diff --git a/include/sound/sof.h b/include/sound/sof.h
index d3c41f87ac3191..87186f4647af50 100644
--- a/include/sound/sof.h
+++ b/include/sound/sof.h
@@ -57,6 +57,17 @@ enum sof_ipc_type {
 	SOF_IPC_TYPE_COUNT
 };
 
+struct sof_loadable_file_profile {
+	enum sof_ipc_type ipc_type;
+
+	const char *fw_path;
+	const char *fw_name;
+	const char *fw_lib_path;
+	const char *fw_path_postfix;
+	const char *tplg_path;
+	const char *tplg_name;
+};
+
 /*
  * SOF Platform data.
  */
@@ -78,6 +89,9 @@ struct snd_sof_pdata {
 	/* descriptor */
 	const struct sof_dev_desc *desc;
 
+	/* platform's preferred IPC type and path overrides */
+	struct sof_loadable_file_profile ipc_file_profile_base;
+
 	/* firmware and topology filenames */
 	const char *fw_filename_prefix;
 	const char *fw_filename;
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/Makefile b/sound/soc/sof/Makefile
index 308d8763991636..6c9b775fbd985f 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/Makefile
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0-only OR BSD-3-Clause)
 
 snd-sof-objs := core.o ops.o loader.o ipc.o pcm.o pm.o debug.o topology.o\
-		control.o trace.o iomem-utils.o sof-audio.o stream-ipc.o
+		control.o trace.o iomem-utils.o sof-audio.o stream-ipc.o\
+		fw-file-profile.o
 
 # IPC implementations
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_SND_SOC_SOF_IPC3),)
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/core.c b/sound/soc/sof/core.c
index 9a9d82220fd0d7..4a589ea4c1a7e5 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/core.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/core.c
@@ -349,6 +349,35 @@ static void sof_probe_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 }
 
+static int sof_select_ipc_and_paths(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev)
+{
+	struct snd_sof_pdata *plat_data = sdev->pdata;
+	struct sof_loadable_file_profile *base_profile = &plat_data->ipc_file_profile_base;
+	struct sof_loadable_file_profile out_profile;
+	int ret;
+
+	/* check IPC support */
+	if (!(BIT(base_profile->ipc_type) & plat_data->desc->ipc_supported_mask)) {
+		dev_err(sdev->dev,
+			"ipc_type %d is not supported on this platform, mask is %#x\n",
+			base_profile->ipc_type, plat_data->desc->ipc_supported_mask);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	ret = sof_create_ipc_file_profile(sdev, base_profile, &out_profile);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	plat_data->ipc_type = out_profile.ipc_type;
+	plat_data->fw_filename = out_profile.fw_name;
+	plat_data->fw_filename_prefix = out_profile.fw_path;
+	plat_data->fw_lib_prefix = out_profile.fw_lib_path;
+	plat_data->tplg_filename_prefix = out_profile.tplg_path;
+	plat_data->tplg_filename = out_profile.tplg_name;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int snd_sof_device_probe(struct device *dev, struct snd_sof_pdata *plat_data)
 {
 	struct snd_sof_dev *sdev;
@@ -380,12 +409,9 @@ int snd_sof_device_probe(struct device *dev, struct snd_sof_pdata *plat_data)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* check IPC support */
-	if (!(BIT(plat_data->ipc_type) & plat_data->desc->ipc_supported_mask)) {
-		dev_err(dev, "ipc_type %d is not supported on this platform, mask is %#x\n",
-			plat_data->ipc_type, plat_data->desc->ipc_supported_mask);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
+	ret = sof_select_ipc_and_paths(sdev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
 	/* init ops, if necessary */
 	ret = sof_ops_init(sdev);
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/fw-file-profile.c b/sound/soc/sof/fw-file-profile.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..0f97f01ba38dd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/fw-file-profile.c
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0-only OR BSD-3-Clause)
+//
+// This file is provided under a dual BSD/GPLv2 license.  When using or
+// redistributing this file, you may do so under either license.
+//
+// Copyright(c) 2023 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
+//
+
+#include <linux/firmware.h>
+#include <sound/sof.h>
+#include <sound/sof/ext_manifest4.h>
+#include "sof-priv.h"
+
+static int sof_test_file_profile(struct device *dev,
+				 struct sof_loadable_file_profile *profile,
+				 enum sof_ipc_type *ipc_type_to_adjust)
+{
+	enum sof_ipc_type fw_ipc_type;
+	const struct firmware *fw;
+	const char *fw_filename;
+	const u32 *magic;
+	int ret;
+
+	fw_filename = kasprintf(GFP_KERNEL, "%s/%s", profile->fw_path,
+				profile->fw_name);
+	if (!fw_filename)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	ret = firmware_request_nowarn(&fw, fw_filename, dev);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		kfree(fw_filename);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	/* firmware file exists, check the magic number */
+	magic = (const u32 *)fw->data;
+	switch (*magic) {
+	case SOF_EXT_MAN_MAGIC_NUMBER:
+		fw_ipc_type = SOF_IPC;
+		break;
+	case SOF_EXT_MAN4_MAGIC_NUMBER:
+		fw_ipc_type = SOF_INTEL_IPC4;
+		break;
+	default:
+		dev_err(dev, "Invalid firmware magic: %#x\n", *magic);
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	if (ipc_type_to_adjust) {
+		*ipc_type_to_adjust = fw_ipc_type;
+	} else if (fw_ipc_type != profile->ipc_type) {
+		dev_err(dev,
+			"ipc type mismatch between %s and expected: %d vs %d\n",
+			fw_filename, fw_ipc_type, profile->ipc_type);
+		ret = -EINVAL;
+	}
+out:
+	release_firmware(fw);
+	kfree(fw_filename);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int
+sof_file_profile_for_ipc_type(struct device *dev,
+			      enum sof_ipc_type ipc_type,
+			      const struct sof_dev_desc *desc,
+			      struct sof_loadable_file_profile *base_profile,
+			      struct sof_loadable_file_profile *out_profile)
+{
+	bool fw_path_allocated = false;
+	bool fw_lib_path_allocated = false;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	/* firmware path */
+	if (base_profile->fw_path) {
+		out_profile->fw_path = base_profile->fw_path;
+	} else if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix) {
+		out_profile->fw_path = devm_kasprintf(dev, GFP_KERNEL, "%s/%s",
+							desc->default_fw_path[ipc_type],
+							base_profile->fw_path_postfix);
+		if (!out_profile->fw_path)
+			return -ENOMEM;
+
+		fw_path_allocated = true;
+	} else {
+		out_profile->fw_path = desc->default_fw_path[ipc_type];
+	}
+
+	/* firmware filename */
+	if (base_profile->fw_name)
+		out_profile->fw_name = base_profile->fw_name;
+	else
+		out_profile->fw_name = desc->default_fw_filename[ipc_type];
+
+	/*
+	 * Check the custom firmware path/filename and adjust the ipc_type to
+	 * match with the existing file for the remaining path configuration.
+	 *
+	 * For default path and firmware name do a verification before
+	 * continuing further.
+	 */
+	if (base_profile->fw_path || base_profile->fw_name) {
+		ret = sof_test_file_profile(dev, out_profile, &ipc_type);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+
+		if (!(desc->ipc_supported_mask & BIT(ipc_type))) {
+			dev_err(dev, "Unsupported IPC type %d needed by %s/%s\n",
+				ipc_type, base_profile->fw_path,
+				base_profile->fw_name);
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* firmware library path */
+	if (base_profile->fw_lib_path) {
+		out_profile->fw_lib_path = base_profile->fw_lib_path;
+	} else if (desc->default_lib_path[ipc_type]) {
+		if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix) {
+			out_profile->fw_lib_path = devm_kasprintf(dev,
+							GFP_KERNEL, "%s/%s",
+							desc->default_lib_path[ipc_type],
+							base_profile->fw_path_postfix);
+			if (!out_profile->fw_lib_path) {
+				ret = -ENOMEM;
+				goto out;
+			}
+
+			fw_lib_path_allocated = true;
+		} else {
+			out_profile->fw_lib_path = desc->default_lib_path[ipc_type];
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix)
+		out_profile->fw_path_postfix = base_profile->fw_path_postfix;
+
+	/* topology path */
+	if (base_profile->tplg_path)
+		out_profile->tplg_path = base_profile->tplg_path;
+	else
+		out_profile->tplg_path = desc->default_tplg_path[ipc_type];
+
+	/* topology name */
+	if (base_profile->tplg_name)
+		out_profile->tplg_name = base_profile->tplg_name;
+
+	out_profile->ipc_type = ipc_type;
+
+	/* Test only default firmware file */
+	if (!base_profile->fw_path && !base_profile->fw_name)
+		ret = sof_test_file_profile(dev, out_profile, NULL);
+
+out:
+	if (ret) {
+		/* Free up path strings created with devm_kasprintf */
+		if (fw_path_allocated)
+			devm_kfree(dev, out_profile->fw_path);
+		if (fw_lib_path_allocated)
+			devm_kfree(dev, out_profile->fw_lib_path);
+
+		memset(out_profile, 0, sizeof(*out_profile));
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static void
+sof_missing_firmware_notification(struct device *dev,
+				  enum sof_ipc_type ipc_type,
+				  const struct sof_dev_desc *desc,
+				  struct sof_loadable_file_profile *base_profile)
+{
+	char *marker;
+	int i;
+
+	dev_err(dev, "No SOF firmware file was found.\n");
+
+	for (i = 0; i < SOF_IPC_TYPE_COUNT; i++) {
+		if (!(desc->ipc_supported_mask & BIT(i)))
+			continue;
+
+		if (i == ipc_type)
+			marker = "Requested";
+		else
+			marker = "Fallback";
+
+		if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix)
+			dev_err(dev, " %s file: %s/%s/%s\n", marker,
+				desc->default_fw_path[i],
+				base_profile->fw_path_postfix,
+				desc->default_fw_filename[i]);
+		else
+			dev_err(dev, " %s file: %s/%s\n", marker,
+				desc->default_fw_path[i],
+				desc->default_fw_filename[i]);
+	}
+
+	dev_err(dev, "Check if you have 'sof-firmware' package installed.\n");
+	dev_err(dev, "Optionally it can be manually downloaded from:\n");
+	dev_err(dev, "   https://github.com/thesofproject/sof-bin/\n");
+}
+
+static void sof_print_profile_info(struct device *dev,
+				   enum sof_ipc_type ipc_type,
+				   struct sof_loadable_file_profile *profile)
+{
+	if (ipc_type != profile->ipc_type)
+		dev_info(dev,
+			 "Using fallback IPC type %d (requested type was %d)\n",
+			 profile->ipc_type, ipc_type);
+
+	dev_dbg(dev, "Loadable file profile%s for ipc type %d:\n",
+		ipc_type != profile->ipc_type ? " (fallback)" : "",
+		profile->ipc_type);
+
+	dev_dbg(dev, " Firmware file: %s/%s\n", profile->fw_path, profile->fw_name);
+	if (profile->fw_lib_path)
+		dev_dbg(dev, " Firmware lib path: %s\n", profile->fw_lib_path);
+	dev_dbg(dev, " Topology path: %s\n", profile->tplg_path);
+	if (profile->tplg_name)
+		dev_dbg(dev, " Topology name: %s\n", profile->tplg_name);
+}
+
+int sof_create_ipc_file_profile(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
+				struct sof_loadable_file_profile *base_profile,
+				struct sof_loadable_file_profile *out_profile)
+{
+	const struct sof_dev_desc *desc = sdev->pdata->desc;
+	struct device *dev = sdev->dev;
+	int ret = -ENOENT;
+	int i;
+
+	memset(out_profile, 0, sizeof(*out_profile));
+
+	if (base_profile->fw_path)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed fw path to %s\n",
+			base_profile->fw_path);
+	else if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Path postfix appended to default fw path: %s\n",
+			base_profile->fw_path_postfix);
+
+	if (base_profile->fw_lib_path)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed fw_lib path to %s\n",
+			base_profile->fw_lib_path);
+	else if (base_profile->fw_path_postfix)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Path postfix appended to default fw_lib path: %s\n",
+			base_profile->fw_path_postfix);
+
+	if (base_profile->fw_name)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed fw filename to %s\n",
+			base_profile->fw_name);
+
+	if (base_profile->tplg_path)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed tplg path to %s\n",
+			base_profile->tplg_path);
+
+	if (base_profile->tplg_name)
+		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed tplg name to %s\n",
+			base_profile->tplg_name);
+
+	ret = sof_file_profile_for_ipc_type(dev, base_profile->ipc_type, desc,
+					    base_profile, out_profile);
+	if (!ret)
+		goto out;
+
+	/*
+	 * No firmware file was found for the requested IPC type, check all
+	 * IPC types as fallback
+	 */
+	for (i = 0; i < SOF_IPC_TYPE_COUNT; i++) {
+		if (i == base_profile->ipc_type ||
+		    !(desc->ipc_supported_mask & BIT(i)))
+			continue;
+
+		ret = sof_file_profile_for_ipc_type(dev, i, desc, base_profile,
+						    out_profile);
+		if (!ret)
+			break;
+	}
+
+out:
+	if (ret)
+		sof_missing_firmware_notification(dev, base_profile->ipc_type,
+						  desc, base_profile);
+	else
+		sof_print_profile_info(dev, base_profile->ipc_type, out_profile);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(sof_create_ipc_file_profile);
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-acpi-dev.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-acpi-dev.c
index 1b04dcb332935f..e4b61f08202c65 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-acpi-dev.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-acpi-dev.c
@@ -74,20 +74,10 @@ int sof_acpi_probe(struct platform_device *pdev, const struct sof_dev_desc *desc
 
 	sof_pdata->desc = desc;
 	sof_pdata->dev = &pdev->dev;
-	sof_pdata->fw_filename = desc->default_fw_filename[SOF_IPC];
-
-	/* alternate fw and tplg filenames ? */
-	if (fw_path)
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix = fw_path;
-	else
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix =
-			sof_pdata->desc->default_fw_path[SOF_IPC];
-
-	if (tplg_path)
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix = tplg_path;
-	else
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix =
-			sof_pdata->desc->default_tplg_path[SOF_IPC];
+
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.ipc_type = desc->ipc_default;
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.fw_path = fw_path;
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.tplg_path = tplg_path;
 
 	/* set callback to be called on successful device probe to enable runtime_pm */
 	sof_pdata->sof_probe_complete = sof_acpi_probe_complete;
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-of-dev.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-of-dev.c
index 53faeccedd4f0d..54715b7e059b05 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-of-dev.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-of-dev.c
@@ -64,17 +64,10 @@ int sof_of_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	sof_pdata->desc = desc;
 	sof_pdata->dev = &pdev->dev;
-	sof_pdata->fw_filename = desc->default_fw_filename[SOF_IPC];
 
-	if (fw_path)
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix = fw_path;
-	else
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix = sof_pdata->desc->default_fw_path[SOF_IPC];
-
-	if (tplg_path)
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix = tplg_path;
-	else
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix = sof_pdata->desc->default_tplg_path[SOF_IPC];
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.ipc_type = desc->ipc_default;
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.fw_path = fw_path;
+	sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base.tplg_path = tplg_path;
 
 	/* set callback to be called on successful device probe to enable runtime_pm */
 	sof_pdata->sof_probe_complete = sof_of_probe_complete;
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-pci-dev.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-pci-dev.c
index f5ece43d0ec247..3ecc868bcdf5f2 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-pci-dev.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-pci-dev.c
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ static void sof_pci_probe_complete(struct device *dev)
 
 int sof_pci_probe(struct pci_dev *pci, const struct pci_device_id *pci_id)
 {
+	struct sof_loadable_file_profile *path_override;
 	struct device *dev = &pci->dev;
 	const struct sof_dev_desc *desc =
 		(const struct sof_dev_desc *)pci_id->driver_data;
@@ -217,10 +218,10 @@ int sof_pci_probe(struct pci_dev *pci, const struct pci_device_id *pci_id)
 	sof_pdata->desc = desc;
 	sof_pdata->dev = dev;
 
-	sof_pdata->ipc_type = desc->ipc_default;
+	path_override = &sof_pdata->ipc_file_profile_base;
 
 	if (sof_pci_ipc_type < 0) {
-		sof_pdata->ipc_type = desc->ipc_default;
+		path_override->ipc_type = desc->ipc_default;
 	} else {
 		dev_info(dev, "overriding default IPC %d to requested %d\n",
 			 desc->ipc_default, sof_pci_ipc_type);
@@ -235,88 +236,32 @@ int sof_pci_probe(struct pci_dev *pci, const struct pci_device_id *pci_id)
 			ret = -EINVAL;
 			goto out;
 		}
-		sof_pdata->ipc_type = sof_pci_ipc_type;
+		path_override->ipc_type = sof_pci_ipc_type;
 	}
 
-	if (fw_filename) {
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename = fw_filename;
-
-		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed fw filename to %s\n",
-			sof_pdata->fw_filename);
-	} else {
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename = desc->default_fw_filename[sof_pdata->ipc_type];
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * for platforms using the SOF community key, change the
-	 * default path automatically to pick the right files from the
-	 * linux-firmware tree. This can be overridden with the
-	 * fw_path kernel parameter, e.g. for developers.
-	 */
-
-	/* alternate fw and tplg filenames ? */
-	if (fw_path) {
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix = fw_path;
-
-		dev_dbg(dev,
-			"Module parameter used, changed fw path to %s\n",
-			sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix);
-
-	} else if (dmi_check_system(community_key_platforms) && sof_dmi_use_community_key) {
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix =
-			devm_kasprintf(dev, GFP_KERNEL, "%s/%s",
-				       sof_pdata->desc->default_fw_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type],
-				       "community");
-
-		dev_dbg(dev,
-			"Platform uses community key, changed fw path to %s\n",
-			sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix);
-	} else {
-		sof_pdata->fw_filename_prefix =
-			sof_pdata->desc->default_fw_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type];
-	}
-
-	if (lib_path) {
-		sof_pdata->fw_lib_prefix = lib_path;
-
-		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed fw_lib path to %s\n",
-			sof_pdata->fw_lib_prefix);
-
-	} else if (sof_pdata->desc->default_lib_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type]) {
-		if (dmi_check_system(community_key_platforms) && sof_dmi_use_community_key) {
-			sof_pdata->fw_lib_prefix =
-				devm_kasprintf(dev, GFP_KERNEL, "%s/%s",
-					sof_pdata->desc->default_lib_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type],
-					"community");
-
-			dev_dbg(dev,
-				"Platform uses community key, changed fw_lib path to %s\n",
-				sof_pdata->fw_lib_prefix);
-		} else {
-			sof_pdata->fw_lib_prefix =
-				sof_pdata->desc->default_lib_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type];
-		}
+	path_override->fw_path = fw_path;
+	path_override->fw_name = fw_filename;
+	path_override->fw_lib_path = lib_path;
+	path_override->tplg_path = tplg_path;
+
+	if (dmi_check_system(community_key_platforms) &&
+	    sof_dmi_use_community_key) {
+		path_override->fw_path_postfix = devm_kstrdup(dev, "community",
+							      GFP_KERNEL);
+		if (!path_override->fw_path_postfix)
+			return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
-	if (tplg_path)
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix = tplg_path;
-	else
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename_prefix =
-			sof_pdata->desc->default_tplg_path[sof_pdata->ipc_type];
-
 	/*
 	 * the topology filename will be provided in the machine descriptor, unless
 	 * it is overridden by a module parameter or DMI quirk.
 	 */
 	if (tplg_filename) {
-		sof_pdata->tplg_filename = tplg_filename;
-
-		dev_dbg(dev, "Module parameter used, changed tplg filename to %s\n",
-			sof_pdata->tplg_filename);
+		path_override->tplg_name = tplg_filename;
 	} else {
 		dmi_check_system(sof_tplg_table);
 		if (sof_dmi_override_tplg_name)
-			sof_pdata->tplg_filename = sof_dmi_override_tplg_name;
+			path_override->tplg_name = sof_dmi_override_tplg_name;
 	}
 
 	/* set callback to be called on successful device probe to enable runtime_pm */
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-priv.h b/sound/soc/sof/sof-priv.h
index cd4f6ac126eca7..9fed1c1d1b56be 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-priv.h
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-priv.h
@@ -690,6 +690,13 @@ void snd_sof_new_platform_drv(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev);
  */
 extern struct snd_compress_ops sof_compressed_ops;
 
+/*
+ * Firmware (firmware, libraries, topologies) file location
+ */
+int sof_create_ipc_file_profile(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
+				struct sof_loadable_file_profile *base_profile,
+				struct sof_loadable_file_profile *out_profile);
+
 /*
  * Firmware loading.
  */