--- a/utilities/ovs-ctl.in
+++ b/utilities/ovs-ctl.in
@@ -253,7 +253,11 @@ start_forwarding () {
         fi
 
 	    # Start ovs-vswitchd.
-	    set ovs-vswitchd unix:"$DB_SOCK"
+	    set ovs-vswitchd
+		if test X"$DPDK_OPTS" != X; then
+			set "$@" $DPDK_OPTS --
+		fi
+		set "$@" unix:"$DB_SOCK"
 	    set "$@" -vconsole:emer -vsyslog:err -vfile:info
 	    if test X"$MLOCKALL" != Xno; then
 	        set "$@" --mlockall