diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
index 91c6449bb..90f4fed31 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
@@ -378,6 +378,65 @@ vhost_user_sock(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void
+virtio_user_set_block(int fd, bool enabled)
+{
+	int f;
+
+	f = fcntl(fd, F_GETFL);
+	if (enabled)
+		fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, f & ~O_NONBLOCK);
+	else
+		fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, f | O_NONBLOCK);
+}
+
+#define MAX_VIRTIO_USER_BACKLOG 128
+static int
+virtio_user_start_server(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, struct sockaddr_un *un)
+{
+	int ret;
+	int fd = dev->listenfd;
+	int connectfd;
+
+	ret = bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)un, sizeof(*un));
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "failed to bind to %s: %s; remove it and try again\n",
+			    dev->path, strerror(errno));
+		goto err;
+	}
+	ret = listen(fd, MAX_VIRTIO_USER_BACKLOG);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto err;
+
+	virtio_user_set_block(fd, true);
+	PMD_DRV_LOG(NOTICE, "virtio user server mode is waiting for connection from vhost user.");
+	while (1) {
+		connectfd = accept(fd, NULL, NULL);
+		if (connectfd >= 0) {
+			dev->connected = true;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	dev->vhostfd = connectfd;
+	virtio_user_set_block(connectfd, true);
+
+	return 0;
+err:
+	close(dev->epoll_fd);
+	close(dev->listenfd);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+static __attribute__((noreturn)) void *
+event_dispatch(void *arg)
+{
+	struct virtio_user_dev *dev = arg;
+
+	while (1)
+		rte_epoll_wait(dev->epoll_fd, &dev->rte_epoll_ev, 128, -1);
+}
+
 /**
  * Set up environment to talk with a vhost user backend.
  *
@@ -390,6 +449,7 @@ vhost_user_setup(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
 	int fd;
 	int flag;
+	int ret;
 	struct sockaddr_un un;
 
 	fd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
@@ -405,13 +465,39 @@ vhost_user_setup(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 	memset(&un, 0, sizeof(un));
 	un.sun_family = AF_UNIX;
 	snprintf(un.sun_path, sizeof(un.sun_path), "%s", dev->path);
-	if (connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&un, sizeof(un)) < 0) {
-		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "connect error, %s", strerror(errno));
-		close(fd);
-		return -1;
+
+	if (dev->is_server) {
+		static pthread_t fdset_tid;
+
+		dev->listenfd = fd;
+		dev->epoll_fd = rte_intr_tls_epfd();
+		if (dev->epoll_fd < 0) {
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Can't create epoll file descriptor");
+			return -1;
+		}
+		virtio_user_set_block(dev->epoll_fd, true);
+		if (fdset_tid == 0) {
+			ret = pthread_create(&fdset_tid, NULL, event_dispatch,
+					     dev);
+			if (ret < 0) {
+				PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "failed to create fdset handling thread");
+				close(fd);
+				close(dev->epoll_fd);
+				return -1;
+			}
+		}
+		return virtio_user_start_server(dev, &un);
+
+	} else {
+		dev->vhostfd = fd;
+		if (connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&un, sizeof(un)) < 0) {
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "connect error, %s", strerror(errno));
+			close(fd);
+			return -1;
+		}
+		dev->connected = true;
 	}
 
-	dev->vhostfd = fd;
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
index f90fee9e5..1430b7cbd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ int virtio_user_stop_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
 	uint32_t i;
 
+	if (!dev->connected)
+		return -1;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->max_queue_pairs; ++i)
 		dev->ops->enable_qp(dev, i, 0);
 
@@ -267,21 +270,27 @@ virtio_user_dev_setup(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 	dev->vhostfds = NULL;
 	dev->tapfds = NULL;
 
-	if (is_vhost_user_by_type(dev->path)) {
-		dev->ops = &ops_user;
+	if (dev->is_server) {
+		dev->ops = &ops_user;/* server mode only supports vhost user */
 	} else {
-		dev->ops = &ops_kernel;
-
-		dev->vhostfds = malloc(dev->max_queue_pairs * sizeof(int));
-		dev->tapfds = malloc(dev->max_queue_pairs * sizeof(int));
-		if (!dev->vhostfds || !dev->tapfds) {
-			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "Failed to malloc");
-			return -1;
-		}
-
-		for (q = 0; q < dev->max_queue_pairs; ++q) {
-			dev->vhostfds[q] = -1;
-			dev->tapfds[q] = -1;
+		if (is_vhost_user_by_type(dev->path)) {
+			dev->ops = &ops_user;
+		} else {
+			dev->ops = &ops_kernel;
+
+			dev->vhostfds = malloc(dev->max_queue_pairs *
+					       sizeof(int));
+			dev->tapfds = malloc(dev->max_queue_pairs *
+					     sizeof(int));
+			if (!dev->vhostfds || !dev->tapfds) {
+				PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "Failed to malloc");
+				return -1;
+			}
+
+			for (q = 0; q < dev->max_queue_pairs; ++q) {
+				dev->vhostfds[q] = -1;
+				dev->tapfds[q] = -1;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -388,6 +397,13 @@ virtio_user_dev_uninit(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 
 	close(dev->vhostfd);
 
+	if (dev->is_server && dev->listenfd >= 0)
+		close(dev->listenfd);
+
+	if (dev->is_server && dev->epoll_fd >= 0)
+		close(dev->epoll_fd);
+
+	dev->connected = false;
 	if (dev->vhostfds) {
 		for (i = 0; i < dev->max_queue_pairs; ++i)
 			close(dev->vhostfds[i]);
@@ -396,6 +412,9 @@ virtio_user_dev_uninit(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 	}
 
 	free(dev->ifname);
+
+	if (dev->is_server)
+		unlink(dev->path);
 }
 
 static uint8_t
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
index 64467b4f9..a8e16d172 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 #define _VIRTIO_USER_DEV_H
 
 #include <limits.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <sys/epoll.h>
+#include <rte_interrupts.h>
 #include "../virtio_pci.h"
 #include "../virtio_ring.h"
 #include "vhost.h"
@@ -13,6 +16,14 @@
 struct virtio_user_dev {
 	/* for vhost_user backend */
 	int		vhostfd;
+	int		listenfd;   /* listening fd  */
+	bool		connected;  /* connection status */
+
+	int		epoll_fd;
+	struct rte_epoll_event rte_epoll_ev;
+
+	/* support for server/clinet mode */
+	bool		is_server;
 
 	/* for vhost_kernel backend */
 	char		*ifname;
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user_ethdev.c
index 263649006..e60542de5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user_ethdev.c
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ virtio_user_read_dev_config(struct virtio_hw *hw, size_t offset,
 			r = recv(dev->vhostfd, buf, 128, MSG_PEEK);
 			if (r == 0 || (r < 0 && errno != EAGAIN)) {
 				dev->status &= (~VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP);
-				PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "virtio-user port %u is down",
-					    hw->port_id);
+
 				/* Only client mode is available now. Once the
 				 * connection is broken, it can never be up
 				 * again. Besides, this function could be called
@@ -74,9 +73,15 @@ virtio_user_read_dev_config(struct virtio_hw *hw, size_t offset,
 				 * callback cannot be unregistered here, set an
 				 * alarm to do it.
 				 */
-				rte_eal_alarm_set(1,
+				if (dev->connected) {
+					dev->connected = false;
+					PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "virtio-user port %u is down",
+						    hw->port_id);
+					rte_eal_alarm_set(1,
 						  virtio_user_delayed_handler,
 						  (void *)hw);
+					hw->started = 0;
+				}
 			} else {
 				dev->status |= VIRTIO_NET_S_LINK_UP;
 			}
@@ -278,12 +283,15 @@ static const char *valid_args[] = {
 	VIRTIO_USER_ARG_QUEUE_SIZE,
 #define VIRTIO_USER_ARG_INTERFACE_NAME "iface"
 	VIRTIO_USER_ARG_INTERFACE_NAME,
+#define VIRTIO_USER_ARG_SERVER_MODE "server"
+	VIRTIO_USER_ARG_SERVER_MODE,
 	NULL
 };
 
 #define VIRTIO_USER_DEF_CQ_EN	0
 #define VIRTIO_USER_DEF_Q_NUM	1
 #define VIRTIO_USER_DEF_Q_SZ	256
+#define VIRTIO_USER_DEF_SERVER_MODE	0
 
 static int
 get_string_arg(const char *key __rte_unused,
@@ -365,6 +373,49 @@ virtio_user_eth_dev_free(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	rte_eth_dev_release_port(eth_dev);
 }
 
+static void
+virtio_user_server_reconnection(int fd, void *dat)
+{
+	int ret;
+	int flag;
+	int connectfd;
+	struct virtio_user_dev *dev = dat;
+	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = &rte_eth_devices[dev->port_id];
+	struct virtio_hw *hw = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
+
+	if (dev->connected)
+		return;
+
+	connectfd = accept(fd, NULL, NULL);
+	if (connectfd < 0)
+		return;
+
+	if (dev->vhostfd >= 0)
+		close(dev->vhostfd);
+
+	dev->vhostfd = connectfd;
+	flag = fcntl(connectfd, F_GETFD);
+	fcntl(connectfd, F_SETFL, flag & ~O_NONBLOCK);
+
+	ret = virtio_user_start_device(dev);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return;
+
+	if (eth_dev->data->dev_flags & RTE_ETH_DEV_INTR_LSC) {
+		eth_dev->intr_handle->fd = connectfd;
+		rte_intr_callback_register(eth_dev->intr_handle,
+					   virtio_interrupt_handler, eth_dev);
+
+		if (rte_intr_enable(eth_dev->intr_handle) < 0) {
+			PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "interrupt enable failed");
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+	hw->started = 1;
+	dev->connected = true;
+	PMD_INIT_LOG(NOTICE, "virtio user server reconnection succeeds!");
+}
 /* Dev initialization routine. Invoked once for each virtio vdev at
  * EAL init time, see rte_bus_probe().
  * Returns 0 on success.
@@ -378,10 +429,12 @@ virtio_user_pmd_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 	uint64_t queues = VIRTIO_USER_DEF_Q_NUM;
 	uint64_t cq = VIRTIO_USER_DEF_CQ_EN;
 	uint64_t queue_size = VIRTIO_USER_DEF_Q_SZ;
+	uint64_t server_mode = VIRTIO_USER_DEF_SERVER_MODE;
 	char *path = NULL;
 	char *ifname = NULL;
 	char *mac_addr = NULL;
 	int ret = -1;
+	struct virtio_user_dev *vu_dev = NULL;
 
 	kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(rte_vdev_device_args(dev), valid_args);
 	if (!kvlist) {
@@ -445,6 +498,15 @@ virtio_user_pmd_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (rte_kvargs_count(kvlist, VIRTIO_USER_ARG_SERVER_MODE) == 1) {
+		if (rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, VIRTIO_USER_ARG_SERVER_MODE,
+				       &get_integer_arg, &server_mode) < 0) {
+			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "error to parse %s",
+				     VIRTIO_USER_ARG_SERVER_MODE);
+			goto end;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (rte_kvargs_count(kvlist, VIRTIO_USER_ARG_CQ_NUM) == 1) {
 		if (rte_kvargs_process(kvlist, VIRTIO_USER_ARG_CQ_NUM,
 				       &get_integer_arg, &cq) < 0) {
@@ -476,6 +538,11 @@ virtio_user_pmd_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 		}
 
 		hw = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
+		vu_dev = virtio_user_get_dev(hw);
+		if (server_mode == 1)
+			vu_dev->is_server = true;
+		else
+			vu_dev->is_server = false;
 		if (virtio_user_dev_init(hw->virtio_user_dev, path, queues, cq,
 				 queue_size, mac_addr, &ifname) < 0) {
 			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "virtio_user_dev_init fails");
@@ -488,6 +555,16 @@ virtio_user_pmd_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 			goto end;
 	}
 
+	if (vu_dev->is_server) {
+		vu_dev->rte_epoll_ev.epdata.event = EPOLLIN | EPOLLET;
+		vu_dev->rte_epoll_ev.epdata.cb_fun = virtio_user_server_reconnection;
+		vu_dev->rte_epoll_ev.epdata.cb_arg = vu_dev;
+		ret = rte_epoll_ctl(vu_dev->epoll_fd, EPOLL_CTL_ADD,
+				    vu_dev->listenfd, &vu_dev->rte_epoll_ev);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto end;
+	}
+
 	/* previously called by rte_pci_probe() for physical dev */
 	if (eth_virtio_dev_init(eth_dev) < 0) {
 		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "eth_virtio_dev_init fails");
