Index: usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
===================================================================
--- usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
+++ usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@
     void *param)
 {
 	struct net_backend **pbe, *nbe, *tbe = NULL;
-	const char *value;
+	const char *value, *type;
 	char *devname;
 	int err;
 
@@ -990,12 +990,22 @@
 	}
 	devname = strdup(value);
 
+	/* Derive the backend by devname prefix by default */
+	type = devname;
+
+	value = get_config_value_node(nvl, "type");
+
+	/* Use the explicitly specified backend if such configuration exists */ 
+	if (value != NULL) {
+		type = value;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Find the network backend that matches the user-provided
 	 * device name. net_backend_set is built using a linker set.
 	 */
 	SET_FOREACH(pbe, net_backend_set) {
-		if (strncmp(devname, (*pbe)->prefix,
+		if (strncmp(type, (*pbe)->prefix,
 		    strlen((*pbe)->prefix)) == 0) {
 			tbe = *pbe;
 			assert(tbe->init != NULL);