diff --git a/share/man/man4/isp.4 b/share/man/man4/isp.4
--- a/share/man/man4/isp.4
+++ b/share/man/man4/isp.4
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 .\" (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
 .\" THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd October 27, 2023
+.Dd June 24, 2024
 .Dt ISP 4
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -141,6 +141,21 @@
 .It Va hint.isp. Ns Ar N Ns Va .fwload_disable
 A hint value to disable loading of firmware provided by
 .Xr ispfw 4 .
+.It Va hint.isp. Ns Ar N Ns Va .fwload_force
+A hint value to prefer firmware provided by
+.Xr ispfw 4 ,
+even if it is older than the firmware in flash on the board.
+If fwload_disable is also specified, fwload_force will be ignored.
+.Pp
+By default, with 27XX and newer controllers, the
+.Xr isp 4
+driver will use the newer
+firmware.
+For older controllers, the
+.Xr isp 4
+driver will use the firmware provided by
+.Xr ispfw 4
+if it is available, and otherwise use the firmware in flash on the board.
 .It Va hint.isp. Ns Ar N Ns Va .ignore_nvram
 A hint value to ignore board NVRAM settings for.
 Otherwise use NVRAM settings.
diff --git a/sys/dev/isp/isp.c b/sys/dev/isp/isp.c
--- a/sys/dev/isp/isp.c
+++ b/sys/dev/isp/isp.c
@@ -457,7 +457,10 @@
 	if (IS_27XX(isp)) {
 		switch (isp_load_risc(isp, 0)) {
 		case ISP_ABORTED:
-			/* download ispfw(4) as it's newer than flash */
+			/*
+			 * download ispfw(4) as it's newer than flash, or
+			 * the user requested it.
+			 */
 			dodnld = 1;
 			break;
 		case ISP_SUCCESS:
@@ -5222,7 +5225,20 @@
 
 		/* If ispfw(4) is loaded compare versions and use the newest */
 		if (isp->isp_osinfo.ispfw != NULL) {
+			int ispfw_newer = 0;
+
 			if (ISP_FW_NEWER_THANX(fcp->fw_ispfwrev, fcp->fw_flashrev)) {
+				ispfw_newer = 1;
+			}
+
+			if (isp->isp_confopts & ISP_CFG_FWLOAD_FORCE) {
+				isp_prt(isp, ISP_LOGCONFIG,
+				    "Loading RISC with %s ispfw(4) firmware %s",
+				    (ispfw_newer == 0) ? "older" : "newer",
+				    "because fwload_force is set");
+				return (ISP_ABORTED);
+			}
+			if (ispfw_newer != 0) {
 				isp_prt(isp, ISP_LOGCONFIG,
 				    "Loading RISC with newer ispfw(4) firmware");
 				return (ISP_ABORTED);
diff --git a/sys/dev/isp/isp_pci.c b/sys/dev/isp/isp_pci.c
--- a/sys/dev/isp/isp_pci.c
+++ b/sys/dev/isp/isp_pci.c
@@ -291,6 +291,15 @@
 		isp->isp_confopts |= ISP_CFG_NORELOAD;
 	}
 	tval = 0;
+	if (resource_int_value(device_get_name(dev), device_get_unit(dev), "fwload_force", &tval) == 0 && tval != 0) {
+		isp->isp_confopts |= ISP_CFG_FWLOAD_FORCE;
+	}
+	if ((isp->isp_confopts & (ISP_CFG_NORELOAD|ISP_CFG_FWLOAD_FORCE)) ==
+	    (ISP_CFG_NORELOAD|ISP_CFG_FWLOAD_FORCE)) {
+		device_printf(dev, "WARNING: both fwload_disable and "
+		    "fwload_force set, ispfw(4) loading disabled\n");
+	}
+	tval = 0;
 	if (resource_int_value(device_get_name(dev), device_get_unit(dev), "ignore_nvram", &tval) == 0 && tval != 0) {
 		isp->isp_confopts |= ISP_CFG_NONVRAM;
 	}
diff --git a/sys/dev/isp/ispvar.h b/sys/dev/isp/ispvar.h
--- a/sys/dev/isp/ispvar.h
+++ b/sys/dev/isp/ispvar.h
@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@
 #define	ISP_CFG_16GB		0x8000	/* force 16Gb connection (26XX only) */
 #define	ISP_CFG_32GB		0x10000	/* force 32Gb connection (27XX only) */
 #define	ISP_CFG_64GB		0x20000	/* force 64Gb connection (28XX only) */
+#define	ISP_CFG_FWLOAD_FORCE	0x40000 /* Prefer ispfw(4) even if older */
 
 /*
  * For each channel, the outer layers should know what role that channel