diff --git a/binaries/opae.io/opae/io/utils.py b/binaries/opae.io/opae/io/utils.py
index d5cbe048d3f0..57afc7015207 100644
--- a/binaries/opae.io/opae/io/utils.py
+++ b/binaries/opae.io/opae/io/utils.py
@@ -123,9 +123,24 @@ def chown_pci_sva(pci_addr, uid, gid):
         os.chown(sva_bind_dev, uid, gid)
 
 
-def vfio_init(pci_addr, new_owner='', force=False):
+def enable_sriov(enable):
+    sriov = '/sys/module/vfio_pci/parameters/enable_sriov'
+    if not os.path.exists(sriov):
+        return False
+
+    LOG.info('Enabling SR-IOV for vfio-pci')
+    try:
+        with open(sriov, 'w') as outf:
+            outf.write('Y' if enable else 'N')
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
+def vfio_init(pci_addr, new_owner='', force=False, **kwargs):
     vid_did = pci.vid_did_for_address(pci_addr)
     driver = get_bound_driver(pci_addr)
+    init_sriov = kwargs.get('enable_sriov')
 
     msg = '(0x{:04x},0x{:04x}) at {}'.format(
         int(vid_did[0], 16), int(vid_did[1], 16), pci_addr)
@@ -214,6 +229,9 @@ def vfio_init(pci_addr, new_owner='', force=False):
         os.chmod(device, 0o660)
         chown_pci_sva(pci_addr, user, group)
 
+    if init_sriov:
+        enable_sriov(True)
+
 
 def vfio_release(pci_addr):
     vid_did = pci.vid_did_for_address(pci_addr)
diff --git a/binaries/opae.io/pymain.h b/binaries/opae.io/pymain.h
index 78a5cbef43cc..9fdfe062a8ec 100644
--- a/binaries/opae.io/pymain.h
+++ b/binaries/opae.io/pymain.h
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ class init_action(base_action):
         init.add_argument('-d', '--device', dest='sdevice',
                           metavar='DEVICE', type=pci.pci_address,
                           help='the PCIe address of the FPGA device')
+        init.add_argument('-e', '--enable-sriov', action='store_true',
+                          default=False,
+                          help='enable SR-IOV during initialization')
+        init.add_argument('-f', '--force', action='store_true',
+                          default=False,
+                          help='force the driver to unbind, '
+                               'even if saving the previous driver fails')
         init.add_argument('user_group', nargs='?', default='root:root',
                           help='the user:group for assigning device permissions')
 
@@ -100,7 +107,8 @@ class init_action(base_action):
         if not self.device:
             raise SystemExit('Need device for init.')
 
-        utils.vfio_init(self.device, args.user_group)
+        kw = {'enable_sriov': args.enable_sriov}
+        utils.vfio_init(self.device, args.user_group, force=args.force, **kw)
         raise SystemExit(0)