diff --git a/components/tdls/core/src/wlan_tdls_cmds_process.c b/components/tdls/core/src/wlan_tdls_cmds_process.c
index 9437f27ea3..23c5809518 100644
--- a/components/tdls/core/src/wlan_tdls_cmds_process.c
+++ b/components/tdls/core/src/wlan_tdls_cmds_process.c
@@ -1697,12 +1697,23 @@ static QDF_STATUS tdls_config_force_peer(
 	}
 
 	feature = soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_feature_flags;
-	if (!TDLS_IS_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature) ||
+	if (!(TDLS_IS_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature) ||
+	    TDLS_IS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature)) ||
 	    !TDLS_IS_IMPLICIT_TRIG_ENABLED(feature)) {
 		tdls_err("TDLS ext ctrl or Imp Trig not enabled, %x", feature);
 		return QDF_STATUS_E_NOSUPPORT;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * In case of liberal external mode, supplicant will provide peer mac
+	 * address but driver has to behave similar to implict mode ie
+	 * establish tdls link with any peer that supports tdls and meets stats
+	 */
+	if (TDLS_IS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature)) {
+		tdls_debug("liberal mode set");
+		return QDF_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+	}
+
 	peer_update_param = qdf_mem_malloc(sizeof(*peer_update_param));
 	if (!peer_update_param) {
 		tdls_err("memory allocation failed");
@@ -1840,7 +1851,8 @@ QDF_STATUS tdls_process_remove_force_peer(struct tdls_oper_request *req)
 	}
 
 	feature = soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_feature_flags;
-	if (!TDLS_IS_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature) ||
+	if (!(TDLS_IS_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature) ||
+	    TDLS_IS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(feature)) ||
 	    !TDLS_IS_IMPLICIT_TRIG_ENABLED(feature)) {
 		tdls_err("TDLS ext ctrl or Imp Trig not enabled, %x", feature);
 		status = QDF_STATUS_E_NOSUPPORT;
diff --git a/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_cfg.h b/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_cfg.h
index 7d1044ff1b..7215a5eaf6 100644
--- a/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_cfg.h
+++ b/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_cfg.h
@@ -544,15 +544,24 @@
 
 /*
  * <ini>
- * gTDLSPuapsdPTIWindow - This ini is used to configure peer traffic indication
- * window.
- * @Min: 1
- * @Max: 5
- * @Default: 2
+ * gTDLSExternalControl - Enable external TDLS control.
+ * @Min: 0
+ * @Max: 2
+ * @Default: 1
  *
- * This ini is used to configure buffering time in number of beacon intervals.
+ * This ini is used to enable/disable external TDLS control.
+ * TDLS external control works with TDLS implicit trigger. TDLS external
+ * control allows a user to add a MAC address of potential TDLS peers so
+ * that the CLD driver can initiate implicit TDLS setup to only those peers
+ * when criteria for TDLS setup (throughput and RSSI threshold) is met.
+ * There are two flavors of external control supported. If control default
+ * is set 1 it means strict external control where only for configured
+ * tdls peer mac address tdls link will be established. If control default
+ * is set 2 liberal tdls external control is needed which means
+ * tdls link will be established with configured peer mac address as well
+ * as any other peer which supports tdls.
  *
- * Related: gEnableTDLSSupport.
+ * Related: gEnableTDLSSupport, gEnableTDLSImplicitTrigger.
  *
  * Supported Feature: TDLS
  *
diff --git a/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_public_structs.h b/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_public_structs.h
index f675b84ff4..b73866b415 100644
--- a/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_public_structs.h
+++ b/components/tdls/dispatcher/inc/wlan_tdls_public_structs.h
@@ -397,6 +397,11 @@ struct tx_frame {
 	qdf_timer_t tx_timer;
 };
 
+enum tdls_configured_external_control {
+	TDLS_STRICT_EXTERNAL_CONTROL = 1,
+	TDLS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL = 2,
+};
+
 /**
  * enum tdls_feature_bit
  * @TDLS_FEATURE_OFF_CHANNEL: tdls off channel
@@ -406,7 +411,8 @@ struct tx_frame {
  * @TDLS_FEATURE_SCAN: tdls scan
  * @TDLS_FEATURE_ENABLE: tdls enabled
  * @TDLS_FEAUTRE_IMPLICIT_TRIGGER: tdls implicit trigger
- * @TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL: tdls external control
+ * @TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL: enforce strict tdls external control
+ * @TDLS_FEATURE_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL: liberal external tdls control
  */
 enum tdls_feature_bit {
 	TDLS_FEATURE_OFF_CHANNEL,
@@ -416,7 +422,8 @@ enum tdls_feature_bit {
 	TDLS_FEATURE_SCAN,
 	TDLS_FEATURE_ENABLE,
 	TDLS_FEAUTRE_IMPLICIT_TRIGGER,
-	TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL
+	TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL,
+	TDLS_FEATURE_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL,
 };
 
 #define TDLS_IS_OFF_CHANNEL_ENABLED(flags) \
@@ -435,6 +442,8 @@ enum tdls_feature_bit {
 	CHECK_BIT(flags, TDLS_FEAUTRE_IMPLICIT_TRIGGER)
 #define TDLS_IS_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(flags) \
 	CHECK_BIT(flags, TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL)
+#define TDLS_IS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL_ENABLED(flags) \
+	CHECK_BIT(flags, TDLS_FEATURE_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL)
 
 /**
  * struct tdls_user_config - TDLS user configuration
@@ -495,7 +504,7 @@ struct tdls_user_config {
 	bool tdls_off_chan_enable;
 	bool tdls_off_chan_enable_orig;
 	bool tdls_wmm_mode_enable;
-	bool tdls_external_control;
+	uint8_t tdls_external_control;
 	bool tdls_implicit_trigger_enable;
 	bool tdls_scan_enable;
 	bool tdls_sleep_sta_enable;
diff --git a/components/tdls/dispatcher/src/wlan_tdls_ucfg_api.c b/components/tdls/dispatcher/src/wlan_tdls_ucfg_api.c
index 73e984dfec..5c46e782e6 100644
--- a/components/tdls/dispatcher/src/wlan_tdls_ucfg_api.c
+++ b/components/tdls/dispatcher/src/wlan_tdls_ucfg_api.c
@@ -142,8 +142,12 @@ tdls_update_feature_flag(struct tdls_soc_priv_obj *tdls_soc_obj)
 		  1 << TDLS_FEATURE_ENABLE : 0) |
 		 (tdls_soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_implicit_trigger_enable ?
 		  1 << TDLS_FEAUTRE_IMPLICIT_TRIGGER : 0) |
-		 (tdls_soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_external_control ?
-		  1 << TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL : 0));
+		 (tdls_soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_external_control &
+		  TDLS_STRICT_EXTERNAL_CONTROL ?
+		  1 << TDLS_FEATURE_EXTERNAL_CONTROL : 0) |
+		 (tdls_soc_obj->tdls_configs.tdls_external_control &
+		  TDLS_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL ?
+		  1 << TDLS_FEATURE_LIBERAL_EXTERNAL_CONTROL : 0));
 }
 
 /**