diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc.h b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc.h
index 69b5993..d0ed6c1 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc.h
@@ -714,6 +714,7 @@
 	uint32_t cfg_log_verbose;
 	uint32_t cfg_aer_support;
 	uint32_t cfg_sriov_nr_virtfn;
+	uint32_t cfg_request_firmware_upgrade;
 	uint32_t cfg_iocb_cnt;
 	uint32_t cfg_suppress_link_up;
 #define LPFC_INITIALIZE_LINK              0	/* do normal init_link mbox */
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_attr.c b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_attr.c
index ad16e54..a71c7eb 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_attr.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_attr.c
@@ -3618,6 +3618,77 @@
 		   lpfc_sriov_nr_virtfn_show, lpfc_sriov_nr_virtfn_store);
 
 /**
+ * lpfc_request_firmware_store - Request for Linux generic firmware upgrade
+ *
+ * @dev: class device that is converted into a Scsi_host.
+ * @attr: device attribute, not used.
+ * @buf: containing the string the number of vfs to be enabled.
+ * @count: unused variable.
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ * length of the buf on success if val is in range the intended mode
+ * is supported.
+ * -EINVAL if val out of range or intended mode is not supported.
+ **/
+static ssize_t
+lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_store(struct device *dev,
+				    struct device_attribute *attr,
+				    const char *buf, size_t count)
+{
+	struct Scsi_Host *shost = class_to_shost(dev);
+	struct lpfc_vport *vport = (struct lpfc_vport *)shost->hostdata;
+	struct lpfc_hba *phba = vport->phba;
+	int val = 0, rc = -EINVAL;
+
+	/* Sanity check on user data */
+	if (!isdigit(buf[0]))
+		return -EINVAL;
+	if (sscanf(buf, "%i", &val) != 1)
+		return -EINVAL;
+	if (val != 1)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	rc = lpfc_sli4_request_firmware_update(phba, RUN_FW_UPGRADE);
+	if (rc)
+		rc = -EPERM;
+	else
+		rc = strlen(buf);
+	return rc;
+}
+
+static int lpfc_req_fw_upgrade;
+module_param(lpfc_req_fw_upgrade, int, S_IRUGO|S_IWUSR);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(lpfc_req_fw_upgrade, "Enable Linux generic firmware upgrade");
+lpfc_param_show(request_firmware_upgrade)
+
+/**
+ * lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_init - Enable initial linux generic fw upgrade
+ * @phba: lpfc_hba pointer.
+ * @val: 0 or 1.
+ *
+ * Description:
+ * Set the initial Linux generic firmware upgrade enable or disable flag.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ * zero if val saved.
+ * -EINVAL val out of range
+ **/
+static int
+lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_init(struct lpfc_hba *phba, int val)
+{
+	if (val >= 0 && val <= 1) {
+		phba->cfg_request_firmware_upgrade = val;
+		return 0;
+	}
+	return -EINVAL;
+}
+static DEVICE_ATTR(lpfc_req_fw_upgrade, S_IRUGO | S_IWUSR,
+		   lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_show,
+		   lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_store);
+
+/**
  * lpfc_fcp_imax_store
  *
  * @dev: class device that is converted into a Scsi_host.
@@ -4069,6 +4140,7 @@
 	&dev_attr_lpfc_aer_support,
 	&dev_attr_lpfc_aer_state_cleanup,
 	&dev_attr_lpfc_sriov_nr_virtfn,
+	&dev_attr_lpfc_req_fw_upgrade,
 	&dev_attr_lpfc_suppress_link_up,
 	&dev_attr_lpfc_iocb_cnt,
 	&dev_attr_iocb_hw,
@@ -5051,6 +5123,7 @@
 	lpfc_hba_log_verbose_init(phba, lpfc_log_verbose);
 	lpfc_aer_support_init(phba, lpfc_aer_support);
 	lpfc_sriov_nr_virtfn_init(phba, lpfc_sriov_nr_virtfn);
+	lpfc_request_firmware_upgrade_init(phba, lpfc_req_fw_upgrade);
 	lpfc_suppress_link_up_init(phba, lpfc_suppress_link_up);
 	lpfc_iocb_cnt_init(phba, lpfc_iocb_cnt);
 	phba->cfg_enable_dss = 1;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_crtn.h b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_crtn.h
index 4380a44..69d66e3 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_crtn.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_crtn.h
@@ -468,3 +468,4 @@
 int lpfc_sli4_xri_sgl_update(struct lpfc_hba *);
 void lpfc_free_sgl_list(struct lpfc_hba *, struct list_head *);
 uint32_t lpfc_sli_port_speed_get(struct lpfc_hba *);
+int lpfc_sli4_request_firmware_update(struct lpfc_hba *, uint8_t);
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_init.c b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_init.c
index 7dc4218..d895693 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_init.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_init.c
@@ -9450,7 +9450,7 @@
 	struct lpfc_dmabuf *dmabuf, *next;
 	uint32_t offset = 0, temp_offset = 0;
 
-	/* It can be null, sanity check */
+	/* It can be null in no-wait mode, sanity check */
 	if (!fw) {
 		rc = -ENXIO;
 		goto out;
@@ -9528,11 +9528,48 @@
 	release_firmware(fw);
 out:
 	lpfc_printf_log(phba, KERN_ERR, LOG_INIT,
-			"3024 Firmware update done: %d.", rc);
+			"3024 Firmware update done: %d.\n", rc);
 	return;
 }
 
 /**
+ * lpfc_sli4_request_firmware_update - Request linux generic firmware upgrade
+ * @phba: pointer to lpfc hba data structure.
+ *
+ * This routine is called to perform Linux generic firmware upgrade on device
+ * that supports such feature.
+ **/
+int
+lpfc_sli4_request_firmware_update(struct lpfc_hba *phba, uint8_t fw_upgrade)
+{
+	uint8_t file_name[ELX_MODEL_NAME_SIZE];
+	int ret;
+	const struct firmware *fw;
+
+	/* Only supported on SLI4 interface type 2 for now */
+	if (bf_get(lpfc_sli_intf_if_type, &phba->sli4_hba.sli_intf) !=
+	    LPFC_SLI_INTF_IF_TYPE_2)
+		return -EPERM;
+
+	snprintf(file_name, ELX_MODEL_NAME_SIZE, "%s.grp", phba->ModelName);
+
+	if (fw_upgrade == INT_FW_UPGRADE) {
+		ret = request_firmware_nowait(THIS_MODULE, FW_ACTION_HOTPLUG,
+					file_name, &phba->pcidev->dev,
+					GFP_KERNEL, (void *)phba,
+					lpfc_write_firmware);
+	} else if (fw_upgrade == RUN_FW_UPGRADE) {
+		ret = request_firmware(&fw, file_name, &phba->pcidev->dev);
+		if (!ret)
+			lpfc_write_firmware(fw, (void *)phba);
+	} else {
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+/**
  * lpfc_pci_probe_one_s4 - PCI probe func to reg SLI-4 device to PCI subsys
  * @pdev: pointer to PCI device
  * @pid: pointer to PCI device identifier
@@ -9560,7 +9597,6 @@
 	uint32_t cfg_mode, intr_mode;
 	int mcnt;
 	int adjusted_fcp_io_channel;
-	uint8_t file_name[ELX_MODEL_NAME_SIZE];
 
 	/* Allocate memory for HBA structure */
 	phba = lpfc_hba_alloc(pdev);
@@ -9703,16 +9739,9 @@
 	/* Perform post initialization setup */
 	lpfc_post_init_setup(phba);
 
-	/* check for firmware upgrade or downgrade (if_type 2 only) */
-	if (bf_get(lpfc_sli_intf_if_type, &phba->sli4_hba.sli_intf) ==
-	    LPFC_SLI_INTF_IF_TYPE_2) {
-		snprintf(file_name, ELX_MODEL_NAME_SIZE, "%s.grp",
-			 phba->ModelName);
-		ret = request_firmware_nowait(THIS_MODULE, FW_ACTION_HOTPLUG,
-					file_name, &phba->pcidev->dev,
-					GFP_KERNEL, (void *)phba,
-					lpfc_write_firmware);
-	}
+	/* check for firmware upgrade or downgrade */
+	if (phba->cfg_request_firmware_upgrade)
+		ret = lpfc_sli4_request_firmware_update(phba, INT_FW_UPGRADE);
 
 	/* Check if there are static vports to be created. */
 	lpfc_create_static_vport(phba);
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_sli4.h b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_sli4.h
index f44a06a..44c427a 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_sli4.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_sli4.h
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@
 
 #define LPFC_FW_RESET_MAXIMUM_WAIT_10MS_CNT 12000
 
+#define INT_FW_UPGRADE	0
+#define RUN_FW_UPGRADE	1
+
 enum lpfc_sli4_queue_type {
 	LPFC_EQ,
 	LPFC_GCQ,