diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.c
index 9cd5415fe017dc359d2aae2e679eddc40e75f5e0..aa7f94375108dd661774fd30339341fa4c1fe1f8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.c
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ static void _be_roce_dev_add(struct be_adapter *adapter)
 
 	if (!ocrdma_drv)
 		return;
+
+	if (ocrdma_drv->be_abi_version != BE_ROCE_ABI_VERSION) {
+		dev_warn(&pdev->dev, "Cannot initialize RoCE due to ocrdma ABI mismatch\n");
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (pdev->device == OC_DEVICE_ID5) {
 		/* only msix is supported on these devices */
 		if (!msix_enabled(adapter))
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.h
index 2cd1129e19af960185a3f706d9ab5ed165e409a7..1bfb16164df88c80cde462555a0e1cf07445f0e5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/emulex/benet/be_roce.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #include <linux/pci.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
 
+#define BE_ROCE_ABI_VERSION	1
+
 struct ocrdma_dev;
 
 enum be_interrupt_mode {
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ struct be_dev_info {
 /* ocrdma driver register's the callback functions with nic driver. */
 struct ocrdma_driver {
 	unsigned char name[32];
+	u32 be_abi_version;
 	struct ocrdma_dev *(*add) (struct be_dev_info *dev_info);
 	void (*remove) (struct ocrdma_dev *);
 	void (*state_change_handler) (struct ocrdma_dev *, u32 new_state);