diff --git a/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/common.h b/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/common.h
index c90e9956fed8..292343ce4c88 100644
--- a/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/common.h
+++ b/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/common.h
@@ -693,6 +693,8 @@ int t4_fw_halt(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox, int force);
 int t4_fw_restart(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox, int reset);
 int t4_fw_upgrade(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox,
 		  const u8 *fw_data, unsigned int size, int force);
+int t4_fw_forceinstall(struct adapter *adap, const u8 *fw_data,
+    unsigned int size);
 int t4_fw_initialize(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox);
 int t4_query_params(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox, unsigned int pf,
 		    unsigned int vf, unsigned int nparams, const u32 *params,
diff --git a/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/t4_hw.c b/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/t4_hw.c
index 85ca854f6f5a..e29f23b16060 100644
--- a/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/t4_hw.c
+++ b/sys/dev/cxgbe/common/t4_hw.c
@@ -6745,6 +6745,31 @@ int t4_fw_upgrade(struct adapter *adap, unsigned int mbox,
 	return t4_fw_restart(adap, mbox, reset);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Card doesn't have a firmware, install one.
+ */
+int t4_fw_forceinstall(struct adapter *adap, const u8 *fw_data,
+    unsigned int size)
+{
+	const struct fw_hdr *fw_hdr = (const struct fw_hdr *)fw_data;
+	unsigned int bootstrap =
+	    be32_to_cpu(fw_hdr->magic) == FW_HDR_MAGIC_BOOTSTRAP;
+	int ret;
+
+	if (!t4_fw_matches_chip(adap, fw_hdr) || bootstrap)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	t4_set_reg_field(adap, A_CIM_BOOT_CFG, F_UPCRST, F_UPCRST);
+	t4_write_reg(adap, A_PCIE_FW, 0);	/* Clobber internal state */
+	ret = t4_load_fw(adap, fw_data, size);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+	t4_write_reg(adap, A_PL_RST, F_PIORST | F_PIORSTMODE);
+	msleep(1000);
+
+	return (0);
+}
+
 /**
  *	t4_fw_initialize - ask FW to initialize the device
  *	@adap: the adapter
diff --git a/sys/dev/cxgbe/t4_main.c b/sys/dev/cxgbe/t4_main.c
index c0cec806893f..919034bcc595 100644
--- a/sys/dev/cxgbe/t4_main.c
+++ b/sys/dev/cxgbe/t4_main.c
@@ -2968,6 +2968,7 @@ install:
 
 	return (1);
 }
+
 /*
  * Establish contact with the firmware and determine if we are the master driver
  * or not, and whether we are responsible for chip initialization.
@@ -2984,28 +2985,6 @@ prep_firmware(struct adapter *sc)
 	const struct fw_hdr *drv_fw;	/* fw header the driver was compiled
 					   against */
 
-	/* Contact firmware. */
-	rc = t4_fw_hello(sc, sc->mbox, sc->mbox, MASTER_MAY, &state);
-	if (rc < 0 || state == DEV_STATE_ERR) {
-		rc = -rc;
-		device_printf(sc->dev,
-		    "failed to connect to the firmware: %d, %d.\n", rc, state);
-		return (rc);
-	}
-	pf = rc;
-	if (pf == sc->mbox)
-		sc->flags |= MASTER_PF;
-	else if (state == DEV_STATE_UNINIT) {
-		/*
-		 * We didn't get to be the master so we definitely won't be
-		 * configuring the chip.  It's a bug if someone else hasn't
-		 * configured it already.
-		 */
-		device_printf(sc->dev, "couldn't be master(%d), "
-		    "device not already initialized either(%d).\n", rc, state);
-		return (EDOOFUS);
-	}
-
 	/* This is the firmware whose headers the driver was compiled against */
 	fw_info = find_fw_info(chip_id(sc));
 	if (fw_info == NULL) {
@@ -3022,18 +3001,6 @@ prep_firmware(struct adapter *sc)
 	 */
 	default_cfg = firmware_get(fw_info->kld_name);
 
-	/* Read the header of the firmware on the card */
-	card_fw = malloc(sizeof(*card_fw), M_CXGBE, M_ZERO | M_WAITOK);
-	rc = -t4_read_flash(sc, FLASH_FW_START,
-	    sizeof (*card_fw) / sizeof (uint32_t), (uint32_t *)card_fw, 1);
-	if (rc == 0)
-		card_fw_usable = fw_compatible(drv_fw, (const void*)card_fw);
-	else {
-		device_printf(sc->dev,
-		    "Unable to read card's firmware header: %d\n", rc);
-		card_fw_usable = 0;
-	}
-
 	/* This is the firmware in the KLD */
 	fw = firmware_get(fw_info->fw_mod_name);
 	if (fw != NULL) {
@@ -3044,6 +3011,74 @@ prep_firmware(struct adapter *sc)
 		kld_fw_usable = 0;
 	}
 
+	/* Read the header of the firmware on the card */
+	card_fw = malloc(sizeof(*card_fw), M_CXGBE, M_ZERO | M_WAITOK);
+	rc = -t4_read_flash(sc, FLASH_FW_START,
+	    sizeof (*card_fw) / sizeof (uint32_t), (uint32_t *)card_fw, 1);
+	if (rc == 0) {
+		card_fw_usable = fw_compatible(drv_fw, (const void*)card_fw);
+		if (card_fw->fw_ver == be32toh(0xffffffff)) {
+			uint32_t d = be32toh(kld_fw->fw_ver);
+
+			if (!kld_fw_usable) {
+				device_printf(sc->dev,
+				    "no firmware on the card and no usable "
+				    "firmware bundled with the driver.\n");
+				rc = EIO;
+				goto done;
+			} else if (t4_fw_install == 0) {
+				device_printf(sc->dev,
+				    "no firmware on the card and the driver "
+				    "is prohibited from installing new "
+				    "firmware.\n");
+				rc = EIO;
+				goto done;
+			}
+
+			device_printf(sc->dev, "no firmware on the card, "
+			    "installing firmware %d.%d.%d.%d\n",
+			    G_FW_HDR_FW_VER_MAJOR(d), G_FW_HDR_FW_VER_MINOR(d),
+			    G_FW_HDR_FW_VER_MICRO(d), G_FW_HDR_FW_VER_BUILD(d));
+			rc = t4_fw_forceinstall(sc, fw->data, fw->datasize);
+			if (rc < 0) {
+				rc = -rc;
+				device_printf(sc->dev,
+				    "firmware install failed: %d.\n", rc);
+				goto done;
+			}
+			memcpy(card_fw, kld_fw, sizeof(*card_fw));
+			card_fw_usable = 1;
+			need_fw_reset = 0;
+		}
+	} else {
+		device_printf(sc->dev,
+		    "Unable to read card's firmware header: %d\n", rc);
+		card_fw_usable = 0;
+	}
+
+	/* Contact firmware. */
+	rc = t4_fw_hello(sc, sc->mbox, sc->mbox, MASTER_MAY, &state);
+	if (rc < 0 || state == DEV_STATE_ERR) {
+		rc = -rc;
+		device_printf(sc->dev,
+		    "failed to connect to the firmware: %d, %d.\n", rc, state);
+		goto done;
+	}
+	pf = rc;
+	if (pf == sc->mbox)
+		sc->flags |= MASTER_PF;
+	else if (state == DEV_STATE_UNINIT) {
+		/*
+		 * We didn't get to be the master so we definitely won't be
+		 * configuring the chip.  It's a bug if someone else hasn't
+		 * configured it already.
+		 */
+		device_printf(sc->dev, "couldn't be master(%d), "
+		    "device not already initialized either(%d).\n", rc, state);
+		rc = EPROTO;
+		goto done;
+	}
+
 	if (card_fw_usable && card_fw->fw_ver == drv_fw->fw_ver &&
 	    (!kld_fw_usable || kld_fw->fw_ver == drv_fw->fw_ver)) {
 		/*