diff --git a/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.c b/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.c
index 83e3ae1b4b..1dc0593aff 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.c
@@ -216,6 +216,28 @@ bhyveProbeCapsAHCI32Slot(unsigned int *caps, char *binary)
     return ret;
 }
 
+static int
+bhyveProbeCapsNetE1000(unsigned int *caps, char *binary)
+{
+    char *error;
+    virCommandPtr cmd = NULL;
+    int ret = -1, exit;
+
+    cmd = virCommandNew(binary);
+    virCommandAddArgList(cmd, "-s", "0,e1000", NULL);
+    virCommandSetErrorBuffer(cmd, &error);
+    if (virCommandRun(cmd, &exit) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (strstr(error, "pci slot 0:0: unknown device \"e1000\"") == NULL)
+        *caps |= BHYVE_CAP_NET_E1000;
+
+    ret = 0;
+ cleanup:
+    VIR_FREE(error);
+    virCommandFree(cmd);
+    return ret;
+}
 
 int
 virBhyveProbeCaps(unsigned int *caps)
@@ -235,6 +257,9 @@ virBhyveProbeCaps(unsigned int *caps)
     if ((ret = bhyveProbeCapsAHCI32Slot(caps, binary)))
         goto out;
 
+    if ((ret = bhyveProbeCapsNetE1000(caps, binary)))
+        goto out;
+
  out:
     VIR_FREE(binary);
     return ret;
diff --git a/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.h b/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.h
index 55581bd682..690feadb84 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.h
+++ b/src/bhyve/bhyve_capabilities.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ typedef enum {
 typedef enum {
     BHYVE_CAP_RTC_UTC = 1 << 0,
     BHYVE_CAP_AHCI32SLOT = 1 << 1,
+    BHYVE_CAP_NET_E1000 = 1 << 2,
 } virBhyveCapsFlags;
 
 int virBhyveProbeGrubCaps(virBhyveGrubCapsFlags *caps);
diff --git a/src/bhyve/bhyve_command.c b/src/bhyve/bhyve_command.c
index 192a9220c1..e7131625c9 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/bhyve_command.c
+++ b/src/bhyve/bhyve_command.c
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
 VIR_LOG_INIT("bhyve.bhyve_command");
 
 static int
-bhyveBuildNetArgStr(const virDomainDef *def,
+bhyveBuildNetArgStr(virConnectPtr conn,
+                    const virDomainDef *def,
                     virDomainNetDefPtr net,
                     virCommandPtr cmd,
                     bool dryRun)
@@ -52,9 +53,30 @@ bhyveBuildNetArgStr(const virDomainDef *def,
     char macaddr[VIR_MAC_STRING_BUFLEN];
     char *realifname = NULL;
     char *brname = NULL;
+    char *nic_model = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
     virDomainNetType actualType = virDomainNetGetActualType(net);
 
+    if (STREQ(net->model, "virtio")) {
+        if (VIR_STRDUP(nic_model, "virtio-net") < 0)
+            return -1;
+    } else if (STREQ(net->model, "e1000")) {
+        if ((bhyveDriverGetCaps(conn) & BHYVE_CAP_NET_E1000) != 0) {
+            if (VIR_STRDUP(nic_model, "e1000") < 0)
+                return -1;
+        } else {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
+                           _("NIC model 'e1000' is not supported "
+                             "by given bhyve binary"));
+            return -1;
+        }
+    } else {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                       _("NIC model '%s' is not supported"),
+                       net->model);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (actualType == VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_BRIDGE) {
         if (VIR_STRDUP(brname, virDomainNetGetActualBridgeName(net)) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
@@ -102,8 +124,8 @@ bhyveBuildNetArgStr(const virDomainDef *def,
 
 
     virCommandAddArg(cmd, "-s");
-    virCommandAddArgFormat(cmd, "%d:0,virtio-net,%s,mac=%s",
-                           net->info.addr.pci.slot,
+    virCommandAddArgFormat(cmd, "%d:0,%s,%s,mac=%s",
+                           net->info.addr.pci.slot, nic_model,
                            realifname, virMacAddrFormat(&net->mac, macaddr));
 
     ret = 0;
@@ -112,6 +134,7 @@ bhyveBuildNetArgStr(const virDomainDef *def,
         VIR_FREE(net->ifname);
     VIR_FREE(brname);
     VIR_FREE(realifname);
+    VIR_FREE(nic_model);
 
     return ret;
 }
@@ -346,7 +369,7 @@ virBhyveProcessBuildBhyveCmd(virConnectPtr conn,
     }
     for (i = 0; i < def->nnets; i++) {
         virDomainNetDefPtr net = def->nets[i];
-        if (bhyveBuildNetArgStr(def, net, cmd, dryRun) < 0)
+        if (bhyveBuildNetArgStr(conn, def, net, cmd, dryRun) < 0)
             goto error;
     }
     for (i = 0; i < def->ndisks; i++) {
diff --git a/src/bhyve/bhyve_parse_command.c b/src/bhyve/bhyve_parse_command.c
index e31f5fbd14..fcaaed2759 100644
--- a/src/bhyve/bhyve_parse_command.c
+++ b/src/bhyve/bhyve_parse_command.c
@@ -496,6 +496,7 @@ bhyveParsePCINet(virDomainDefPtr def,
                  unsigned pcislot,
                  unsigned pcibus,
                  unsigned function,
+                 const char *model,
                  const char *config)
 {
     /* -s slot,virtio-net,tapN[,mac=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx] */
@@ -514,6 +515,9 @@ bhyveParsePCINet(virDomainDefPtr def,
     if (VIR_STRDUP(net->data.bridge.brname, "virbr0") < 0)
         goto error;
 
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(net->model, model) < 0)
+        goto error;
+
     net->info.type = VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_ADDRESS_TYPE_PCI;
     net->info.addr.pci.slot = pcislot;
     net->info.addr.pci.bus = pcibus;
@@ -620,7 +624,11 @@ bhyveParseBhyvePCIArg(virDomainDefPtr def,
                           nahcidisk,
                           conf);
     else if (STREQ(emulation, "virtio-net"))
-        bhyveParsePCINet(def, xmlopt, caps, pcislot, bus, function, conf);
+        bhyveParsePCINet(def, xmlopt, caps, pcislot, bus, function,
+                         "virtio", conf);
+    else if (STREQ(emulation, "e1000"))
+        bhyveParsePCINet(def, xmlopt, caps, pcislot, bus, function,
+                         "e1000", conf);
 
     VIR_FREE(emulation);
     VIR_FREE(slotdef);
diff --git a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.args b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.args
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aa568fe3aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.args
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/usr/sbin/bhyve \
+-c 1 \
+-m 214 \
+-H \
+-P \
+-s 0:0,hostbridge \
+-s 1:0,e1000,tap0 \
+-s 1:1,e1000,tap1,mac=FE:ED:AD:EA:DF:15 bhyve
diff --git a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.xml b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6b6c0ef82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-e1000.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<domain type='bhyve'>
+  <name>bhyve</name>
+  <uuid>c7a5fdbd-edaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809</uuid>
+  <memory unit='KiB'>219136</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>219136</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type>hvm</type>
+  </os>
+  <clock offset='localtime'/>
+  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
+  <on_reboot>destroy</on_reboot>
+  <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
+  <devices>
+    <interface type='bridge'>
+      <mac address='52:54:00:00:00:00'/>
+      <source bridge='virbr0'/>
+      <target dev='tap0'/>
+      <model type='e1000'/>
+      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
+    </interface>
+    <interface type='bridge'>
+      <mac address='fe:ed:ad:ea:df:15'/>
+      <source bridge='virbr0'/>
+      <target dev='tap1'/>
+      <model type='e1000'/>
+      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
+    </interface>
+  </devices>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net.xml b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net.xml
index 5895c8c53b..ed3279d9db 100644
--- a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net.xml
+++ b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net.xml
@@ -16,12 +16,14 @@
       <mac address='52:54:00:00:00:00'/>
       <source bridge='virbr0'/>
       <target dev='tap0'/>
+      <model type='virtio'/>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
     </interface>
     <interface type='bridge'>
       <mac address='fe:ed:ad:ea:df:15'/>
       <source bridge='virbr0'/>
       <target dev='tap1'/>
+      <model type='virtio'/>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
     </interface>
   </devices>
diff --git a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net4.xml b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net4.xml
index 5f19720804..7c5493cbb1 100644
--- a/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net4.xml
+++ b/tests/bhyveargv2xmldata/bhyveargv2xml-virtio-net4.xml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
       <mac address='00:00:00:00:00:00'/>
       <source bridge='virbr0'/>
       <target dev='tap1'/>
+      <model type='virtio'/>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x1'/>
     </interface>
   </devices>
diff --git a/tests/bhyveargv2xmltest.c b/tests/bhyveargv2xmltest.c
index 0995f69282..e759e4fa30 100644
--- a/tests/bhyveargv2xmltest.c
+++ b/tests/bhyveargv2xmltest.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("ahci-hd");
     DO_TEST("virtio-blk");
     DO_TEST("virtio-net");
+    DO_TEST("e1000");
     DO_TEST_WARN("virtio-net2");
     DO_TEST_WARN("virtio-net3");
     DO_TEST_WARN("virtio-net4");
diff --git a/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.args b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.args
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09e30db46e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.args
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/usr/sbin/bhyve \
+-c 1 \
+-m 214 \
+-u \
+-H \
+-P \
+-s 0:0,hostbridge \
+-s 2:0,ahci,hd:/tmp/freebsd.img \
+-s 3:0,e1000,faketapdev,mac=52:54:00:00:00:00 bhyve
diff --git a/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.ldargs b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.ldargs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32538b558e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.ldargs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/usr/sbin/bhyveload \
+-m 214 \
+-d /tmp/freebsd.img bhyve
diff --git a/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.xml b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..805efe3017
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bhyvexml2argvdata/bhyvexml2argv-net-e1000.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+<domain type='bhyve'>
+  <name>bhyve</name>
+  <uuid>df3be7e7-a104-11e3-aeb0-50e5492bd3dc</uuid>
+  <memory>219136</memory>
+  <vcpu>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type>hvm</type>
+  </os>
+  <devices>
+    <disk type='file'>
+      <driver name='file' type='raw'/>
+      <source file='/tmp/freebsd.img'/>
+      <target dev='hda' bus='sata'/>
+      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='2' unit='0'/>
+    </disk>
+    <interface type='bridge'>
+      <model type='e1000'/>
+      <source bridge="virbr0"/>
+      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
+    </interface>
+  </devices>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/bhyvexml2argvtest.c b/tests/bhyvexml2argvtest.c
index c36b55a0a6..fb404f9fbc 100644
--- a/tests/bhyvexml2argvtest.c
+++ b/tests/bhyvexml2argvtest.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST_FULL(name, FLAG_EXPECT_PARSE_ERROR)
 
     driver.grubcaps = BHYVE_GRUB_CAP_CONSDEV;
-    driver.bhyvecaps = BHYVE_CAP_RTC_UTC | BHYVE_CAP_AHCI32SLOT;
+    driver.bhyvecaps = BHYVE_CAP_RTC_UTC | BHYVE_CAP_AHCI32SLOT | BHYVE_CAP_NET_E1000;
 
     DO_TEST("base");
     DO_TEST("acpiapic");
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("disk-cdrom-grub");
     DO_TEST("serial-grub");
     DO_TEST("localtime");
+    DO_TEST("net-e1000");
 
     /* Address allocation tests */
     DO_TEST("addr-single-sata-disk");
@@ -203,6 +204,10 @@ mymain(void)
 
     DO_TEST("serial-grub-nocons");
 
+    driver.bhyvecaps &= ~BHYVE_CAP_NET_E1000;
+
+    DO_TEST_FAILURE("net-e1000");
+
     virObjectUnref(driver.caps);
     virObjectUnref(driver.xmlopt);