diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index aa3492561cb2..da5f0a282b1b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #  * ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE: Enables get-graph service to fetch minigraph files
 #    through http.
 #  * SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START: Sets admin-down state for all bgp peerings after restart.
+#  * ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START: Enable PFC Watchdog (PFCWD) on server-facing ports
+#  * by default for TOR switch.
 #  * SONIC_ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC: Enables rpc-based syncd builds.
 #  * USERNAME: Desired username -- default at rules/config
 #  * PASSWORD: Desired password -- default at rules/config
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ SONIC_BUILD_INSTRUCTION :=  make \
                            BUILD_NUMBER=$(BUILD_NUMBER) \
                            ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE=$(ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE) \
                            SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START=$(SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START) \
+                           SONIC_ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START=$(ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START) \
                            ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC=$(ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC) \
                            PASSWORD=$(PASSWORD) \
                            USERNAME=$(USERNAME) \
diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
index 5d7f2b2496ad..434e427abe13 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ sudo bash -c "echo enabled=false > $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/updategraph.conf"
 {% if shutdown_bgp_on_start == "y" %}
 sudo bash -c "echo '{ \"DEVICE_METADATA\": { \"localhost\": { \"default_bgp_status\": \"down\" } } }' >> $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/init_cfg.json"
 {% endif %}
+{% if enable_pfcwd_on_start == "y" %}
+sudo bash -c "echo '{ \"DEVICE_METADATA\": { \"localhost\": { \"default_pfcwd_status\": \"enable\" } } }' >> $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/init_cfg.json"
+{% endif %}
+
 # Copy SNMP configuration files
 sudo cp $IMAGE_CONFIGS/snmp/snmp.yml $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/sonic/
 
diff --git a/rules/config b/rules/config
index ad13ad047e04..49eb8d57e984 100644
--- a/rules/config
+++ b/rules/config
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ DEFAULT_PASSWORD = YourPaSsWoRd
 # bgp service starts.
 # SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START = y
 
+# ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START - if set to y PFC Watchdog (PFCWD) will be enabled all server-facing ports
+# by default for TOR switch
+# ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START = y
+
 # SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG - install debug packages
 # Uncomment next line to enable:
 # SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG = y
diff --git a/slave.mk b/slave.mk
index 71505942685c..7e842a7a608e 100644
--- a/slave.mk
+++ b/slave.mk
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ list :
 ## Include other rules
 ###############################################################################
 
+ifeq ($(SONIC_ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START),y)
+ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START = y
+endif
+
 include $(RULES_PATH)/config
 include $(RULES_PATH)/functions
 include $(RULES_PATH)/*.mk
@@ -96,6 +100,7 @@ $(info "DEFAULT_USERNAME"                : "$(DEFAULT_USERNAME)")
 $(info "DEFAULT_PASSWORD"                : "$(DEFAULT_PASSWORD)")
 $(info "ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE"       : "$(ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE)")
 $(info "SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START"           : "$(SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START)")
+$(info "ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START"           : "$(ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START)")
 $(info "SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG"              : "$(SONIC_CONFIG_DEBUG)")
 $(info "ROUTING_STACK"                   : "$(SONIC_ROUTING_STACK)")
 $(info "ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC"                : "$(ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC)")
@@ -439,6 +444,7 @@ $(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/, $(SONIC_INSTALLERS)) : $(TARGET_PATH)/% : \
 	export enable_organization_extensions="$(ENABLE_ORGANIZATION_EXTENSIONS)" 
 	export enable_dhcp_graph_service="$(ENABLE_DHCP_GRAPH_SERVICE)"
 	export shutdown_bgp_on_start="$(SHUTDOWN_BGP_ON_START)"
+	export enable_pfcwd_on_start="$(ENABLE_PFCWD_ON_START)"
 	export installer_debs="$(addprefix $(DEBS_PATH)/,$($*_INSTALLS))"
 	export lazy_installer_debs="$(foreach deb, $($*_LAZY_INSTALLS),$(foreach device, $($(deb)_PLATFORM),$(addprefix $(device)@, $(DEBS_PATH)/$(deb))))"
 	export installer_images="$(addprefix $(TARGET_PATH)/,$($*_DOCKERS))"