diff --git a/lib/dpctl.c b/lib/dpctl.c
index 2ad475b755e..5a9d847c169 100644
--- a/lib/dpctl.c
+++ b/lib/dpctl.c
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@
 #include "unixctl.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "openvswitch/ofp-parse.h"
+#include "openvswitch/vlog.h"
+VLOG_DEFINE_THIS_MODULE(dpctl);
 
 typedef int dpctl_command_handler(int argc, const char *argv[],
                                   struct dpctl_params *);
@@ -764,6 +766,36 @@ static char *supported_dump_types[] = {
     "ovs",
 };
 
+static struct hmap *
+dpctl_get_portno_names(struct dpif *dpif, const struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
+{
+    if (dpctl_p->names) {
+        struct hmap *portno_names = xmalloc(sizeof *portno_names);
+        hmap_init(portno_names);
+
+        struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
+        struct dpif_port dpif_port;
+        DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, dpif) {
+            odp_portno_names_set(portno_names, dpif_port.port_no,
+                                 dpif_port.name);
+        }
+
+        return portno_names;
+    } else {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+dpctl_free_portno_names(struct hmap *portno_names)
+{
+    if (portno_names) {
+        odp_portno_names_destroy(portno_names);
+        hmap_destroy(portno_names);
+        free(portno_names);
+    }
+}
+
 static int
 dpctl_dump_flows(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
 {
@@ -776,10 +808,6 @@ dpctl_dump_flows(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
     struct flow flow_filter;
     struct flow_wildcards wc_filter;
 
-    struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
-    struct dpif_port dpif_port;
-    struct hmap portno_names;
-
     struct dpif_flow_dump_thread *flow_dump_thread;
     struct dpif_flow_dump *flow_dump;
     struct dpif_flow f;
@@ -809,15 +837,14 @@ dpctl_dump_flows(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
         goto out_free;
     }
 
-
-    hmap_init(&portno_names);
-    DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, dpif) {
-        odp_portno_names_set(&portno_names, dpif_port.port_no, dpif_port.name);
-    }
+    struct hmap *portno_names = dpctl_get_portno_names(dpif, dpctl_p);
 
     if (filter) {
         struct ofputil_port_map port_map;
         ofputil_port_map_init(&port_map);
+
+        struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
+        struct dpif_port dpif_port;
         DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, dpif) {
             ofputil_port_map_put(&port_map,
                                  u16_to_ofp(odp_to_u32(dpif_port.port_no)),
@@ -892,7 +919,7 @@ dpctl_dump_flows(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
             }
             pmd_id = f.pmd_id;
         }
-        format_dpif_flow(&ds, &f, &portno_names, type, dpctl_p);
+        format_dpif_flow(&ds, &f, portno_names, type, dpctl_p);
 
         dpctl_print(dpctl_p, "%s\n", ds_cstr(&ds));
     }
@@ -905,8 +932,7 @@ dpctl_dump_flows(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
     ds_destroy(&ds);
 
 out_dpifclose:
-    odp_portno_names_destroy(&portno_names);
-    hmap_destroy(&portno_names);
+    dpctl_free_portno_names(portno_names);
     dpif_close(dpif);
 out_free:
     free(filter);
@@ -1034,11 +1060,8 @@ dpctl_get_flow(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
 {
     const char *key_s = argv[argc - 1];
     struct dpif_flow flow;
-    struct dpif_port dpif_port;
-    struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
     struct dpif *dpif;
     char *dp_name;
-    struct hmap portno_names;
     ovs_u128 ufid;
     struct ofpbuf buf;
     uint64_t stub[DPIF_FLOW_BUFSIZE / 8];
@@ -1057,10 +1080,8 @@ dpctl_get_flow(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
     }
 
     ofpbuf_use_stub(&buf, &stub, sizeof stub);
-    hmap_init(&portno_names);
-    DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, dpif) {
-        odp_portno_names_set(&portno_names, dpif_port.port_no, dpif_port.name);
-    }
+
+    struct hmap *portno_names = dpctl_get_portno_names(dpif, dpctl_p);
 
     n = odp_ufid_from_string(key_s, &ufid);
     if (n <= 0) {
@@ -1076,13 +1097,12 @@ dpctl_get_flow(int argc, const char *argv[], struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
     }
 
     ds_init(&ds);
-    format_dpif_flow(&ds, &flow, &portno_names, NULL, dpctl_p);
+    format_dpif_flow(&ds, &flow, portno_names, NULL, dpctl_p);
     dpctl_print(dpctl_p, "%s\n", ds_cstr(&ds));
     ds_destroy(&ds);
 
 out:
-    odp_portno_names_destroy(&portno_names);
-    hmap_destroy(&portno_names);
+    dpctl_free_portno_names(portno_names);
     ofpbuf_uninit(&buf);
     dpif_close(dpif);
     return error;
@@ -1682,6 +1702,7 @@ dpctl_unixctl_handler(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc, const char *argv[],
     /* Parse options (like getopt). Unfortunately it does
      * not seem a good idea to call getopt_long() here, since it uses global
      * variables */
+    bool set_names = false;
     while (argc > 1 && !error) {
         const char *arg = argv[1];
         if (!strncmp(arg, "--", 2)) {
@@ -1694,6 +1715,12 @@ dpctl_unixctl_handler(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc, const char *argv[],
                 dpctl_p.may_create = true;
             } else if (!strcmp(arg, "--more")) {
                 dpctl_p.verbosity++;
+            } else if (!strcmp(arg, "--names")) {
+                dpctl_p.names = true;
+                set_names = true;
+            } else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-names")) {
+                dpctl_p.names = false;
+                set_names = true;
             } else {
                 ds_put_format(&ds, "Unrecognized option %s", argv[1]);
                 error = true;
@@ -1728,6 +1755,11 @@ dpctl_unixctl_handler(struct unixctl_conn *conn, int argc, const char *argv[],
         argv++;
         argc--;
     }
+    if (!set_names) {
+        dpctl_p.names = dpctl_p.verbosity > 0;
+    }
+    VLOG_INFO("set_names=%d verbosity=%d names=%d", set_names,
+              dpctl_p.verbosity, dpctl_p.names);
 
     if (!error) {
         dpctl_command_handler *handler = (dpctl_command_handler *) aux;
diff --git a/lib/dpctl.h b/lib/dpctl.h
index 4ee083fa786..9d0052152a9 100644
--- a/lib/dpctl.h
+++ b/lib/dpctl.h
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ struct dpctl_params {
     /* -m, --more: Increase output verbosity. */
     int verbosity;
 
+    /* --names: Use port names in output? */
+    bool names;
+
     /* Callback for printing.  This function is called from dpctl_run_command()
      * to output data.  The 'aux' parameter is set to the 'aux'
      * member.  The 'error' parameter is true if 'string' is an error
diff --git a/lib/dpctl.man b/lib/dpctl.man
index f6e4a7a2fc2..9ebd3963757 100644
--- a/lib/dpctl.man
+++ b/lib/dpctl.man
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ for datapath not implementing mega flow. "hit" displays the total number
 of masks visited for matching incoming packets. "total" displays number of
 masks in the datapath. "hit/pkt" displays the average number of masks
 visited per packet; the ratio between "hit" and total number of
-packets processed by the datapath".
+packets processed by the datapath.
 .IP
 If one or more datapaths are specified, information on only those
 datapaths are displayed.  Otherwise, \fB\*(PN\fR displays information
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ default.  When multiple datapaths exist, then a datapath name is
 required.
 .
 .TP
-.DO "[\fB\-m \fR| \fB\-\-more\fR]" \*(DX\fBdump\-flows\fR "[\fIdp\fR] [\fBfilter=\fIfilter\fR] [\fBtype=\fItype\fR]"
+.DO "[\fB\-m \fR| \fB\-\-more\fR] [\fB\-\-names \fR| \fB\-\-no\-names\fR]" \*(DX\fBdump\-flows\fR "[\fIdp\fR] [\fBfilter=\fIfilter\fR] [\fBtype=\fItype\fR]"
 Prints to the console all flow entries in datapath \fIdp\fR's flow
 table.  Without \fB\-m\fR or \fB\-\-more\fR, output omits match fields
 that a flow wildcards entirely; with \fB\-m\fR or \fB\-\-more\fR,
@@ -184,7 +184,8 @@ Deletes the flow from \fIdp\fR's flow table that matches \fIflow\fR.
 If \fB\-s\fR or \fB\-\-statistics\fR is specified, then
 \fBdel\-flow\fR prints the deleted flow's statistics.
 .
-.IP "\*(DX\fBget\-flow\fR [\fIdp\fR] ufid:\fIufid\fR"
+.TP
+.DO "[\fB\-m \fR| \fB\-\-more\fR] [\fB\-\-names \fR| \fB\-\-no\-names\fR]" "\*(DX\fBget\-flow\fR [\fIdp\fR] ufid:\fIufid\fR"
 Fetches the flow from \fIdp\fR's flow table with unique identifier \fIufid\fR.
 \fIufid\fR must be specified as a string of 32 hexadecimal characters.
 .
diff --git a/lib/odp-util.c b/lib/odp-util.c
index 8e4df797a36..d1509555824 100644
--- a/lib/odp-util.c
+++ b/lib/odp-util.c
@@ -2944,7 +2944,7 @@ format_odp_key_attr(const struct nlattr *a, const struct nlattr *ma,
         break;
 
     case OVS_KEY_ATTR_IN_PORT:
-        if (portno_names && verbose && is_exact) {
+        if (portno_names && is_exact) {
             char *name = odp_portno_names_get(portno_names,
                                               nl_attr_get_odp_port(a));
             if (name) {
@@ -3251,7 +3251,7 @@ odp_format_ufid(const ovs_u128 *ufid, struct ds *ds)
 /* Appends to 'ds' a string representation of the 'key_len' bytes of
  * OVS_KEY_ATTR_* attributes in 'key'. If non-null, additionally formats the
  * 'mask_len' bytes of 'mask' which apply to 'key'. If 'portno_names' is
- * non-null and 'verbose' is true, translates odp port number to its name. */
+ * non-null, translates odp port number to its name. */
 void
 odp_flow_format(const struct nlattr *key, size_t key_len,
                 const struct nlattr *mask, size_t mask_len,
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
index 23ba1a303bd..28b24b9a0fd 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
@@ -5240,11 +5240,6 @@ ofproto_unixctl_dpif_dump_flows(struct unixctl_conn *conn,
     const struct ofproto_dpif *ofproto;
 
     struct ds ds = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
-    bool verbosity = false;
-
-    struct dpif_port dpif_port;
-    struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
-    struct hmap portno_names;
 
     struct dpif_flow_dump *flow_dump;
     struct dpif_flow_dump_thread *flow_dump_thread;
@@ -5257,13 +5252,35 @@ ofproto_unixctl_dpif_dump_flows(struct unixctl_conn *conn,
         return;
     }
 
-    if (argc > 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-m")) {
-        verbosity = true;
+    bool verbosity = false;
+    bool names = false;
+    bool set_names = false;
+    for (int i = 1; i < argc - 1; i++) {
+        if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-m")) {
+            verbosity = true;
+        } else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "--names")) {
+            names = true;
+            set_names = true;
+        } else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "--no-names")) {
+            names = false;
+            set_names = true;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!set_names) {
+        names = verbosity;
     }
 
-    hmap_init(&portno_names);
-    DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, ofproto->backer->dpif) {
-        odp_portno_names_set(&portno_names, dpif_port.port_no, dpif_port.name);
+    struct hmap *portno_names = NULL;
+    if (names) {
+        portno_names = xmalloc(sizeof *portno_names);
+        hmap_init(portno_names);
+
+        struct dpif_port dpif_port;
+        struct dpif_port_dump port_dump;
+        DPIF_PORT_FOR_EACH (&dpif_port, &port_dump, ofproto->backer->dpif) {
+            odp_portno_names_set(portno_names, dpif_port.port_no,
+                                 dpif_port.name);
+        }
     }
 
     ds_init(&ds);
@@ -5282,7 +5299,7 @@ ofproto_unixctl_dpif_dump_flows(struct unixctl_conn *conn,
             ds_put_cstr(&ds, " ");
         }
         odp_flow_format(f.key, f.key_len, f.mask, f.mask_len,
-                        &portno_names, &ds, verbosity);
+                        portno_names, &ds, verbosity);
         ds_put_cstr(&ds, ", ");
         dpif_flow_stats_format(&f.stats, &ds);
         ds_put_cstr(&ds, ", actions:");
@@ -5299,8 +5316,11 @@ ofproto_unixctl_dpif_dump_flows(struct unixctl_conn *conn,
     } else {
         unixctl_command_reply(conn, ds_cstr(&ds));
     }
-    odp_portno_names_destroy(&portno_names);
-    hmap_destroy(&portno_names);
+    if (portno_names) {
+        odp_portno_names_destroy(portno_names);
+        hmap_destroy(portno_names);
+        free(portno_names);
+    }
     ds_destroy(&ds);
 }
 
@@ -5415,7 +5435,7 @@ ofproto_unixctl_init(void)
                              NULL);
     unixctl_command_register("dpif/show-dp-features", "bridge", 1, 1,
                              ofproto_unixctl_dpif_show_dp_features, NULL);
-    unixctl_command_register("dpif/dump-flows", "[-m] bridge", 1, 2,
+    unixctl_command_register("dpif/dump-flows", "[-m] [--names | --no-nmaes] bridge", 1, INT_MAX,
                              ofproto_unixctl_dpif_dump_flows, NULL);
 
     unixctl_command_register("ofproto/tnl-push-pop", "[on]|[off]", 1, 1,
diff --git a/utilities/ovs-dpctl.8.in b/utilities/ovs-dpctl.8.in
index c1be05e136b..f054bd2d78e 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-dpctl.8.in
+++ b/utilities/ovs-dpctl.8.in
@@ -58,7 +58,14 @@ each port within the datapaths that it shows.
 .
 .IP "\fB\-m\fR"
 .IQ "\fB\-\-more\fR"
-Increases the verbosity of \fBdump\-flows\fR output.
+Increases verbosity of output for \fBdump\-flows\fR and
+\fBget\-flow\fR.
+.
+.IP "\fB\-\-names\fR"
+.IQ "\fB\-\-no-names\fR"
+Enables or disables showing port names in place of numbers in output
+for \fBdump\-flows\fR and \fBget\-flow\fR.  By default, names are
+shown if at least one \fB\-m\fR or \fB\-\-more\fR is specified.
 .
 .IP "\fB\-t\fR"
 .IQ "\fB\-\-timeout=\fIsecs\fR"
diff --git a/utilities/ovs-dpctl.c b/utilities/ovs-dpctl.c
index 843d305ccf2..aae8c93c9ee 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-dpctl.c
+++ b/utilities/ovs-dpctl.c
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[])
         OPT_CLEAR = UCHAR_MAX + 1,
         OPT_MAY_CREATE,
         OPT_READ_ONLY,
+        OPT_NAMES,
+        OPT_NO_NAMES,
         VLOG_OPTION_ENUMS
     };
     static const struct option long_options[] = {
@@ -86,6 +88,8 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[])
         {"may-create", no_argument, NULL, OPT_MAY_CREATE},
         {"read-only", no_argument, NULL, OPT_READ_ONLY},
         {"more", no_argument, NULL, 'm'},
+        {"names", no_argument, NULL, OPT_NAMES},
+        {"no-names", no_argument, NULL, OPT_NO_NAMES},
         {"timeout", required_argument, NULL, 't'},
         {"help", no_argument, NULL, 'h'},
         {"option", no_argument, NULL, 'o'},
@@ -95,6 +99,7 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[])
     };
     char *short_options = ovs_cmdl_long_options_to_short_options(long_options);
 
+    bool set_names = false;
     for (;;) {
         unsigned long int timeout;
         int c;
@@ -125,6 +130,16 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[])
             dpctl_p.verbosity++;
             break;
 
+        case OPT_NAMES:
+            dpctl_p.names = true;
+            set_names = true;
+            break;
+
+        case OPT_NO_NAMES:
+            dpctl_p.names = false;
+            set_names = true;
+            break;
+
         case 't':
             timeout = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
             if (timeout <= 0) {
@@ -156,6 +171,10 @@ parse_options(int argc, char *argv[])
         }
     }
     free(short_options);
+
+    if (!set_names) {
+        dpctl_p.names = dpctl_p.verbosity > 0;
+    }
 }
 
 static void
@@ -190,6 +209,7 @@ usage(void *userdata OVS_UNUSED)
            "  -s,  --statistics           print statistics for port or flow\n"
            "\nOptions for dump-flows:\n"
            "  -m, --more                  increase verbosity of output\n"
+           "  --names                     use port names in output\n"
            "\nOptions for mod-flow:\n"
            "  --may-create                create flow if it doesn't exist\n"
            "  --read-only                 do not run read/write commands\n"