diff --git a/packetbeat/config/config.go b/packetbeat/config/config.go
index 1c40aa8226e..46f0ba4ff43 100644
--- a/packetbeat/config/config.go
+++ b/packetbeat/config/config.go
@@ -36,17 +36,18 @@ type Config struct {
 }
 
 type InterfacesConfig struct {
-	Device       string `config:"device"`
-	Type         string `config:"type"`
-	File         string `config:"file"`
-	WithVlans    bool   `config:"with_vlans"`
-	BpfFilter    string `config:"bpf_filter"`
-	Snaplen      int    `config:"snaplen"`
-	BufferSizeMb int    `config:"buffer_size_mb"`
-	TopSpeed     bool
-	Dumpfile     string
-	OneAtATime   bool
-	Loop         int
+	Device                string `config:"device"`
+	Type                  string `config:"type"`
+	File                  string `config:"file"`
+	WithVlans             bool   `config:"with_vlans"`
+	BpfFilter             string `config:"bpf_filter"`
+	Snaplen               int    `config:"snaplen"`
+	BufferSizeMb          int    `config:"buffer_size_mb"`
+	EnableAutoPromiscMode bool   `config:"auto_promisc_mode"`
+	TopSpeed              bool
+	Dumpfile              string
+	OneAtATime            bool
+	Loop                  int
 }
 
 type Flows struct {
diff --git a/packetbeat/docs/packetbeat-options.asciidoc b/packetbeat/docs/packetbeat-options.asciidoc
index 09922d62923..a53219ea28d 100644
--- a/packetbeat/docs/packetbeat-options.asciidoc
+++ b/packetbeat/docs/packetbeat-options.asciidoc
@@ -176,6 +176,24 @@ packetbeat.interfaces.type: af_packet
 packetbeat.interfaces.buffer_size_mb: 100
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+[float]
+==== `auto_promisc_mode`
+
+With `auto_promisc_mode` Packetbeat puts interface in promiscuous mode automatically on startup.
+This option does not work with `any` interface device.
+The default option is false and requires manual set-up of promiscuous mode.
+
+Example:
+
+[source,yaml]
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+packetbeat.interfaces.device: eth0
+packetbeat.interfaces.type: af_packet
+packetbeat.interfaces.buffer_size_mb: 100
+packetbeat.interfaces.auto_promisc_mode: true
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
 [float]
 ==== `with_vlans`
 
diff --git a/packetbeat/packetbeat.reference.yml b/packetbeat/packetbeat.reference.yml
index 410d56139a1..43eeaa91552 100644
--- a/packetbeat/packetbeat.reference.yml
+++ b/packetbeat/packetbeat.reference.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ packetbeat.interfaces.device: any
 # Use this setting to override the automatically generated BPF filter.
 #packetbeat.interfaces.bpf_filter:
 
+# With `auto_promisc_mode` Packetbeat puts interface in promiscuous mode automatically on startup.
+# This option does not work with `any` interface device.
+# The default option is false and requires manual set-up of promiscuous mode.
+#packetbeat.interfaces.auto_promisc_mode: true
+
 #================================== Flows =====================================
 
 packetbeat.flows:
diff --git a/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_linux.go b/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_linux.go
index 15ca387d454..d377543c417 100644
--- a/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_linux.go
+++ b/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_linux.go
@@ -40,21 +40,28 @@ type afpacketHandle struct {
 }
 
 func newAfpacketHandle(device string, snaplen int, block_size int, num_blocks int,
-	timeout time.Duration) (*afpacketHandle, error) {
+	timeout time.Duration, autoPromiscMode bool) (*afpacketHandle, error) {
 
-	promiscEnabled, err := isPromiscEnabled(device)
-	if err != nil {
-		logp.Err("Failed to get promiscuous mode for device '%s': %v", device, err)
+	var err error
+	var promiscEnabled bool
+
+	if autoPromiscMode {
+		promiscEnabled, err = isPromiscEnabled(device)
+		if err != nil {
+			logp.Err("Failed to get promiscuous mode for device '%s': %v", device, err)
+		}
+
+		if !promiscEnabled {
+			if setPromiscErr := setPromiscMode(device, true); setPromiscErr != nil {
+				logp.Warn("Failed to set promiscuous mode for device '%s'. Packetbeat may be unable to see any network traffic. Please follow packetbeat FAQ to learn about mitigation: Error: %v", device, err)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	h := &afpacketHandle{
 		promiscPreviousState:         promiscEnabled,
 		device:                       device,
-		promiscPreviousStateDetected: err == nil,
-	}
-
-	if err := setPromiscMode(device, true); err != nil {
-		logp.Warn("Failed to set promiscuous mode for device '%s'. Packetbeat may be unable to see any network traffic. Please follow packetbeat FAQ to learn about mitigation: Error: %v", device, err)
+		promiscPreviousStateDetected: autoPromiscMode && err != nil,
 	}
 
 	if device == "any" {
@@ -89,6 +96,7 @@ func (h *afpacketHandle) LinkType() layers.LinkType {
 
 func (h *afpacketHandle) Close() {
 	h.TPacket.Close()
+	// previous state detected only if auto mode was on
 	if h.promiscPreviousStateDetected {
 		if err := setPromiscMode(h.device, h.promiscPreviousState); err != nil {
 			logp.Warn("Failed to reset promiscuous mode for device '%s'. Your device might be in promiscuous mode.: %v", h.device, err)
@@ -122,6 +130,9 @@ func isPromiscEnabled(device string) (bool, error) {
 	return ifreq.flags&uint16(syscall.IFF_PROMISC) != 0, nil
 }
 
+// setPromiscMode enables promisc mode if configured.
+// this makes maintenance for user simpler without any additional manual steps
+// issue [700](https://github.com/elastic/beats/issues/700)
 func setPromiscMode(device string, enabled bool) error {
 	if device == "any" {
 		logp.Warn("Cannot set promiscuous mode to device 'any'")
diff --git a/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_nonlinux.go b/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_nonlinux.go
index 2daa64520bf..7d1e423c40d 100644
--- a/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_nonlinux.go
+++ b/packetbeat/sniffer/afpacket_nonlinux.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type afpacketHandle struct {
 }
 
 func newAfpacketHandle(device string, snaplen int, blockSize int, numBlocks int,
-	timeout time.Duration) (*afpacketHandle, error) {
+	timeout time.Duration, enableAutoPromiscMode bool) (*afpacketHandle, error) {
 
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("Afpacket MMAP sniffing is only available on Linux")
 }
diff --git a/packetbeat/sniffer/sniffer.go b/packetbeat/sniffer/sniffer.go
index 714d2c46d31..d38101c4b20 100644
--- a/packetbeat/sniffer/sniffer.go
+++ b/packetbeat/sniffer/sniffer.go
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ func openAFPacket(filter string, cfg *config.InterfacesConfig) (snifferHandle, e
 	}
 
 	timeout := 500 * time.Millisecond
-	h, err := newAfpacketHandle(cfg.Device, szFrame, szBlock, numBlocks, timeout)
+	h, err := newAfpacketHandle(cfg.Device, szFrame, szBlock, numBlocks, timeout, cfg.EnableAutoPromiscMode)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/packetbeat/tests/system/config/packetbeat.yml.j2 b/packetbeat/tests/system/config/packetbeat.yml.j2
index 394ef449840..2715634e4e5 100644
--- a/packetbeat/tests/system/config/packetbeat.yml.j2
+++ b/packetbeat/tests/system/config/packetbeat.yml.j2
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ packetbeat.interfaces.device: {{ iface_device|default("any") }}
 {% if af_packet %}
 packetbeat.interfaces.type: af_packet
 packetbeat.interfaces.buffer_size_mb: 100
+packetbeat.interfaces.auto_promisc_mode: true
 {% endif %}
 
 {% if bpf_filter %}