diff --git a/executer/include/uprotocol.h b/executer/include/uprotocol.h
index 5bd5ddc0..ea0ba357 100644
--- a/executer/include/uprotocol.h
+++ b/executer/include/uprotocol.h
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ typedef unsigned long __cpu_set_unit;
 #define MPOL_NO_BSS               0x04
 #define MPOL_SHM_PREMAP           0x08
 
+#define MCEXEC_HFI1               0x01
+
 struct program_load_desc {
 	int num_sections;
 	int status;
@@ -138,6 +140,7 @@ struct program_load_desc {
 	unsigned long envs_len;
 	struct rlimit rlimit[MCK_RLIM_MAX];
 	unsigned long interp_align;
+	unsigned long mcexec_flags;
 	unsigned long mpol_flags;
 	unsigned long mpol_threshold;
 	unsigned long heap_extension;
diff --git a/executer/user/mcexec.c b/executer/user/mcexec.c
index 7fe97940..775aaa3a 100644
--- a/executer/user/mcexec.c
+++ b/executer/user/mcexec.c
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ static int mpol_no_stack = 0;
 static int mpol_no_bss = 0;
 static int mpol_shm_premap = 0;
 static int no_bind_ikc_map = 0;
+static int hfi1_enabled = 0;
 static unsigned long mpol_threshold = 0;
 static unsigned long heap_extension = (4*1024);
 static int profile = 0;
@@ -1753,6 +1754,12 @@ static struct option mcexec_options[] = {
 		.flag =		&disable_sched_yield,
 		.val =		1,
 	},
+	{
+		.name =		"enable-hfi1",
+		.has_arg =	no_argument,
+		.flag =		&hfi1_enabled,
+		.val =		1,
+	},
 	{
 		.name =		"extend-heap-by",
 		.has_arg =	required_argument,
@@ -2535,6 +2542,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	desc->mcexec_flags = 0;
+	if (hfi1_enabled) {
+		desc->mcexec_flags |= MCEXEC_HFI1;
+	}
+
 	if (ioctl(fd, MCEXEC_UP_PREPARE_IMAGE, (unsigned long)desc) != 0) {
 		perror("prepare");
 		close(fd);
diff --git a/kernel/host.c b/kernel/host.c
index 77ff420e..fbfa3469 100644
--- a/kernel/host.c
+++ b/kernel/host.c
@@ -479,6 +479,7 @@ static int process_msg_prepare_process(unsigned long rphys)
 	proc->sgid = pn->cred[6];
 	proc->fsgid = pn->cred[7];
 	proc->termsig = SIGCHLD;
+	proc->mcexec_flags = pn->mcexec_flags;
 	proc->mpol_flags = pn->mpol_flags;
 	proc->mpol_threshold = pn->mpol_threshold;
 	proc->nr_processes = pn->nr_processes;
diff --git a/kernel/include/process.h b/kernel/include/process.h
index 39f6992a..5b8d4679 100644
--- a/kernel/include/process.h
+++ b/kernel/include/process.h
@@ -552,6 +552,7 @@ struct process {
 
 	long maxrss;
 	long maxrss_children;
+	unsigned long mcexec_flags;
 	/* Memory policy flags and memory specific options */
 	unsigned long mpol_flags;
 	size_t mpol_threshold;
diff --git a/kernel/include/syscall.h b/kernel/include/syscall.h
index eadf7e8d..6946f50e 100644
--- a/kernel/include/syscall.h
+++ b/kernel/include/syscall.h
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ typedef unsigned long __cpu_set_unit;
 #define MPOL_NO_BSS               0x04
 #define MPOL_SHM_PREMAP           0x08
 
+#define MCEXEC_HFI1               0x01
+
 struct program_load_desc {
 	int num_sections;
 	int status;
@@ -194,6 +196,7 @@ struct program_load_desc {
 	unsigned long envs_len;
 	struct rlimit rlimit[MCK_RLIM_MAX];
 	unsigned long interp_align;
+	unsigned long mcexec_flags;
 	unsigned long mpol_flags;
 	unsigned long mpol_threshold;
 	unsigned long heap_extension;
diff --git a/kernel/syscall.c b/kernel/syscall.c
index b353d2b2..a615864f 100644
--- a/kernel/syscall.c
+++ b/kernel/syscall.c
@@ -481,7 +481,8 @@ long do_syscall(struct syscall_request *req, int cpu, int pid)
 #endif // PROFILE_ENABLE
 
 	if (req->number == __NR_open && rc > 0) {
-		if (res.private_data &&
+		if ((cpu_local_var(current)->proc->mcexec_flags & MCEXEC_HFI1) &&
+				res.private_data &&
 				!strncmp((const char *)req->args[0], "/dev/hfi", 8)) {
 			extern void hfi1_txreq_prealloc(void);