struct qlcnic_fw_dump {
        u8      clr;    /* flag to indicate if dump is cleared */
+       u8      enable; /* enable/disable dump */
        u32     size;   /* total size of the dump */
        void    *data;  /* dump data area */
        struct  qlcnic_dump_template_hdr *tmpl_hdr;
 #define QLCNIC_DUMP_MASK_DEF           0x7f
 #define QLCNIC_DUMP_MASK_MAX           0xff
 #define QLCNIC_FORCE_FW_DUMP_KEY       0xdeadfeed
+#define QLCNIC_ENABLE_FW_DUMP          0xaddfeed
+#define QLCNIC_DISABLE_FW_DUMP         0xbadfeed
 
 struct qlcnic_dump_operations {
        enum op_codes opcode;
 
                tmpl_hdr->drv_cap_mask = tmpl_hdr->cap_mask;
        else
                tmpl_hdr->drv_cap_mask = QLCNIC_DUMP_MASK_DEF;
+       ahw->fw_dump.enable = 1;
 error:
        dma_free_coherent(&adapter->pdev->dev, temp_size, tmp_addr, tmp_addr_t);
        return err;
 
        struct qlcnic_fw_dump *fw_dump = &adapter->ahw->fw_dump;
 
        if (val->flag == QLCNIC_FORCE_FW_DUMP_KEY) {
+               if (!fw_dump->enable) {
+                       netdev_info(netdev, "FW dump not enabled\n");
+                       return ret;
+               }
+               if (fw_dump->clr) {
+                       dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
+                       "Previous dump not cleared, not forcing dump\n");
+                       return ret;
+               }
                netdev_info(netdev, "Forcing a FW dump\n");
                qlcnic_dev_request_reset(adapter);
+       } else if (val->flag == QLCNIC_DISABLE_FW_DUMP) {
+               if (fw_dump->enable) {
+                       netdev_info(netdev, "Disabling FW dump\n");
+                       fw_dump->enable = 0;
+               }
+       } else if (val->flag == QLCNIC_ENABLE_FW_DUMP) {
+               if (!fw_dump->enable && fw_dump->tmpl_hdr) {
+                       netdev_info(netdev, "Enabling FW dump\n");
+                       fw_dump->enable = 1;
+               }
        } else {
                if (val->flag > QLCNIC_DUMP_MASK_MAX ||
                        val->flag < QLCNIC_DUMP_MASK_MIN) {
 
                qlcnic_api_unlock(adapter);
 
                rtnl_lock();
-               QLCDB(adapter, DRV, "Take FW dump\n");
-               qlcnic_dump_fw(adapter);
-               adapter->flags &= ~QLCNIC_FW_RESET_OWNER;
+               if (adapter->ahw->fw_dump.enable) {
+                       QLCDB(adapter, DRV, "Take FW dump\n");
+                       qlcnic_dump_fw(adapter);
+                       adapter->flags &= ~QLCNIC_FW_RESET_OWNER;
+               }
                rtnl_unlock();
                if (!adapter->nic_ops->start_firmware(adapter)) {
                        qlcnic_schedule_work(adapter, qlcnic_attach_work, 0);