diff --git a/interface-definitions/vpp.xml.in b/interface-definitions/vpp.xml.in
index 749fb3fbfd..3b74e0d95e 100644
--- a/interface-definitions/vpp.xml.in
+++ b/interface-definitions/vpp.xml.in
@@ -785,6 +785,19 @@
               </node>
             </children>
           </tagNode>
+          <node name="interfaces">
+            <properties>
+              <help>Interfaces settings</help>
+            </properties>
+            <children>
+              <leafNode name="allow-unsupported-nics">
+                <properties>
+                  <help>Allow VPP to use untested NICs. This disables official support for this system</help>
+                  <valueless/>
+                </properties>
+              </leafNode>
+            </children>
+          </node>
           <node name="ipv6">
             <properties>
               <help>IPv6 settings</help>
diff --git a/python/vyos/vpp/config_verify.py b/python/vyos/vpp/config_verify.py
index 18859331bb..f2c7fe1ac9 100644
--- a/python/vyos/vpp/config_verify.py
+++ b/python/vyos/vpp/config_verify.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@
 from vyos.vpp.utils import human_memory_to_bytes, bytes_to_human_memory
 
 
+# Community-tested DPDK drivers / not officially supported by VyOS
+community_drivers_dpdk: list[str] = [
+    'iavf',
+]
+
+
 def verify_vpp_remove_kernel_interface(config: dict):
     """Common verify for removed kernel-interfaces.
     Verify that removed kernel interface are not used in 'vpp kernel-interfaces'.
@@ -172,6 +178,12 @@ def verify_dev_driver(iface_name: str, driver_type: str) -> bool:
     if driver_type == 'dpdk':
         if driver in drivers_dpdk:
             return True
+        if driver in community_drivers_dpdk:
+            Warning(
+                f"Driver '{driver}' on interface {iface_name} is community-supported and not tested by VyOS. "
+                f"This disables official support for this system."
+            )
+            return True
     elif driver_type == 'xdp':
         if driver in drivers_xdp:
             return True
diff --git a/src/conf_mode/vpp.py b/src/conf_mode/vpp.py
index abb68847eb..82e83ad0ab 100755
--- a/src/conf_mode/vpp.py
+++ b/src/conf_mode/vpp.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 from vyos.vpp import control_host
 from vyos.vpp.config_deps import deps_xconnect_dict
 from vyos.vpp.config_verify import (
+    community_drivers_dpdk,
     verify_dev_driver,
     verify_vpp_minimum_cpus,
     verify_vpp_minimum_memory,
@@ -549,6 +550,17 @@ def verify(config):
                 raise ConfigError(
                     f'Driver {iface_config["driver"]} is not compatible with interface {iface}!'
                 )
+            is_community_dpdk_driver = (
+                iface_config['kernel_module'] in community_drivers_dpdk
+            )
+            if is_community_dpdk_driver and 'allow-unsupported-nics' not in config.get(
+                'settings', {}
+            ).get('interfaces', {}):
+                raise ConfigError(
+                    f"Driver {iface_config['driver']} on interface {iface} is community-supported and could be enabled "
+                    f"by configuring 'set vpp settings interfaces allow-unsupported-nics'"
+                )
+
         if iface_config['driver'] == 'xdp' and 'xdp_options' in iface_config:
             if iface_config['xdp_options']['num_rx_queues'] != 'all':
                 rx_queues = iface_config['xdp_api_params']['rxq_num']