diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp1_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp1_user.c
index 3e553eed95a7..38a8852cb57f 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp1_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp1_user.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == argc) {
 		usage(basename(argv[0]));
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
index d86e9ad0356b..008789eb6ada 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		opt_flags[opt] = 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < strlen(optstr); i++) {
 		if (opt_flags[(unsigned int)optstr[i]]) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Missing argument -%c\n", optstr[i]);
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_fwd_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_fwd_user.c
index 97ff1dad7669..c30f9acfdb84 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_fwd_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_fwd_user.c
@@ -27,11 +27,13 @@
 #include "libbpf.h"
 #include <bpf/bpf.h>
 
+static __u32 xdp_flags = XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
+
 static int do_attach(int idx, int prog_fd, int map_fd, const char *name)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, prog_fd, 0);
+	err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, prog_fd, xdp_flags);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		printf("ERROR: failed to attach program to %s\n", name);
 		return err;
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ static int do_detach(int idx, const char *name)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, -1, 0);
+	err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, -1, xdp_flags);
 	if (err < 0)
 		printf("ERROR: failed to detach program from %s\n", name);
 
@@ -83,11 +85,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int attach = 1;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, ":dD")) != -1) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, ":dDSF")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 		case 'd':
 			attach = 0;
 			break;
+		case 'S':
+			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
+			break;
+		case 'F':
+			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
+			break;
 		case 'D':
 			prog_name = "xdp_fwd_direct";
 			break;
@@ -97,6 +105,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == argc) {
 		usage(basename(argv[0]));
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_cpu_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_cpu_user.c
index 0da6e9e7132e..72af628529b5 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_cpu_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_cpu_user.c
@@ -728,6 +728,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			return EXIT_FAIL_OPTION;
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	/* Required option */
 	if (ifindex == -1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERR: required option --dev missing\n");
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
index f70ee33907fd..cc840661faab 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == argc) {
 		printf("usage: %s <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n", argv[0]);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
index 5440cd620607..71dff8e3382a 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == argc) {
 		printf("usage: %s <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n", argv[0]);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_router_ipv4_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_router_ipv4_user.c
index 1469b66ebad1..fef286c5add2 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_router_ipv4_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_router_ipv4_user.c
@@ -662,6 +662,9 @@ int main(int ac, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == ac) {
 		usage(basename(argv[0]));
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_rxq_info_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_rxq_info_user.c
index 8fc3ad01de72..fc4983fd6959 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_rxq_info_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_rxq_info_user.c
@@ -551,6 +551,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			return EXIT_FAIL_OPTION;
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	/* Required option */
 	if (ifindex == -1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERR: required option --dev missing\n");
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_sample_pkts_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_sample_pkts_user.c
index a5760e8bf2c4..8c1af1b7372d 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_sample_pkts_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_sample_pkts_user.c
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ static int do_detach(int idx, const char *name)
 	__u32 curr_prog_id = 0;
 	int err = 0;
 
-	err = bpf_get_link_xdp_id(idx, &curr_prog_id, 0);
+	err = bpf_get_link_xdp_id(idx, &curr_prog_id, xdp_flags);
 	if (err) {
 		printf("bpf_get_link_xdp_id failed\n");
 		return err;
 	}
 	if (prog_id == curr_prog_id) {
-		err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, -1, 0);
+		err = bpf_set_link_xdp_fd(idx, -1, xdp_flags);
 		if (err < 0)
 			printf("ERROR: failed to detach prog from %s\n", name);
 	} else if (!curr_prog_id) {
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		.prog_type	= BPF_PROG_TYPE_XDP,
 	};
 	struct perf_buffer_opts pb_opts = {};
-	const char *optstr = "F";
+	const char *optstr = "FS";
 	int prog_fd, map_fd, opt;
 	struct bpf_object *obj;
 	struct bpf_map *map;
@@ -127,12 +127,18 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
 			break;
+		case 'S':
+			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
+			break;
 		default:
 			usage(basename(argv[0]));
 			return 1;
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	if (optind == argc) {
 		usage(basename(argv[0]));
 		return 1;
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
index 2fe4c7f5ffe5..5f33b5530032 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'F':
 			xdp_flags &= ~XDP_FLAGS_UPDATE_IF_NOEXIST;
@@ -243,6 +243,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		opt_flags[opt] = 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!(xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < strlen(optstr); i++) {
 		if (opt_flags[(unsigned int)optstr[i]]) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Missing argument -%c\n", optstr[i]);
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
index a15480010828..e7829e5baaff 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdpsock_user.c
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ static void parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
 			opt_xdp_bind_flags |= XDP_COPY;
 			break;
 		case 'N':
-			opt_xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+			/* default, set below */
 			break;
 		case 'n':
 			opt_interval = atoi(optarg);
@@ -474,6 +474,9 @@ static void parse_command_line(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!(opt_xdp_flags & XDP_FLAGS_SKB_MODE))
+		opt_xdp_flags |= XDP_FLAGS_DRV_MODE;
+
 	opt_ifindex = if_nametoindex(opt_if);
 	if (!opt_ifindex) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: interface \"%s\" does not exist\n",