diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@
     nvlist_t *nvl __unused, net_be_rxeof_t cb, void *param)
 {
 	struct tap_priv *priv = NET_BE_PRIV(be);
+	struct ifreq ifr = {};
 	char tbuf[80];
-	int opt = 1, up = IFF_UP;
+	int opt = 1, up = IFF_UP, vhdrlen = VNET_HDR_LEN;
 
 #ifndef WITHOUT_CAPSICUM
 	cap_rights_t rights;
@@ -124,6 +125,17 @@
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	if (ioctl(be->fd, TAPSVNETHDR, &vhdrlen) == -1) {
+		EPRINTLN("tap device set virtio-net header length failed");
+		goto error;
+	}
+	be->be_vnet_hdr_len = vhdrlen;
+
+	be->if_curcap = 0;
+	if (ioctl(be->fd, SIOCGIFCAP, &ifr) != -1) {
+		be->if_curcap = ifr.ifr_curcap;
+	}
+
 #ifndef WITHOUT_CAPSICUM
 	cap_rights_init(&rights, CAP_EVENT, CAP_READ, CAP_WRITE);
 	if (caph_rights_limit(be->fd, &rights) == -1)
@@ -230,10 +242,15 @@
 }
 
 uint64_t
-tap_get_cap(struct net_backend *be __unused)
+tap_get_cap(struct net_backend *be)
 {
+	/* Report checksum offloading feature if the interface supports it */
+	if (be->if_curcap & (IFCAP_TXCSUM | IFCAP_TXCSUM_IPV6)) {
+		return VIRTIO_NET_F_CSUM;
+	}
 
-	return (0); /* no capabilities for now */
+	/* no other capabilities returned for now */
+	return (0);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends_priv.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends_priv.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends_priv.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends_priv.h
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@
 	unsigned int be_vnet_hdr_len;
 	unsigned int fe_vnet_hdr_len;
 
+	/* tap interface capabilities */
+	int if_curcap;
+
 	/* Size of backend-specific private data. */
 	size_t priv_size;