diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
index b704f5a..f98622f 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
 #include <rte_log.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "eal_private.h"
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
@@ -60,13 +61,32 @@ struct mp_msg_internal {
 	struct rte_mp_msg msg;
 };
 
+struct async_request_param {
+	rte_mp_async_reply_t clb;
+	struct rte_mp_reply user_reply;
+	struct timespec end;
+	int n_responses_processed;
+};
+
 struct pending_request {
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(pending_request) next;
-	int reply_received;
+	enum {
+		REQUEST_TYPE_SYNC,
+		REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC
+	} type;
 	char dst[PATH_MAX];
 	struct rte_mp_msg *request;
 	struct rte_mp_msg *reply;
-	pthread_cond_t cond;
+	int reply_received;
+	RTE_STD_C11
+	union {
+		struct {
+			struct async_request_param *param;
+		} async;
+		struct {
+			pthread_cond_t cond;
+		} sync;
+	};
 };
 
 TAILQ_HEAD(pending_request_list, pending_request);
@@ -74,9 +94,12 @@ TAILQ_HEAD(pending_request_list, pending_request);
 static struct {
 	struct pending_request_list requests;
 	pthread_mutex_t lock;
+	pthread_cond_t async_cond;
 } pending_requests = {
 	.requests = TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(pending_requests.requests),
-	.lock = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER
+	.lock = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER,
+	.async_cond = PTHREAD_COND_INITIALIZER
+	/**< used in async requests only */
 };
 
 /* forward declarations */
@@ -273,7 +296,12 @@ process_msg(struct mp_msg_internal *m, struct sockaddr_un *s)
 			memcpy(sync_req->reply, msg, sizeof(*msg));
 			/* -1 indicates that we've been asked to ignore */
 			sync_req->reply_received = m->type == MP_REP ? 1 : -1;
-			pthread_cond_signal(&sync_req->cond);
+
+			if (sync_req->type == REQUEST_TYPE_SYNC)
+				pthread_cond_signal(&sync_req->sync.cond);
+			else if (sync_req->type == REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC)
+				pthread_cond_signal(
+					&pending_requests.async_cond);
 		} else
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Drop mp reply: %s\n", msg->name);
 		pthread_mutex_unlock(&pending_requests.lock);
@@ -320,6 +348,189 @@ mp_handle(void *arg __rte_unused)
 }
 
 static int
+timespec_cmp(const struct timespec *a, const struct timespec *b)
+{
+	if (a->tv_sec < b->tv_sec)
+		return -1;
+	if (a->tv_sec > b->tv_sec)
+		return 1;
+	if (a->tv_nsec < b->tv_nsec)
+		return -1;
+	if (a->tv_nsec > b->tv_nsec)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+enum async_action {
+	ACTION_NONE, /**< don't do anything */
+	ACTION_FREE, /**< free the action entry, but don't trigger callback */
+	ACTION_TRIGGER /**< trigger callback, then free action entry */
+};
+
+static enum async_action
+process_async_request(struct pending_request *sr, const struct timespec *now)
+{
+	struct async_request_param *param;
+	struct rte_mp_reply *reply;
+	bool timeout, received, last_msg;
+
+	param = sr->async.param;
+	reply = &param->user_reply;
+
+	/* did we timeout? */
+	timeout = timespec_cmp(&param->end, now) <= 0;
+
+	/* did we receive a response? */
+	received = sr->reply_received != 0;
+
+	/* if we didn't time out, and we didn't receive a response, ignore */
+	if (!timeout && !received)
+		return ACTION_NONE;
+
+	/* if we received a response, adjust relevant data and copy mesasge. */
+	if (sr->reply_received == 1 && sr->reply) {
+		struct rte_mp_msg *msg, *user_msgs, *tmp;
+
+		msg = sr->reply;
+		user_msgs = reply->msgs;
+
+		tmp = realloc(user_msgs, sizeof(*msg) *
+				(reply->nb_received + 1));
+		if (!tmp) {
+			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Fail to alloc reply for request %s:%s\n",
+				sr->dst, sr->request->name);
+			/* this entry is going to be removed and its message
+			 * dropped, but we don't want to leak memory, so
+			 * continue.
+			 */
+		} else {
+			user_msgs = tmp;
+			reply->msgs = user_msgs;
+			memcpy(&user_msgs[reply->nb_received],
+					msg, sizeof(*msg));
+			reply->nb_received++;
+		}
+
+		/* mark this request as processed */
+		param->n_responses_processed++;
+	} else if (sr->reply_received == -1) {
+		/* we were asked to ignore this process */
+		reply->nb_sent--;
+	}
+	free(sr->reply);
+
+	last_msg = param->n_responses_processed == reply->nb_sent;
+
+	return last_msg ? ACTION_TRIGGER : ACTION_FREE;
+}
+
+static void
+trigger_async_action(struct pending_request *sr)
+{
+	struct async_request_param *param;
+	struct rte_mp_reply *reply;
+
+	param = sr->async.param;
+	reply = &param->user_reply;
+
+	param->clb(sr->request, reply);
+
+	/* clean up */
+	free(sr->async.param->user_reply.msgs);
+	free(sr->async.param);
+	free(sr->request);
+}
+
+static void *
+async_reply_handle(void *arg __rte_unused)
+{
+	struct pending_request *sr;
+	struct timeval now;
+	struct timespec timeout, ts_now;
+	while (1) {
+		struct pending_request *trigger = NULL;
+		int ret;
+		bool nowait = false;
+		bool timedwait = false;
+
+		pthread_mutex_lock(&pending_requests.lock);
+
+		/* scan through the list and see if there are any timeouts that
+		 * are earlier than our current timeout.
+		 */
+		TAILQ_FOREACH(sr, &pending_requests.requests, next) {
+			if (sr->type != REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC)
+				continue;
+			if (!timedwait || timespec_cmp(&sr->async.param->end,
+					&timeout) < 0) {
+				memcpy(&timeout, &sr->async.param->end,
+					sizeof(timeout));
+				timedwait = true;
+			}
+
+			/* sometimes, we don't even wait */
+			if (sr->reply_received) {
+				nowait = true;
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (nowait)
+			ret = 0;
+		else if (timedwait)
+			ret = pthread_cond_timedwait(
+					&pending_requests.async_cond,
+					&pending_requests.lock, &timeout);
+		else
+			ret = pthread_cond_wait(&pending_requests.async_cond,
+					&pending_requests.lock);
+
+		if (gettimeofday(&now, NULL) < 0) {
+			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Cannot get current time\n");
+			break;
+		}
+		ts_now.tv_nsec = now.tv_usec * 1000;
+		ts_now.tv_sec = now.tv_sec;
+
+		if (ret == 0 || ret == ETIMEDOUT) {
+			struct pending_request *next;
+			/* we've either been woken up, or we timed out */
+
+			/* we have still the lock, check if anything needs
+			 * processing.
+			 */
+			TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(sr, &pending_requests.requests, next,
+					next) {
+				enum async_action action;
+				if (sr->type != REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC)
+					continue;
+
+				action = process_async_request(sr, &ts_now);
+				if (action == ACTION_FREE) {
+					TAILQ_REMOVE(&pending_requests.requests,
+							sr, next);
+					free(sr);
+				} else if (action == ACTION_TRIGGER &&
+						trigger == NULL) {
+					TAILQ_REMOVE(&pending_requests.requests,
+							sr, next);
+					trigger = sr;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&pending_requests.lock);
+		if (trigger) {
+			trigger_async_action(trigger);
+			free(trigger);
+		}
+	};
+
+	RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "ERROR: asynchronous requests disabled\n");
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static int
 open_socket_fd(void)
 {
 	char peer_name[PATH_MAX] = {0};
@@ -382,7 +593,7 @@ rte_mp_channel_init(void)
 	char thread_name[RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN];
 	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	int dir_fd;
-	pthread_t tid;
+	pthread_t mp_handle_tid, async_reply_handle_tid;
 
 	/* create filter path */
 	create_socket_path("*", path, sizeof(path));
@@ -419,7 +630,16 @@ rte_mp_channel_init(void)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (pthread_create(&tid, NULL, mp_handle, NULL) < 0) {
+	if (pthread_create(&mp_handle_tid, NULL, mp_handle, NULL) < 0) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "failed to create mp thead: %s\n",
+			strerror(errno));
+		close(mp_fd);
+		mp_fd = -1;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (pthread_create(&async_reply_handle_tid, NULL,
+			async_reply_handle, NULL) < 0) {
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "failed to create mp thead: %s\n",
 			strerror(errno));
 		close(mp_fd);
@@ -430,7 +650,11 @@ rte_mp_channel_init(void)
 
 	/* try best to set thread name */
 	snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "rte_mp_handle");
-	rte_thread_setname(tid, thread_name);
+	rte_thread_setname(mp_handle_tid, thread_name);
+
+	/* try best to set thread name */
+	snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "rte_mp_async_handle");
+	rte_thread_setname(async_reply_handle_tid, thread_name);
 
 	/* unlock the directory */
 	flock(dir_fd, LOCK_UN);
@@ -602,18 +826,77 @@ rte_mp_sendmsg(struct rte_mp_msg *msg)
 }
 
 static int
-mp_request_one(const char *dst, struct rte_mp_msg *req,
+mp_request_async(const char *dst, struct rte_mp_msg *req,
+		struct async_request_param *param)
+{
+	struct rte_mp_msg *reply_msg;
+	struct pending_request *sync_req, *exist;
+	int ret;
+
+	sync_req = malloc(sizeof(*sync_req));
+	reply_msg = malloc(sizeof(*reply_msg));
+	if (sync_req == NULL || reply_msg == NULL) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Could not allocate space for sync request\n");
+		rte_errno = ENOMEM;
+		ret = -1;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
+	memset(sync_req, 0, sizeof(*sync_req));
+	memset(reply_msg, 0, sizeof(*reply_msg));
+
+	sync_req->type = REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC;
+	strcpy(sync_req->dst, dst);
+	sync_req->request = req;
+	sync_req->reply = reply_msg;
+	sync_req->async.param = param;
+
+	/* queue already locked by caller */
+
+	exist = find_sync_request(dst, req->name);
+	if (!exist) {
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pending_requests.requests, sync_req, next);
+	} else {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "A pending request %s:%s\n", dst, req->name);
+		rte_errno = EEXIST;
+		ret = -1;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
+	ret = send_msg(dst, req, MP_REQ);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Fail to send request %s:%s\n",
+			dst, req->name);
+		ret = -1;
+		goto fail;
+	} else if (ret == 0) {
+		ret = 0;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
+	param->user_reply.nb_sent++;
+
+	return 0;
+fail:
+	free(sync_req);
+	free(reply_msg);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int
+mp_request_sync(const char *dst, struct rte_mp_msg *req,
 	       struct rte_mp_reply *reply, const struct timespec *ts)
 {
 	int ret;
 	struct rte_mp_msg msg, *tmp;
 	struct pending_request sync_req, *exist;
 
+	sync_req.type = REQUEST_TYPE_SYNC;
 	sync_req.reply_received = 0;
 	strcpy(sync_req.dst, dst);
 	sync_req.request = req;
 	sync_req.reply = &msg;
-	pthread_cond_init(&sync_req.cond, NULL);
+	pthread_cond_init(&sync_req.sync.cond, NULL);
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&pending_requests.lock);
 	exist = find_sync_request(dst, req->name);
@@ -637,7 +920,7 @@ mp_request_one(const char *dst, struct rte_mp_msg *req,
 	reply->nb_sent++;
 
 	do {
-		ret = pthread_cond_timedwait(&sync_req.cond,
+		ret = pthread_cond_timedwait(&sync_req.sync.cond,
 				&pending_requests.lock, ts);
 	} while (ret != 0 && ret != ETIMEDOUT);
 
@@ -703,7 +986,7 @@ rte_mp_request_sync(struct rte_mp_msg *req, struct rte_mp_reply *reply,
 
 	/* for secondary process, send request to the primary process only */
 	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_SECONDARY)
-		return mp_request_one(eal_mp_socket_path(), req, reply, &end);
+		return mp_request_sync(eal_mp_socket_path(), req, reply, &end);
 
 	/* for primary process, broadcast request, and collect reply 1 by 1 */
 	mp_dir = opendir(mp_dir_path);
@@ -732,7 +1015,7 @@ rte_mp_request_sync(struct rte_mp_msg *req, struct rte_mp_reply *reply,
 		snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", mp_dir_path,
 			 ent->d_name);
 
-		if (mp_request_one(path, req, reply, &end))
+		if (mp_request_sync(path, req, reply, &end))
 			ret = -1;
 	}
 	/* unlock the directory */
@@ -744,9 +1027,158 @@ rte_mp_request_sync(struct rte_mp_msg *req, struct rte_mp_reply *reply,
 }
 
 int __rte_experimental
-rte_mp_reply(struct rte_mp_msg *msg, const char *peer)
+rte_mp_request_async(struct rte_mp_msg *req, const struct timespec *ts,
+		rte_mp_async_reply_t clb)
 {
+	struct rte_mp_msg *copy;
+	struct pending_request *dummy;
+	struct async_request_param *param;
+	struct rte_mp_reply *reply;
+	int dir_fd, ret = 0;
+	DIR *mp_dir;
+	struct dirent *ent;
+	struct timeval now;
+	struct timespec *end;
+	bool dummy_used = false;
+
+	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "request: %s\n", req->name);
+
+	if (check_input(req) == false)
+		return -1;
+	if (gettimeofday(&now, NULL) < 0) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Faile to get current time\n");
+		rte_errno = errno;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	copy = malloc(sizeof(*copy));
+	dummy = malloc(sizeof(*dummy));
+	param = malloc(sizeof(*param));
+	if (copy == NULL || dummy == NULL || param == NULL) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Failed to allocate memory for async reply\n");
+		rte_errno = ENOMEM;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
+	memset(copy, 0, sizeof(*copy));
+	memset(dummy, 0, sizeof(*dummy));
+	memset(param, 0, sizeof(*param));
+
+	/* copy message */
+	memcpy(copy, req, sizeof(*copy));
+
+	param->n_responses_processed = 0;
+	param->clb = clb;
+	end = &param->end;
+	reply = &param->user_reply;
+
+	end->tv_nsec = (now.tv_usec * 1000 + ts->tv_nsec) % 1000000000;
+	end->tv_sec = now.tv_sec + ts->tv_sec +
+			(now.tv_usec * 1000 + ts->tv_nsec) / 1000000000;
+	reply->nb_sent = 0;
+	reply->nb_received = 0;
+	reply->msgs = NULL;
+
+	/* we have to lock the request queue here, as we will be adding a bunch
+	 * of requests to the queue at once, and some of the replies may arrive
+	 * before we add all of the requests to the queue.
+	 */
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&pending_requests.lock);
 
+	/* we have to ensure that callback gets triggered even if we don't send
+	 * anything, therefore earlier we have allocated a dummy request. fill
+	 * it, and put it on the queue if we don't send any requests.
+	 */
+	dummy->type = REQUEST_TYPE_ASYNC;
+	dummy->request = copy;
+	dummy->reply = NULL;
+	dummy->async.param = param;
+	dummy->reply_received = 1; /* short-circuit the timeout */
+
+	/* for secondary process, send request to the primary process only */
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_SECONDARY) {
+		ret = mp_request_async(eal_mp_socket_path(), copy, param);
+
+		/* if we didn't send anything, put dummy request on the queue */
+		if (ret == 0 && reply->nb_sent == 0) {
+			TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&pending_requests.requests, dummy,
+					next);
+			dummy_used = true;
+		}
+
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&pending_requests.lock);
+
+		/* if we couldn't send anything, clean up */
+		if (ret != 0)
+			goto fail;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* for primary process, broadcast request */
+	mp_dir = opendir(mp_dir_path);
+	if (!mp_dir) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Unable to open directory %s\n", mp_dir_path);
+		rte_errno = errno;
+		goto unlock_fail;
+	}
+	dir_fd = dirfd(mp_dir);
+
+	/* lock the directory to prevent processes spinning up while we send */
+	if (flock(dir_fd, LOCK_EX)) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Unable to lock directory %s\n",
+			mp_dir_path);
+		rte_errno = errno;
+		goto closedir_fail;
+	}
+
+	while ((ent = readdir(mp_dir))) {
+		char path[PATH_MAX];
+
+		if (fnmatch(mp_filter, ent->d_name, 0) != 0)
+			continue;
+
+		snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", mp_dir_path,
+			 ent->d_name);
+
+		if (mp_request_async(path, copy, param))
+			ret = -1;
+	}
+	/* if we didn't send anything, put dummy request on the queue */
+	if (ret == 0 && reply->nb_sent == 0) {
+		TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&pending_requests.requests, dummy, next);
+		dummy_used = true;
+	}
+
+	/* trigger async request thread wake up */
+	pthread_cond_signal(&pending_requests.async_cond);
+
+	/* finally, unlock the queue */
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&pending_requests.lock);
+
+	/* unlock the directory */
+	flock(dir_fd, LOCK_UN);
+
+	/* dir_fd automatically closed on closedir */
+	closedir(mp_dir);
+
+	/* if dummy was unused, free it */
+	if (!dummy_used)
+		free(dummy);
+
+	return ret;
+closedir_fail:
+	closedir(mp_dir);
+unlock_fail:
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&pending_requests.lock);
+fail:
+	free(dummy);
+	free(param);
+	free(copy);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int __rte_experimental
+rte_mp_reply(struct rte_mp_msg *msg, const char *peer)
+{
 	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "reply: %s\n", msg->name);
 
 	if (check_input(msg) == false)
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal.h
index d1cc89e..b804ff5 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal.h
@@ -230,6 +230,16 @@ struct rte_mp_reply {
 typedef int (*rte_mp_t)(const struct rte_mp_msg *msg, const void *peer);
 
 /**
+ * Asynchronous reply function typedef used by other components.
+ *
+ * As we create socket channel for primary/secondary communication, use
+ * this function typedef to register action for coming responses to asynchronous
+ * requests.
+ */
+typedef int (*rte_mp_async_reply_t)(const struct rte_mp_msg *request,
+		const struct rte_mp_reply *reply);
+
+/**
  * @warning
  * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
  *
@@ -321,6 +331,32 @@ rte_mp_request_sync(struct rte_mp_msg *req, struct rte_mp_reply *reply,
  * @warning
  * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
  *
+ * Send a request to the peer process and expect a reply in a separate callback.
+ *
+ * This function sends a request message to the peer process, and will not
+ * block. Instead, reply will be received in a separate callback.
+ *
+ * @param req
+ *   The req argument contains the customized request message.
+ *
+ * @param ts
+ *   The ts argument specifies how long we can wait for the peer(s) to reply.
+ *
+ * @param clb
+ *   The callback to trigger when all responses for this request have arrived.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *  - On success, return 0.
+ *  - On failure, return -1, and the reason will be stored in rte_errno.
+ */
+int __rte_experimental
+rte_mp_request_async(struct rte_mp_msg *req, const struct timespec *ts,
+		rte_mp_async_reply_t clb);
+
+/**
+ * @warning
+ * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
+ *
  * Send a reply to the peer process.
  *
  * This function will send a reply message in response to a request message
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
index 7b66c73..cb44b0a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_mp_action_unregister;
 	rte_mp_reply;
 	rte_mp_request_sync;
+	rte_mp_request_async;
 	rte_mp_sendmsg;
 	rte_service_attr_get;
 	rte_service_attr_reset_all;
