diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
index 2f0a47a..9b2b0e3 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
@@ -1580,6 +1580,91 @@ group on that device.
    +--------------+---------------------------------+
 
 
+
+Action: ``METADATA``
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Action extracts data from packet into user specified metadata field in pipeline
+for use in downstream processing stages or for propagation to host interface.
+
+The pattern mask is used to define the data which is to be extracted from the
+packet. The mask pattern types defined in the action metadata pattern must
+match the flow pattern definitions up to the last flow item from which data is
+to be extracted.
+
+- Non-terminating by default.
+
+.. _table_rte_flow_action_metadata:
+
+.. table:: METADATA
+
+   +--------------+---------------------------+
+   | Field        | Value                     |
+   +==============+===========================+
+   | ``id``       | Metadata field Identifier |
+   +--------------+---------------------------+
+   | ``pattern``  | Extraction mask pattern   |
+   +--------------+---------------------------+
+
+The example below demonstrates how the extraction mask to extract the source/
+destination IPv4 address, the UDP destination port and and the VxLAN VNI can be
+specified.
+
+.. _table_rte_flow_action_metadata_example:
+
+.. table:: IPv4 VxLAN metadata extraction
+
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | Index | Flow Item Type           | Flow Mask                         |
+   +=======+==========================+===================================+
+   | 0     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETH   | .dst = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00" |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .src = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00" |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .type = RTE_BE16(0x0)             |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 1     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_IPV4  | .src_addr = RTE_BE32(0xffffffff)  |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .dst_addr = RTE_BE32(0xffffffff)  |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 2     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_UDP   | .src_port = RTE_BE16(0x0)         |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .dst_port = RTE_BE16(0xffff)      |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 3     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_VXLAN | .vni = "\xff\xff\xff"             |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 4     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_END   | NULL                              |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+
+If only the VxLAN VNI extraction was required then the extraction mask would be
+as follows.
+
+.. _table_rte_flow_action_metadata_example_2:
+
+.. table::  VxLAN VNI metadata extraction
+
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | Index | Flow Item Type           | Flow Mask                         |
+   +=======+==========================+===================================+
+   | 0     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETH   | .dst = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00" |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .src = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00" |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .type = RTE_BE16(0x0)             |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 1     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_IPV4  | .src_addr = RTE_BE32(0x0)         |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .dst_addr = RTE_BE32(0x0)         |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 2     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_UDP   | .src_port = RTE_BE16(0x0)         |
+   |       |                          +-----------------------------------+
+   |       |                          | .dst_port = RTE_BE16(0x0)         |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 3     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_VXLAN | .vni = "\xff\xff\xff"             |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+   | 4     | RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_END   | NULL                              |
+   +-------+--------------------------+-----------------------------------+
+
 Negative types
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.h b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.h
index 968a23b..f75dee7 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_flow.h
@@ -323,6 +323,13 @@ enum rte_flow_item_type {
 	 * See struct rte_flow_item_geneve.
 	 */
 	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_GENEVE,
+
+	/**
+	 * Matches specified pipeline metadata field.
+	 *
+	 * See struct rte_flow_item_metadata.
+	 */
+	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_METADATA
 };
 
 /**
@@ -815,6 +822,17 @@ static const struct rte_flow_item_geneve rte_flow_item_geneve_mask = {
 #endif
 
 /**
+ * RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_METADATA
+ *
+ * Allow arbitrary pipeline metadata to be used in specification flow pattern
+ */
+struct rte_flow_item_metadata {
+	uint32_t id;		/**< field identifier */
+	uint32_t size;		/**< field size */
+	uint8_t *bytes;		/**< field value */
+};
+
+/**
  * Matching pattern item definition.
  *
  * A pattern is formed by stacking items starting from the lowest protocol
@@ -1266,6 +1284,30 @@ struct rte_flow_action_group {
 };
 
 /**
+ * RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_METADATA
+ *
+ * Action extracts data from packet into specified metadata field in pipeline
+ * for use in downstream processing stages or for propagation to host interface.
+ *
+ * Pattern mask is use to define the extraction data for packet. The mask
+ * pattern types defined in the action metadata pattern must match the flow
+ * pattern definitions up to the last item from which data is to be extracted.
+ *
+ * Non-terminating by default.
+ */
+struct rte_flow_action_metadata {
+	uint32_t id;		/**< field identifier */
+
+	struct rte_flow_action_mask_item {
+		enum rte_flow_item_type type;
+		/**< Flow item type. */
+		const void *mask;
+		/**< Flow item mask. */
+	} *pattern;
+	/** metadata extraction pattern mask specification */
+};
+
+/**
  * Definition of a single action.
  *
  * A list of actions is terminated by a END action.
