fp.h
index 5639e0b83a..c5a79a14d8 100644
--- a/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_trace_fp.h
+++ b/lib/eventdev/rte_eventdev_trace_fp.h
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ RTE_TRACE_POINT_FP(
 	rte_trace_point_emit_ptr(enq_mode_cb);
 )
 
+RTE_TRACE_POINT_FP(
+	rte_eventdev_trace_maintain,
+	RTE_TRACE_POINT_ARGS(uint8_t dev_id, uint8_t port_id),
+	rte_trace_point_emit_u8(dev_id);
+	rte_trace_point_emit_u8(port_id);
+)
+
 RTE_TRACE_POINT_FP(
 	rte_eventdev_trace_eth_tx_adapter_enqueue,
 	RTE_TRACE_POINT_ARGS(uint8_t dev_id, uint8_t port_id, void *ev_table,
