diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
index 2860480..8c99fa2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.c
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ mlx5_dev_close(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	priv_special_flow_disable_all(priv);
 	priv_mac_addrs_disable(priv);
 	priv_destroy_hash_rxqs(priv);
-
+	priv_flow_flush(priv, &priv->flows);
 	/* Prevent crashes when queues are still in use. */
 	dev->rx_pkt_burst = removed_rx_burst;
 	dev->tx_pkt_burst = removed_tx_burst;
@@ -884,6 +884,7 @@ mlx5_pci_probe(struct rte_pci_driver *pci_drv, struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev)
 		priv->dev = eth_dev;
 		eth_dev->dev_ops = &mlx5_dev_ops;
 		TAILQ_INIT(&priv->flows);
+		TAILQ_INIT(&priv->ctrl_flows);
 
 		/* Hint libmlx5 to use PMD allocator for data plane resources */
 		struct mlx5dv_ctx_allocators alctr = {
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
index 77413c9..2699917 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <net/if.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <sys/queue.h>
 
 /* Verbs header. */
 /* ISO C doesn't support unnamed structs/unions, disabling -pedantic. */
@@ -86,6 +87,9 @@ struct mlx5_xstats_ctrl {
 	uint64_t base[MLX5_MAX_XSTATS];
 };
 
+/* Flow list . */
+TAILQ_HEAD(mlx5_flows, rte_flow);
+
 struct priv {
 	struct rte_eth_dev *dev; /* Ethernet device of master process. */
 	struct ibv_context *ctx; /* Verbs context. */
@@ -104,7 +108,6 @@ struct priv {
 	/* Device properties. */
 	uint16_t mtu; /* Configured MTU. */
 	uint8_t port; /* Physical port number. */
-	unsigned int promisc_req:1; /* Promiscuous mode requested. */
 	unsigned int allmulti_req:1; /* All multicast mode requested. */
 	unsigned int hw_csum:1; /* Checksum offload is supported. */
 	unsigned int hw_csum_l2tun:1; /* Same for L2 tunnels. */
@@ -145,7 +148,8 @@ struct priv {
 	unsigned int (*reta_idx)[]; /* RETA index table. */
 	unsigned int reta_idx_n; /* RETA index size. */
 	struct mlx5_hrxq_drop *flow_drop_queue; /* Flow drop queue. */
-	TAILQ_HEAD(mlx5_flows, rte_flow) flows; /* RTE Flow rules. */
+	struct mlx5_flows flows; /* RTE Flow rules. */
+	struct mlx5_flows ctrl_flows; /* Control flow rules. */
 	LIST_HEAD(mr, mlx5_mr) mr; /* Memory region. */
 	LIST_HEAD(rxq, mlx5_rxq_ctrl) rxqsctrl; /* DPDK Rx queues. */
 	LIST_HEAD(rxqibv, mlx5_rxq_ibv) rxqsibv; /* Verbs Rx queues. */
@@ -293,11 +297,14 @@ struct rte_flow *mlx5_flow_create(struct rte_eth_dev *,
 				  struct rte_flow_error *);
 int mlx5_flow_destroy(struct rte_eth_dev *, struct rte_flow *,
 		      struct rte_flow_error *);
+void priv_flow_flush(struct priv *, struct mlx5_flows *);
 int mlx5_flow_flush(struct rte_eth_dev *, struct rte_flow_error *);
 int mlx5_flow_isolate(struct rte_eth_dev *, int, struct rte_flow_error *);
-int priv_flow_start(struct priv *);
-void priv_flow_stop(struct priv *);
+int priv_flow_start(struct priv *, struct mlx5_flows *);
+void priv_flow_stop(struct priv *, struct mlx5_flows *);
 int priv_flow_verify(struct priv *);
+int mlx5_ctrl_flow(struct rte_eth_dev *, struct rte_flow_item_eth *,
+		   struct rte_flow_item_eth *, unsigned int);
 
 /* mlx5_socket.c */
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
index 4948882..c8b16d8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_flow.c
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@
 #include "mlx5.h"
 #include "mlx5_prm.h"
 
+/* Define minimal priority for control plane flows. */
+#define MLX5_CTRL_FLOW_PRIORITY 4
+
 static int
 mlx5_flow_create_eth(const struct rte_flow_item *item,
 		     const void *default_mask,
@@ -451,7 +454,7 @@ priv_flow_validate(struct priv *priv,
 				   "groups are not supported");
 		return -rte_errno;
 	}
-	if (attr->priority) {
+	if (attr->priority && attr->priority != MLX5_CTRL_FLOW_PRIORITY) {
 		rte_flow_error_set(error, ENOTSUP,
 				   RTE_FLOW_ERROR_TYPE_ATTR_PRIORITY,
 				   NULL,
@@ -1169,6 +1172,8 @@ priv_flow_create_action_queue(struct priv *priv,
  *
  * @param priv
  *   Pointer to private structure.
+ * @param list
+ *   Pointer to a TAILQ flow list.
  * @param[in] attr
  *   Flow rule attributes.
  * @param[in] pattern
@@ -1183,6 +1188,7 @@ priv_flow_create_action_queue(struct priv *priv,
  */
 static struct rte_flow *
 priv_flow_create(struct priv *priv,
+		 struct mlx5_flows *list,
 		 const struct rte_flow_attr *attr,
 		 const struct rte_flow_item items[],
 		 const struct rte_flow_action actions[],
@@ -1232,6 +1238,10 @@ priv_flow_create(struct priv *priv,
 		rte_flow = priv_flow_create_action_queue(priv, &flow, error);
 	if (!rte_flow)
 		goto exit;
+	if (rte_flow) {
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(list, rte_flow, next);
+		DEBUG("Flow created %p", (void *)rte_flow);
+	}
 	return rte_flow;
 exit:
 	rte_free(flow.ibv_attr);
@@ -1255,11 +1265,8 @@ mlx5_flow_create(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	struct rte_flow *flow;
 
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	flow = priv_flow_create(priv, attr, items, actions, error);
-	if (flow) {
-		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&priv->flows, flow, next);
-		DEBUG("Flow created %p", (void *)flow);
-	}
+	flow = priv_flow_create(priv, &priv->flows, attr, items, actions,
+				error);
 	priv_unlock(priv);
 	return flow;
 }
@@ -1269,11 +1276,14 @@ mlx5_flow_create(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
  *
  * @param priv
  *   Pointer to private structure.
+ * @param list
+ *   Pointer to a TAILQ flow list.
  * @param[in] flow
  *   Flow to destroy.
  */
 static void
 priv_flow_destroy(struct priv *priv,
+		  struct mlx5_flows *list,
 		  struct rte_flow *flow)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
@@ -1293,7 +1303,7 @@ priv_flow_destroy(struct priv *priv,
 		 * To remove the mark from the queue, the queue must not be
 		 * present in any other marked flow (RSS or not).
 		 */
-		TAILQ_FOREACH(tmp, &priv->flows, next) {
+		TAILQ_FOREACH(tmp, list, next) {
 			unsigned int j;
 
 			if (!tmp->mark)
@@ -1313,7 +1323,7 @@ priv_flow_destroy(struct priv *priv,
 		claim_zero(ibv_destroy_flow(flow->ibv_flow));
 	if (!flow->drop)
 		mlx5_priv_hrxq_release(priv, flow->frxq.hrxq);
-	TAILQ_REMOVE(&priv->flows, flow, next);
+	TAILQ_REMOVE(list, flow, next);
 	rte_free(flow->ibv_attr);
 	DEBUG("Flow destroyed %p", (void *)flow);
 	rte_free(flow);
@@ -1334,7 +1344,7 @@ mlx5_flow_destroy(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 
 	(void)error;
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	priv_flow_destroy(priv, flow);
+	priv_flow_destroy(priv, &priv->flows, flow);
 	priv_unlock(priv);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1344,15 +1354,17 @@ mlx5_flow_destroy(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
  *
  * @param priv
  *   Pointer to private structure.
+ * @param list
+ *   Pointer to a TAILQ flow list.
  */
-static void
-priv_flow_flush(struct priv *priv)
+void
+priv_flow_flush(struct priv *priv, struct mlx5_flows *list)
 {
-	while (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&priv->flows)) {
+	while (!TAILQ_EMPTY(list)) {
 		struct rte_flow *flow;
 
-		flow = TAILQ_FIRST(&priv->flows);
-		priv_flow_destroy(priv, flow);
+		flow = TAILQ_FIRST(list);
+		priv_flow_destroy(priv, list, flow);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1370,7 +1382,7 @@ mlx5_flow_flush(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 
 	(void)error;
 	priv_lock(priv);
-	priv_flow_flush(priv);
+	priv_flow_flush(priv, &priv->flows);
 	priv_unlock(priv);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1493,13 +1505,15 @@ priv_flow_delete_drop_queue(struct priv *priv)
  *
  * @param priv
  *   Pointer to private structure.
+ * @param list
+ *   Pointer to a TAILQ flow list.
  */
 void
-priv_flow_stop(struct priv *priv)
+priv_flow_stop(struct priv *priv, struct mlx5_flows *list)
 {
 	struct rte_flow *flow;
 
-	TAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE(flow, &priv->flows, mlx5_flows, next) {
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE(flow, list, mlx5_flows, next) {
 		claim_zero(ibv_destroy_flow(flow->ibv_flow));
 		flow->ibv_flow = NULL;
 		mlx5_priv_hrxq_release(priv, flow->frxq.hrxq);
@@ -1522,12 +1536,14 @@ priv_flow_stop(struct priv *priv)
  *
  * @param priv
  *   Pointer to private structure.
+ * @param list
+ *   Pointer to a TAILQ flow list.
  *
  * @return
  *   0 on success, a errno value otherwise and rte_errno is set.
  */
 int
-priv_flow_start(struct priv *priv)
+priv_flow_start(struct priv *priv, struct mlx5_flows *list)
 {
 	int ret;
 	struct rte_flow *flow;
@@ -1535,7 +1551,7 @@ priv_flow_start(struct priv *priv)
 	ret = priv_flow_create_drop_queue(priv);
 	if (ret)
 		return -1;
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(flow, &priv->flows, next) {
+	TAILQ_FOREACH(flow, list, next) {
 		if (flow->frxq.hrxq)
 			goto flow_create;
 		flow->frxq.hrxq =
@@ -1630,3 +1646,90 @@ priv_flow_verify(struct priv *priv)
 	}
 	return ret;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Enable/disable a flow control configured from the control plane.
+ *
+ * @param dev
+ *   Pointer to Ethernet device.
+ * @param spec
+ *   An Ethernet flow spec to apply.
+ * @param mask
+ *   An Ethernet flow mask to apply.
+ * @param enable
+ *   Enable/disable the flow.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   0 on success.
+ */
+int
+mlx5_ctrl_flow(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
+	       struct rte_flow_item_eth *spec,
+	       struct rte_flow_item_eth *mask,
+	       unsigned int enable)
+{
+	struct priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
+	const struct rte_flow_attr attr = {
+		.ingress = 1,
+		.priority = MLX5_CTRL_FLOW_PRIORITY,
+	};
+	struct rte_flow_item items[] = {
+		{
+			.type = RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETH,
+			.spec = spec,
+			.last = NULL,
+			.mask = mask,
+		},
+		{
+			.type = RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_END,
+		},
+	};
+	struct rte_flow_action actions[] = {
+		{
+			.type = RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_QUEUE,
+			.conf = &(struct rte_flow_action_queue){
+				.index = 0,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			.type = RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_END,
+		},
+	};
+	struct rte_flow *flow;
+	struct rte_flow_error error;
+
+	if (enable) {
+		flow = priv_flow_create(priv, &priv->ctrl_flows, &attr, items,
+					actions, &error);
+		if (!flow)
+			return 1;
+	} else {
+		struct spec {
+			struct ibv_flow_attr ibv_attr;
+			struct ibv_flow_spec_eth eth;
+		} spec;
+		struct mlx5_flow_parse parser = {
+			.ibv_attr = &spec.ibv_attr,
+			.offset = sizeof(struct ibv_flow_attr),
+		};
+		struct ibv_flow_spec_eth *eth;
+		const unsigned int attr_size = sizeof(struct ibv_flow_attr);
+
+		claim_zero(mlx5_flow_create_eth(&items[0], NULL, &parser));
+		TAILQ_FOREACH(flow, &priv->ctrl_flows, next) {
+			eth = (void *)((uintptr_t)flow->ibv_attr + attr_size);
+			assert(eth->type == IBV_FLOW_SPEC_ETH);
+			if (!memcmp(eth, &spec.eth, sizeof(*eth)))
+				break;
+		}
+		if (flow) {
+			claim_zero(ibv_destroy_flow(flow->ibv_flow));
+			mlx5_priv_hrxq_release(priv, flow->frxq.hrxq);
+			rte_free(flow->ibv_attr);
+			DEBUG("Control flow destroyed %p", (void *)flow);
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&priv->ctrl_flows, flow, next);
+			rte_free(flow);
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxmode.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxmode.c
index e9ea2aa..f469f41 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxmode.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxmode.c
@@ -53,20 +53,6 @@
 
 /* Initialization data for special flows. */
 static const struct special_flow_init special_flow_init[] = {
-	[HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC] = {
-		.dst_mac_val = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
-		.dst_mac_mask = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
-		.hash_types =
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_TCPV4 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_UDPV4 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_IPV4 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_TCPV6 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_UDPV6 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_IPV6 |
-			1 << HASH_RXQ_ETH |
-			0,
-		.per_vlan = 0,
-	},
 	[HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI] = {
 		.dst_mac_val = "\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
 		.dst_mac_mask = "\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
@@ -346,7 +332,7 @@ priv_special_flow_enable_all(struct priv *priv)
 
 	if (priv->isolated)
 		return 0;
-	for (flow_type = HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC;
+	for (flow_type = HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI;
 			flow_type != HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_MAC;
 			++flow_type) {
 		int ret;
@@ -373,7 +359,7 @@ priv_special_flow_disable_all(struct priv *priv)
 {
 	enum hash_rxq_flow_type flow_type;
 
-	for (flow_type = HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC;
+	for (flow_type = HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI;
 			flow_type != HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_MAC;
 			++flow_type)
 		priv_special_flow_disable(priv, flow_type);
@@ -388,19 +374,16 @@ priv_special_flow_disable_all(struct priv *priv)
 void
 mlx5_promiscuous_enable(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 {
-	struct priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
-	int ret;
+	struct rte_flow_item_eth eth = {
+		.dst.addr_bytes = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
+		.src.addr_bytes = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
+		.type = 0,
+	};
 
 	if (mlx5_is_secondary())
 		return;
-
-	priv_lock(priv);
-	priv->promisc_req = 1;
-	ret = priv_rehash_flows(priv);
-	if (ret)
-		ERROR("error while enabling promiscuous mode: %s",
-		      strerror(ret));
-	priv_unlock(priv);
+	dev->data->promiscuous = 1;
+	claim_zero(mlx5_ctrl_flow(dev, &eth, &eth, 1));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -412,19 +395,16 @@ mlx5_promiscuous_enable(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 void
 mlx5_promiscuous_disable(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 {
-	struct priv *priv = dev->data->dev_private;
-	int ret;
+	struct rte_flow_item_eth eth = {
+		.dst.addr_bytes = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
+		.src.addr_bytes = "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00",
+		.type = 0,
+	};
 
 	if (mlx5_is_secondary())
 		return;
-
-	priv_lock(priv);
-	priv->promisc_req = 0;
-	ret = priv_rehash_flows(priv);
-	if (ret)
-		ERROR("error while disabling promiscuous mode: %s",
-		      strerror(ret));
-	priv_unlock(priv);
+	dev->data->promiscuous = 0;
+	claim_zero(mlx5_ctrl_flow(dev, &eth, &eth, 0));
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
index 81e9eb5..d3d1355 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxq.c
@@ -571,13 +571,7 @@ priv_destroy_hash_rxqs(struct priv *priv)
 int
 priv_allow_flow_type(struct priv *priv, enum hash_rxq_flow_type type)
 {
-	/* Only FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC is allowed when promiscuous mode
-	 * has been requested. */
-	if (priv->promisc_req)
-		return type == HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC;
 	switch (type) {
-	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC:
-		return !!priv->promisc_req;
 	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI:
 		return !!priv->allmulti_req;
 	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_BROADCAST:
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxtx.h b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxtx.h
index 30ce810..a9af1ec 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxtx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_rxtx.h
@@ -237,7 +237,6 @@ struct special_flow_init {
 };
 
 enum hash_rxq_flow_type {
-	HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC,
 	HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI,
 	HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_BROADCAST,
 	HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_IPV6MULTI,
@@ -249,8 +248,6 @@ static inline const char *
 hash_rxq_flow_type_str(enum hash_rxq_flow_type flow_type)
 {
 	switch (flow_type) {
-	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_PROMISC:
-		return "promiscuous";
 	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_ALLMULTI:
 		return "allmulticast";
 	case HASH_RXQ_FLOW_TYPE_BROADCAST:
diff --git a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
index a311499..085abcc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mlx5/mlx5_trigger.c
@@ -163,7 +163,16 @@ mlx5_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 		      (void *)priv, strerror(err));
 		goto error;
 	}
-	err = priv_flow_start(priv);
+	if (dev->data->promiscuous)
+		mlx5_promiscuous_enable(dev);
+	err = priv_flow_start(priv, &priv->ctrl_flows);
+	if (err) {
+		ERROR("%p: an error occurred while configuring control flows:"
+		      " %s",
+		      (void *)priv, strerror(err));
+		goto error;
+	}
+	err = priv_flow_start(priv, &priv->flows);
 	if (err) {
 		ERROR("%p: an error occurred while configuring flows:"
 		      " %s",
@@ -187,7 +196,8 @@ mlx5_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	priv_special_flow_disable_all(priv);
 	priv_mac_addrs_disable(priv);
 	priv_destroy_hash_rxqs(priv);
-	priv_flow_stop(priv);
+	priv_flow_stop(priv, &priv->flows);
+	priv_flow_flush(priv, &priv->ctrl_flows);
 	priv_rxq_stop(priv);
 	priv_txq_stop(priv);
 	priv_unlock(priv);
@@ -222,13 +232,14 @@ mlx5_dev_stop(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	priv_special_flow_disable_all(priv);
 	priv_mac_addrs_disable(priv);
 	priv_destroy_hash_rxqs(priv);
-	priv_flow_stop(priv);
+	priv_flow_stop(priv, &priv->flows);
+	priv_flow_flush(priv, &priv->ctrl_flows);
 	priv_rx_intr_vec_disable(priv);
+	priv_dev_interrupt_handler_uninstall(priv, dev);
 	priv_txq_stop(priv);
 	priv_rxq_stop(priv);
 	LIST_FOREACH(mr, &priv->mr, next) {
 		priv_mr_release(priv, mr);
 	}
-	priv_dev_interrupt_handler_uninstall(priv, dev);
 	priv_unlock(priv);
 }
