diff --git a/doc/guides/sample_app_ug/l3_forward.rst b/doc/guides/sample_app_ug/l3_forward.rst
index 6a6b8fb..668b7d0 100644
--- a/doc/guides/sample_app_ug/l3_forward.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/sample_app_ug/l3_forward.rst
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ The application has a number of command line options::
                              [--hash-entry-num]
                              [--ipv6]
                              [--parse-ptype]
+                             [--nb-rxd]
+                             [--nb-txd]
+                             [--rx-free-thresh]
+                             [--tx-free-thresh]
+                             [--tx-rs-thresh]
 
 Where,
 
@@ -129,6 +134,16 @@ Where,
 
 * ``--parse-ptype:`` Optional, set to use software to analyze packet type. Without this option, hardware will check the packet type.
 
+* ``--nb-rxd:`` Optional, specifies the number of Rx queue discriptors in decimal.
+
+* ``--nb-txd:`` Optional, specifies the number of Tx queue discriptors in decimal.
+
+* ``--rx-free-thresh:`` Optional, specifies the number of Rx free threshold in decimal.
+
+* ``--tx-free-thresh:`` Optional, specifies the number of Tx free threshold in decimal.
+
+* ``--tx-rs-thresh:`` Optional, specifies the number of Tx RS bit threshold in decimal.
+
 For example, consider a dual processor socket platform with 8 physical cores, where cores 0-7 and 16-23 appear on socket 0,
 while cores 8-15 and 24-31 appear on socket 1.
 
diff --git a/examples/l3fwd/main.c b/examples/l3fwd/main.c
index 81995fd..bafac29 100644
--- a/examples/l3fwd/main.c
+++ b/examples/l3fwd/main.c
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
  */
 #define RTE_TEST_RX_DESC_DEFAULT 128
 #define RTE_TEST_TX_DESC_DEFAULT 512
+#define RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET -1
 
 #define MAX_TX_QUEUE_PER_PORT RTE_MAX_ETHPORTS
 #define MAX_RX_QUEUE_PER_PORT 128
@@ -92,6 +93,9 @@
 /* Static global variables used within this file. */
 static uint16_t nb_rxd = RTE_TEST_RX_DESC_DEFAULT;
 static uint16_t nb_txd = RTE_TEST_TX_DESC_DEFAULT;
+static int16_t rx_free_thresh = RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET;
+static int16_t tx_free_thresh = RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET;
+static int16_t tx_rs_thresh = RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET;
 
 /**< Ports set in promiscuous mode off by default. */
 static int promiscuous_on;
@@ -320,7 +324,12 @@ print_usage(const char *prgname)
 		" [--no-numa]"
 		" [--hash-entry-num]"
 		" [--ipv6]"
-		" [--parse-ptype]\n\n"
+		" [--parse-ptype]"
+		" [--nb-rxd]"
+		" [--nb-txd]"
+		" [--rx-free-thresh]"
+		" [--tx-free-thresh]"
+		" [--tx-rs-thresh]\n\n"
 
 		"  -p PORTMASK: Hexadecimal bitmask of ports to configure\n"
 		"  -P : Enable promiscuous mode\n"
@@ -334,7 +343,12 @@ print_usage(const char *prgname)
 		"  --no-numa: Disable numa awareness\n"
 		"  --hash-entry-num: Specify the hash entry number in hexadecimal to be setup\n"
 		"  --ipv6: Set if running ipv6 packets\n"
-		"  --parse-ptype: Set to use software to analyze packet type\n\n",
+		"  --parse-ptype: Set to use software to analyze packet type\n\n"
+		"  --nb-rxd: Set number of descriptors of Rx queue\n"
+		"  --nb-txd: Set number of descriptors of Tx queue\n"
+		"  --rx-free-thresh: Set value of Rx free threshold\n"
+		"  --tx-free-thresh: Set value of Tx free threshold\n"
+		"  --tx-rs-thresh: Set value of Tx RS bit threshold\n\n",
 		prgname);
 }
 
@@ -389,6 +403,91 @@ parse_hash_entry_number(const char *hash_entry_num)
 }
 
 static int
+parse_nb_rxd(const char *nb_rxd_c)
+{
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned int nb_rxd_t;
+
+	/* parse hexadecimal string */
+	nb_rxd_t = strtoul(nb_rxd_c, &end, 10);
+	if ((nb_rxd_c[0] == '\0') || (end == NULL) || (*end != '\0'))
+		return -1;
+
+	if (nb_rxd_t == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return nb_rxd_t;
+}
+
+static int
+parse_nb_txd(const char *nb_txd_c)
+{
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned int nb_txd_t;
+
+	/* parse hexadecimal string */
+	nb_txd_t = strtoul(nb_txd_c, &end, 10);
+	if ((nb_txd_c[0] == '\0') || (end == NULL) || (*end != '\0'))
+		return -1;
+
+	if (nb_txd_t == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return nb_txd_t;
+}
+
+static int
+parse_rx_free_thresh(const char *rx_free_thresh_c)
+{
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned int rx_free_thresh_t;
+
+	/* parse hexadecimal string */
+	rx_free_thresh_t = strtoul(rx_free_thresh_c, &end, 10);
+	if ((rx_free_thresh_c[0] == '\0') || (end == NULL) || (*end != '\0'))
+		return -1;
+
+	if (rx_free_thresh_t == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return rx_free_thresh_t;
+}
+
+static int
+parse_tx_free_thresh(const char *tx_free_thresh_c)
+{
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned int tx_free_thresh_t;
+
+	/* parse hexadecimal string */
+	tx_free_thresh_t = strtoul(tx_free_thresh_c, &end, 10);
+	if ((tx_free_thresh_c[0] == '\0') || (end == NULL) || (*end != '\0'))
+		return -1;
+
+	if (tx_free_thresh_t == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return tx_free_thresh_t;
+}
+
+static int
+parse_tx_rs_thresh(const char *tx_rs_thresh_c)
+{
+	char *end = NULL;
+	unsigned int tx_rs_thresh_t;
+
+	/* parse hexadecimal string */
+	tx_rs_thresh_t = strtoul(tx_rs_thresh_c, &end, 10);
+	if ((tx_rs_thresh_c[0] == '\0') || (end == NULL) || (*end != '\0'))
+		return -1;
+
+	if (tx_rs_thresh_t == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return tx_rs_thresh_t;
+}
+
+static int
 parse_config(const char *q_arg)
 {
 	char s[256];
@@ -487,6 +586,11 @@ static const char short_options[] =
 #define CMD_LINE_OPT_ENABLE_JUMBO "enable-jumbo"
 #define CMD_LINE_OPT_HASH_ENTRY_NUM "hash-entry-num"
 #define CMD_LINE_OPT_PARSE_PTYPE "parse-ptype"
+#define CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_RXD "nb-rxd"
+#define CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_TXD "nb-txd"
+#define CMD_LINE_OPT_RX_FREE_THRESH "rx-free-thresh"
+#define CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_FREE_THRESH "tx-free-thresh"
+#define CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_RS_THRESH "tx-rs-thresh"
 enum {
 	/* long options mapped to a short option */
 
@@ -500,6 +604,11 @@ enum {
 	CMD_LINE_OPT_ENABLE_JUMBO_NUM,
 	CMD_LINE_OPT_HASH_ENTRY_NUM_NUM,
 	CMD_LINE_OPT_PARSE_PTYPE_NUM,
+	CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_RXD_NUM,
+	CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_TXD_NUM,
+	CMD_LINE_OPT_RX_FREE_THRESH_NUM,
+	CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_FREE_THRESH_NUM,
+	CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_RS_THRESH_NUM,
 };
 
 static const struct option lgopts[] = {
@@ -510,6 +619,11 @@ static const struct option lgopts[] = {
 	{CMD_LINE_OPT_ENABLE_JUMBO, 0, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_ENABLE_JUMBO_NUM},
 	{CMD_LINE_OPT_HASH_ENTRY_NUM, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_HASH_ENTRY_NUM_NUM},
 	{CMD_LINE_OPT_PARSE_PTYPE, 0, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_PARSE_PTYPE_NUM},
+	{CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_RXD, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_RXD_NUM},
+	{CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_TXD, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_TXD_NUM},
+	{CMD_LINE_OPT_RX_FREE_THRESH, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_RX_FREE_THRESH_NUM},
+	{CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_FREE_THRESH, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_FREE_THRESH_NUM},
+	{CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_RS_THRESH, 1, 0, CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_RS_THRESH_NUM},
 	{NULL, 0, 0, 0}
 };
 
@@ -554,6 +668,11 @@ parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
 	const char *str12 =
 		"L3FWD: LPM and EM are mutually exclusive, select only one";
 	const char *str13 = "L3FWD: LPM or EM none selected, default LPM on";
+	const char *str14 = "L3FWD: Invalid Rx descriptors number";
+	const char *str15 = "L3FWD: Invalid Tx descriptors number";
+	const char *str16 = "L3FWD: Invalid Rx free threshold value";
+	const char *str17 = "L3FWD: Invalid Tx free threshold value";
+	const char *str18 = "L3FWD: Invalid Tx RS bit threshold value";
 
 	while ((opt = getopt_long(argc, argvopt, short_options,
 				lgopts, &option_index)) != EOF) {
@@ -652,6 +771,61 @@ parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
 			parse_ptype = 1;
 			break;
 
+		case CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_RXD_NUM:
+			ret = parse_nb_rxd(optarg);
+			if (ret > 0)
+				nb_rxd = ret;
+			else{
+				printf("%s\n", str14);
+				print_usage(prgname);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			break;
+
+		case CMD_LINE_OPT_NB_TXD_NUM:
+			ret = parse_nb_txd(optarg);
+			if (ret > 0)
+				nb_txd = ret;
+			else{
+				printf("%s\n", str15);
+				print_usage(prgname);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			break;
+
+		case CMD_LINE_OPT_RX_FREE_THRESH_NUM:
+			ret = parse_rx_free_thresh(optarg);
+			if (ret > 0)
+				rx_free_thresh = ret;
+			else{
+				printf("%s\n", str16);
+				print_usage(prgname);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			break;
+
+		case CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_FREE_THRESH_NUM:
+			ret = parse_tx_free_thresh(optarg);
+			if (ret > 0)
+				tx_free_thresh = ret;
+			else{
+				printf("%s\n", str17);
+				print_usage(prgname);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			break;
+
+		case CMD_LINE_OPT_TX_RS_THRESH_NUM:
+			ret = parse_tx_rs_thresh(optarg);
+			if (ret > 0)
+				tx_rs_thresh = ret;
+			else{
+				printf("%s\n", str18);
+				print_usage(prgname);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			break;
+
 		default:
 			print_usage(prgname);
 			return -1;
@@ -894,6 +1068,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* initialize all ports */
 	for (portid = 0; portid < nb_ports; portid++) {
+		rte_eth_dev_info_get(portid, &dev_info);
+
+		if (rx_free_thresh != RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET)
+			dev_info.default_rxconf.rx_free_thresh = rx_free_thresh;
+
+		if (tx_free_thresh != RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET)
+			dev_info.default_txconf.tx_free_thresh = tx_free_thresh;
+
+		if (tx_rs_thresh != RTE_PMD_PARAM_UNSET)
+			dev_info.default_txconf.tx_rs_thresh = tx_rs_thresh;
+	}
+
+	for (portid = 0; portid < nb_ports; portid++) {
 		/* skip ports that are not enabled */
 		if ((enabled_port_mask & (1 << portid)) == 0) {
 			printf("\nSkipping disabled port %d\n", portid);
