diff --git a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx.h b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx.h
index cc173d13c6..628e61e065 100644
--- a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx.h
+++ b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx.h
@@ -4306,6 +4306,15 @@ extern	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
 efx_mae_action_set_populate_encap(
 	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec);
 
+/*
+ * Use efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_counter_id() to set ID of a counter
+ * in the specification prior to action set allocation.
+ */
+LIBEFX_API
+extern	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
+efx_mae_action_set_populate_count(
+	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec);
+
 LIBEFX_API
 extern	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
 efx_mae_action_set_populate_flag(
@@ -4410,6 +4419,18 @@ typedef struct efx_counter_s {
 	uint32_t id;
 } efx_counter_t;
 
+LIBEFX_API
+extern	__checkReturn			unsigned int
+efx_mae_action_set_get_nb_count(
+	__in				const efx_mae_actions_t *spec);
+
+/* See description before efx_mae_action_set_populate_count(). */
+LIBEFX_API
+extern	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
+efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_counter_id(
+	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec,
+	__in				const efx_counter_t *counter_idp);
+
 /* Action set ID */
 typedef struct efx_mae_aset_id_s {
 	uint32_t id;
diff --git a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_impl.h b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_impl.h
index 9dbf6d450c..992edbabe3 100644
--- a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_impl.h
+++ b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_impl.h
@@ -1734,6 +1734,7 @@ typedef enum efx_mae_action_e {
 	EFX_MAE_ACTION_DECAP,
 	EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_POP,
 	EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_PUSH,
+	EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT,
 	EFX_MAE_ACTION_ENCAP,
 
 	/*
@@ -1764,6 +1765,7 @@ typedef struct efx_mae_action_vlan_push_s {
 
 typedef struct efx_mae_actions_rsrc_s {
 	efx_mae_eh_id_t			emar_eh_id;
+	efx_counter_t			emar_counter_id;
 } efx_mae_actions_rsrc_t;
 
 struct efx_mae_actions_s {
@@ -1774,6 +1776,7 @@ struct efx_mae_actions_s {
 	unsigned int			ema_n_vlan_tags_to_push;
 	efx_mae_action_vlan_push_t	ema_vlan_push_descs[
 	    EFX_MAE_VLAN_PUSH_MAX_NTAGS];
+	unsigned int			ema_n_count_actions;
 	uint32_t			ema_mark_value;
 	efx_mport_sel_t			ema_deliver_mport;
 
diff --git a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_mae.c b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_mae.c
index 0b3131161b..8d1294a627 100644
--- a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_mae.c
+++ b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/base/efx_mae.c
@@ -1191,6 +1191,7 @@ efx_mae_action_set_spec_init(
 	}
 
 	spec->ema_rsrc.emar_eh_id.id = EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID;
+	spec->ema_rsrc.emar_counter_id.id = EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID;
 
 	*specp = spec;
 
@@ -1358,6 +1359,50 @@ efx_mae_action_set_add_encap(
 	return (rc);
 }
 
+static	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
+efx_mae_action_set_add_count(
+	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec,
+	__in				size_t arg_size,
+	__in_bcount(arg_size)		const uint8_t *arg)
+{
+	efx_rc_t rc;
+
+	EFX_STATIC_ASSERT(EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID ==
+			  MC_CMD_MAE_COUNTER_ALLOC_OUT_COUNTER_ID_NULL);
+
+	/*
+	 * Preparing an action set spec to update a counter requires
+	 * two steps: first add this action to the action spec, and then
+	 * add the counter ID to the spec. This allows validity checking
+	 * and resource allocation to be done separately.
+	 * Mark the counter ID as invalid in the spec to ensure that the
+	 * caller must also invoke efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_counter_id()
+	 * before action set allocation.
+	 */
+	spec->ema_rsrc.emar_counter_id.id = EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID;
+
+	/* Nothing else is supposed to take place over here. */
+	if (arg_size != 0) {
+		rc = EINVAL;
+		goto fail1;
+	}
+
+	if (arg != NULL) {
+		rc = EINVAL;
+		goto fail2;
+	}
+
+	++(spec->ema_n_count_actions);
+
+	return (0);
+
+fail2:
+	EFSYS_PROBE(fail2);
+fail1:
+	EFSYS_PROBE1(fail1, efx_rc_t, rc);
+	return (rc);
+}
+
 static	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
 efx_mae_action_set_add_flag(
 	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec,
@@ -1466,6 +1511,9 @@ static const efx_mae_action_desc_t efx_mae_actions[EFX_MAE_NACTIONS] = {
 	[EFX_MAE_ACTION_ENCAP] = {
 		.emad_add = efx_mae_action_set_add_encap
 	},
+	[EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT] = {
+		.emad_add = efx_mae_action_set_add_count
+	},
 	[EFX_MAE_ACTION_FLAG] = {
 		.emad_add = efx_mae_action_set_add_flag
 	},
@@ -1481,6 +1529,12 @@ static const uint32_t efx_mae_action_ordered_map =
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_DECAP) |
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_POP) |
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_PUSH) |
+	/*
+	 * HW will conduct action COUNT after
+	 * the matching packet has been modified by
+	 * length-affecting actions except for ENCAP.
+	 */
+	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT) |
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_ENCAP) |
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_FLAG) |
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_MARK) |
@@ -1497,7 +1551,8 @@ static const uint32_t efx_mae_action_nonstrict_map =
 
 static const uint32_t efx_mae_action_repeat_map =
 	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_POP) |
-	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_PUSH);
+	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_VLAN_PUSH) |
+	(1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT);
 
 /*
  * Add an action to an action set.
@@ -1620,6 +1675,20 @@ efx_mae_action_set_populate_encap(
 	    EFX_MAE_ACTION_ENCAP, 0, NULL));
 }
 
+	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
+efx_mae_action_set_populate_count(
+	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec)
+{
+	/*
+	 * There is no argument to pass counter ID, thus, one does not
+	 * need to allocate a counter while parsing application input.
+	 * This is useful since building an action set may be done simply to
+	 * validate a rule, whilst resource allocation usually consumes time.
+	 */
+	return (efx_mae_action_set_spec_populate(spec,
+	    EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT, 0, NULL));
+}
+
 	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
 efx_mae_action_set_populate_flag(
 	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec)
@@ -2306,8 +2375,6 @@ efx_mae_action_set_alloc(
 	 */
 	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req,
 	    MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_COUNTER_LIST_ID, EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID);
-	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req,
-	    MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_COUNTER_ID, EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID);
 
 	if ((spec->ema_actions & (1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_DECAP)) != 0) {
 		MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD_FIELD(req, MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_FLAGS,
@@ -2344,6 +2411,8 @@ efx_mae_action_set_alloc(
 
 	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_ENCAP_HEADER_ID,
 	    spec->ema_rsrc.emar_eh_id.id);
+	MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD(req, MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_COUNTER_ID,
+	    spec->ema_rsrc.emar_counter_id.id);
 
 	if ((spec->ema_actions & (1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_FLAG)) != 0) {
 		MCDI_IN_SET_DWORD_FIELD(req, MAE_ACTION_SET_ALLOC_IN_FLAGS,
@@ -2603,6 +2672,64 @@ efx_mae_action_rule_remove(
 
 	return (0);
 
+fail4:
+	EFSYS_PROBE(fail4);
+fail3:
+	EFSYS_PROBE(fail3);
+fail2:
+	EFSYS_PROBE(fail2);
+fail1:
+	EFSYS_PROBE1(fail1, efx_rc_t, rc);
+	return (rc);
+}
+
+	__checkReturn			unsigned int
+efx_mae_action_set_get_nb_count(
+	__in				const efx_mae_actions_t *spec)
+{
+	return (spec->ema_n_count_actions);
+}
+
+	__checkReturn			efx_rc_t
+efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_counter_id(
+	__in				efx_mae_actions_t *spec,
+	__in				const efx_counter_t *counter_idp)
+{
+	efx_rc_t rc;
+
+	if ((spec->ema_actions & (1U << EFX_MAE_ACTION_COUNT)) == 0) {
+		/*
+		 * Invalid to add counter ID if spec does not have COUNT action.
+		 */
+		rc = EINVAL;
+		goto fail1;
+	}
+
+	if (spec->ema_n_count_actions != 1) {
+		/*
+		 * Having multiple COUNT actions in the spec requires a counter
+		 * list to be used. This API must only be used for a single
+		 * counter per spec. Turn down the request as inappropriate.
+		 */
+		rc = EINVAL;
+		goto fail2;
+	}
+
+	if (spec->ema_rsrc.emar_counter_id.id != EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID) {
+		/* The caller attempts to indicate counter ID twice. */
+		rc = EALREADY;
+		goto fail3;
+	}
+
+	if (counter_idp->id == EFX_MAE_RSRC_ID_INVALID) {
+		rc = EINVAL;
+		goto fail4;
+	}
+
+	spec->ema_rsrc.emar_counter_id.id = counter_idp->id;
+
+	return (0);
+
 fail4:
 	EFSYS_PROBE(fail4);
 fail3:
diff --git a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/version.map b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/version.map
index 622f5d4cf5..0c5bcdfa84 100644
--- a/drivers/common/sfc_efx/version.map
+++ b/drivers/common/sfc_efx/version.map
@@ -89,8 +89,11 @@ INTERNAL {
 	efx_mae_action_rule_insert;
 	efx_mae_action_rule_remove;
 	efx_mae_action_set_alloc;
+	efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_counter_id;
 	efx_mae_action_set_fill_in_eh_id;
 	efx_mae_action_set_free;
+	efx_mae_action_set_get_nb_count;
+	efx_mae_action_set_populate_count;
 	efx_mae_action_set_populate_decap;
 	efx_mae_action_set_populate_deliver;
 	efx_mae_action_set_populate_drop;
