diff --git a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2 b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
index ed8df864cd06..4ef014a30e4b 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/sonic_debian_extension.j2
@@ -319,9 +319,9 @@ sudo cp {{src}} $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/{{dst}}
 {% if sonic_asic_platform == "mellanox" %}
 sudo mkdir -p $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/mlnx/
 sudo cp target/files/$MLNX_FW_FILE $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/mlnx/fw-SPC.mfa
+sudo cp target/files/$ISSU_VERSION_FILE $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/mlnx/issu-version
 sudo cp target/files/$MLNX_FFB_SCRIPT $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/usr/bin/mlnx-ffb.sh
 j2 platform/mellanox/mlnx-fw-upgrade.j2 | sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/usr/bin/mlnx-fw-upgrade.sh
-j2 platform/mellanox/sdk-version.j2 | sudo tee $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/etc/mlnx/sdk-version
 sudo chmod 755 $FILESYSTEM_ROOT/usr/bin/mlnx-fw-upgrade.sh
 {% endif %}
 
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/criu.mk b/platform/mellanox/criu.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 01a425bb2a8a..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/criu.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-CRIU_VERSION = 3.10
-
-export CRIU_VERSION
-
-CRIU = criu_$(CRIU_VERSION)-1_amd64.deb
-$(CRIU)_SRC_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/criu
-$(CRIU)_DEPENDS += $(LIBNL3_DEV)
-SONIC_MAKE_DEBS += $(CRIU)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/criu/Makefile b/platform/mellanox/criu/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index e9d49b569042..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/criu/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-.ONESHELL:
-SHELL = /bin/bash
-.SHELLFLAGS += -e
-
-MAIN_TARGET = criu_$(CRIU_VERSION)-1_amd64.deb
-
-CRIU_DEPS = iptables,protobuf-c-compiler,protobuf-compiler,python-protobuf,libprotobuf-c1,python-future,python-ipaddr,libnet1,pkg-config,asciidoc,xmlto
-
-$(addprefix $(DEST)/, $(MAIN_TARGET)): $(DEST)/% :
-	rm -rf criu
-	git clone -b v$(CRIU_VERSION) https://github.com/checkpoint-restore/criu.git
-	pushd criu
-	RUNDIR=/run/criu make
-	sudo checkinstall --default --install=no --fstrans=no --pkgversion=$(CRIU_VERSION) --maintainer='@' --requires=$(CRIU_DEPS) --pakdir=$(DEST)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc.mk b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc.mk
index b11c5a8c0d51..fc0f6239d548 100644
--- a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc.mk
+++ b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC = docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc.gz
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC)_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/docker-syncd-mlnx-rpc
-$(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC)_DEPENDS += $(SYNCD_RPC) $(LIBTHRIFT) $(MLNX_SFPD) $(MLNX_ISSU)
+$(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC)_DEPENDS += $(SYNCD_RPC) $(LIBTHRIFT) $(MLNX_SFPD)
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC)_LOAD_DOCKERS += $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)
 SONIC_DOCKER_IMAGES += $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX_RPC)
 ifeq ($(ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC),y)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx.mk b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx.mk
index dd11f32f7122..da217492d438 100644
--- a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx.mk
+++ b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX = docker-syncd-mlnx.gz
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/docker-syncd-mlnx
-$(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_DEPENDS += $(SYNCD) $(PYTHON_SDK_API) $(MLNX_SFPD) $(CRIU) $(MLNX_ISSU)
+$(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_DEPENDS += $(SYNCD) $(PYTHON_SDK_API) $(MLNX_SFPD)
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_LOAD_DOCKERS += $(DOCKER_CONFIG_ENGINE)
 SONIC_DOCKER_IMAGES += $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)
 ifneq ($(ENABLE_SYNCD_RPC),y)
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_RUN_OPT += --net=host --privileged -t
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_RUN_OPT += -v /host/machine.conf:/etc/machine.conf
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_RUN_OPT += -v /etc/sonic:/etc/sonic:ro
 $(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_RUN_OPT += -v /host/warmboot:/var/warmboot
-$(DOCKER_SYNCD_MLNX)_RUN_OPT += --tmpfs /run/criu
+
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx/Dockerfile.j2 b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx/Dockerfile.j2
index bf301f179a42..971602a212f0 100755
--- a/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/platform/mellanox/docker-syncd-mlnx/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ debs/{{ deb }}{{' '}}
 {%- endfor -%}
 debs/
 
-RUN apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends libxml2 iptables libbsd0 protobuf-c-compiler protobuf-compiler python-protobuf libprotobuf-c1 python-future python-ipaddr libnet1 pkg-config asciidoc xmlto
+RUN apt-get install -y libxml2
 
 RUN dpkg -i \
 {% for deb in docker_syncd_mlnx_debs.split(' ') -%}
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/issu-version.mk b/platform/mellanox/issu-version.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c7ae4296ab7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/mellanox/issu-version.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# ISSU version
+
+ISSU_VERSION_FILE = issu-version
+$(ISSU_VERSION_FILE)_SRC_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/issu-version
+$(ISSU_VERSION_FILE)_DEPENDS += $(APPLIBS)
+SONIC_MAKE_FILES += $(ISSU_VERSION_FILE)
+
+export ISSU_VERSION_FILE
+
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/issu-version/Makefile b/platform/mellanox/issu-version/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1f7d7fba3a3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/mellanox/issu-version/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+.ONESHELL:
+SHELL = /bin/bash
+.SHELLFLAGS += -e
+
+MAIN_TARGET = issu-version
+
+$(addprefix $(DEST)/, $(MAIN_TARGET)): $(DEST)/% :
+	sx_sdk --version | egrep -o 'ISSU [0-9]+' > $(DEST)/$(MAIN_TARGET) || {
+		echo "ISSU version is undefined: $(sx_sdk --version)"
+		rm $(DEST)/$(MAIN_TARGET)
+		exit 1
+	}
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-ffb.sh b/platform/mellanox/mlnx-ffb.sh
index c87ea56f08f5..72187b94f858 100755
--- a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-ffb.sh
+++ b/platform/mellanox/mlnx-ffb.sh
@@ -37,21 +37,26 @@ check_sdk_upgrade()
         mkdir -p "${FS_MOUNTPOINT}"
         mount -t squashfs "${FS_PATH}" "${FS_MOUNTPOINT}" || {
             >&2 echo "Failed to mount next SONiC image"
-            break;
+            break
         }
 
-        SDK_VERSION_FILE_PATH="${FS_MOUNTPOINT}/etc/mlnx/sdk-version"
+        ISSU_VERSION_FILE_PATH="/etc/mlnx/issu-version"
 
-        [ -f "${SDK_VERSION_FILE_PATH}" ] && {
-            NEXT_SDK_VERSION="$(cat ${FS_MOUNTPOINT}/etc/mlnx/sdk-version)"
-        } || {
-            >&2 echo "No SDK version file ${SDK_VERSION_FILE_PATH}"
-            break;
+        [ -f "${SDK_VERSION_FILE_PATH}" ] || {
+            >&2 echo "No ISSU version file found ${ISSU_VERSION_FILE_PATH}"
+            break
         }
 
-        ISSU_CHECK_CMD="docker exec -t syncd issu --check ${NEXT_SDK_VERSION}"
+        CURRENT_ISSU_VERSION="$(cat ${ISSU_VERSION_FILE_PATH})"
+        NEXT_ISSU_VERSION="$(cat ${FS_MOUNTPOINT}/${ISSU_VERSION_FILE_PATH})"
 
-        ${ISS_CHECK_CMD} > /dev/null && CHECK_RESULT="${FFB_SUCCESS}"
+        if [[ "${CURRENT_ISSU_VERSION}" == "${NEXT_ISSU_VERSION}" ]]; then
+            CHECK_RESULT="${FFB_SUCCESS}"
+        else
+            >&2 echo "Current and next ISSU version do not match:"
+            >&2 echo "Current ISSU version: ${CURRENT_ISSU_VERSION}"
+            >&2 echo "Next ISSU version: ${NEXT_ISSU_VERSION}"
+        fi
 
         break
     done
@@ -65,34 +70,15 @@ check_sdk_upgrade()
 check_ffb()
 {
     check_issu_enabled || {
-        echo "ISSU is not enabled on this HWSKU"
+        >&2 echo "ISSU is not enabled on this HWSKU"
         return "${FFB_FAILURE}"
     }
+
     check_sdk_upgrade || {
-        echo "SDK upgrade check failued"
+        >&2 echo "SDK upgrade check failued"
         return "${FFB_FAILURE}"
     }
-    return "${FFB_SUCCESS}";
-}
-
-# Perform ISSU start
-issu_start()
-{
-    ISSU_START_CMD="docker exec -t syncd issu --start"
-    ${ISSU_START_CMD} > /dev/null
-
-    EXIT_CODE=$?
 
-    return $EXIT_CODE
+    return "${FFB_SUCCESS}"
 }
 
-# Perform ISSU end
-issu_end()
-{
-    ISSU_END_CMD="docker exec -t syncd issu --end"
-    ${ISSU_END_CMD} > /dev/null
-
-    EXIT_CODE=$?
-
-    return $EXIT_CODE
-}
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu.mk b/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu.mk
deleted file mode 100755
index f0e3b47050ac..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-# issu (SONiC MLNX platform ISSU tool) Debian package
-
-MLNX_ISSU = python-mlnx-issu_1.0-1_all.deb
-$(MLNX_ISSU)_SRC_PATH = $(PLATFORM_PATH)/mlnx-issu
-SONIC_PYTHON_STDEB_DEBS += $(MLNX_ISSU)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/scripts/issu b/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/scripts/issu
deleted file mode 100755
index 45c0f50436c7..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/scripts/issu
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,176 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-'''
-This code is for a mlnx platform specific tool, issu.
-This tool provides an CLI interface to interact with SDK ISSU module
-'''
-
-from __future__ import print_function
-
-import sys
-import os
-import re
-import errno
-import syslog
-import argparse
-
-from functools import wraps
-
-from python_sdk_api import sx_api
-
-# ========================== Constants ===============================
-SDK_VERSION_PATTERN = r'(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(.*)'
-SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER = "ISSU"
-
-
-# Flag that indicates whether to print logs to stdout
-verbose = False
-
-
-# ========================== Syslog wrappers ==========================
-def log_info(msg):
-    syslog.openlog(SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER)
-    syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, msg)
-    syslog.closelog()
-
-    if verbose:
-        print(msg)
-
-def log_warning(msg):
-    syslog.openlog(SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER)
-    syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_WARNING, msg)
-    syslog.closelog()
-
-    if verbose:
-        print(msg)
-
-def log_error(msg):
-    syslog.openlog(SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER)
-    syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_ERR, msg)
-    syslog.closelog()
-
-    print(msg, file=sys.stderr)
-
-
-# ========================== Global functions =========================
-def with_sdk_handle(func):
-    """ A decorator for @func that use sx api
-    that gets a SDK handler, calls func(handler, *args, **kwargs)
-    and then closes the handler regardless of func failure"""
-
-    @wraps(func)
-    def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
-        log_info("opening sdk")
-        rc, handle = sx_api.sx_api_open(None)
-        log_info("sx_api_open handle: 0x%x , rc %d " % ( handle, rc) )
-
-        if rc != sx_api.SX_STATUS_SUCCESS:
-            log_error("failed to open api handle. Please check that SDK is running")
-            sys.exit(errno.EACCES)
-
-        try:
-            res = func(handle, *args, **kwargs)
-        finally:
-            log_info("closing sdk handle")
-            rc = sx_api.sx_api_close(handle)
-
-            if rc != sx_api.SX_STATUS_SUCCESS:
-                log_error("failed to close api handle")
-
-        return res
-
-    return wrapped
-
-
-def check_sdk_version_pattern(sdk_version):
-    """Checker for @sdk_version"""
-
-    if not re.match(SDK_VERSION_PATTERN, sdk_version):
-        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError("{} is an invalid SDK version string".format(sdk_version))
-
-    return sdk_version
-
-
-@with_sdk_handle
-def check_issu_upgrade_to_sdk_version(handle, new_sdk):
-    """This function checks whether ISSU upgrade to @new_sdk version is posible"""
-
-    version = sx_api.new_sx_api_sx_sdk_versions_t_p()
-    rc = sx_api.sx_api_sx_sdk_version_get(handle, version)
-
-    if rc != sx_api.SX_STATUS_SUCCESS:
-        log_error("failed to get current SDK version")
-        sys.exit(errno.EACCES)
-
-    current_sdk = version.sx_sdk
-
-    succeed = True
-
-    log_info('check ISSU upgrade: current SDK: {}, new SDK: {}, check succeed: {}'.format(current_sdk, new_sdk, succeed))
-
-    return succeed
-
-
-@with_sdk_handle
-def issu_start(handle):
-    """This function calls ISSU start API"""
-
-    log_info("call ISSU start")
-    rc = sx_api.sx_api_issu_start_set(handle)
-
-    if rc != sx_api.SX_STATUS_SUCCESS:
-        log_error("failed to execute ISSU start API")
-        sys.exit(errno.EACCES)
-
-@with_sdk_handle
-def issu_end(handle):
-    """This function calls ISSU end API"""
-
-    log_info("call ISSU end")
-    rc = sx_api.sx_api_issu_end_set(handle)
-
-    if rc != sx_api.SX_STATUS_SUCCESS:
-        log_error("failed to execute ISSU end API")
-        sys.exit(errno.EACCES)
-
-
-def get_parser():
-    """This function creates an argument parser"""
-
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-    parser.add_argument('-c', '--check', nargs=1, action='store', default=None, type=check_sdk_version_pattern,
-        help='Check if ISSU upgrade is supported to new SDK version')
-    parser.add_argument('-s', '--start', action='store_true', help='Call ISSU start API')
-    parser.add_argument('-e', '--end', action='store_true', help='Call ISSU end API')
-    parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', action='store_true', default=False)
-
-    return parser
-
-
-def main():
-
-    global verbose
-
-    parser = get_parser()
-    args = parser.parse_args()
-
-    verbose = args.verbose
-
-    if args.check is not None:
-        new_sdk = args.check[0]
-        is_supported = check_issu_upgrade_to_sdk_version(new_sdk)
-
-        if verbose:
-            print('SDK upgrade is{}supported'.format(' ' if is_supported else ' not '))
-
-        if not is_supported:
-            sys.exit(1)
-    elif args.start:
-        issu_start()
-    elif args.end:
-        issu_end()
-    else:
-        parser.parse_args(['-h'])
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/setup.py b/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/setup.py
deleted file mode 100755
index 614c9a0bbe46..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/mlnx-issu/setup.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-from setuptools import setup
-
-setup(
-    name='mlnx-issu',
-    version='1.0',
-    description='MLNX ISSU tool for SONiC on mellanox platform',
-    author='SONiC Community',
-    url='https://github.com/Azure/sonic-buildimage/',
-    maintainer='Stepan Blyschak',
-    maintainer_email='stepanb@mellanox.com',
-    scripts=[
-        'scripts/issu',
-    ]
-)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/one-image.mk b/platform/mellanox/one-image.mk
index 3a99f1c66c80..6fd5af193276 100644
--- a/platform/mellanox/one-image.mk
+++ b/platform/mellanox/one-image.mk
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_MACHINE = mellanox
 $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_IMAGE_TYPE = onie
 $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_INSTALLS += $(SX_KERNEL) $(KERNEL_MFT) $(MFT_OEM) $(MFT) $(MLNX_HW_MANAGEMENT)
 $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_DOCKERS += $(SONIC_INSTALL_DOCKER_IMAGES)
-$(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_FILES += $(MLNX_FW_FILE) $(MLNX_FFB_SCRIPT)
+$(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)_FILES += $(MLNX_FW_FILE) $(MLNX_FFB_SCRIPT) $(ISSU_VERSION_FILE)
 SONIC_INSTALLERS += $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/rules.mk b/platform/mellanox/rules.mk
index 28414b7f9d9f..1c0072bec3ce 100644
--- a/platform/mellanox/rules.mk
+++ b/platform/mellanox/rules.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/libsaithrift-dev.mk
 include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/docker-ptf-mlnx.mk
 include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/mlnx-sfpd.mk
 include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/mlnx-ffb.mk
-include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/mlnx-issu.mk
+include $(PLATFORM_PATH)/issu-version.mk
 
 SONIC_ALL += $(SONIC_ONE_IMAGE) \
              $(DOCKER_FPM)
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/sdk-version.j2 b/platform/mellanox/sdk-version.j2
deleted file mode 100755
index 5bba188430d6..000000000000
--- a/platform/mellanox/sdk-version.j2
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-{{ MLNX_SDK_VERSION }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/platform/mellanox/sdk.mk b/platform/mellanox/sdk.mk
index c7ca2a513072..ec21563cc450 100644
--- a/platform/mellanox/sdk.mk
+++ b/platform/mellanox/sdk.mk
@@ -56,4 +56,3 @@ $(eval $(foreach deb,$(PYTHON_SDK_API) $(SX_KERNEL) $(SX_KERNEL_DEV),$(call make
 
 SONIC_ONLINE_DEBS += $(MLNX_SDK_RDEBS) $(PYTHON_SDK_API) $(SX_KERNEL)
 
-export MLNX_SDK_VERSION
diff --git a/sonic-slave/Dockerfile b/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
index 08a7c6bf053a..291a2fefb771 100644
--- a/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
+++ b/sonic-slave/Dockerfile
@@ -232,19 +232,6 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
         texi2html \
 # For initramfs
         bash-completion \
-# For Mellanox CRIU build
-        libprotobuf-dev \
-        libprotobuf-c0-dev \
-        protobuf-c-compiler \
-        protobuf-compiler \
-        python-protobuf \
-        pkg-config \
-        libnet1-dev \
-        libnet-dev \
-        libaio-dev \
-        asciidoc \
-        xmlto \
-        checkinstall \
 # For sonic vs image build
         dosfstools \
         qemu-kvm \