diff --git a/include/sound/sof/topology.h b/include/sound/sof/topology.h
index f56e80d09b3207..7d40da05b23380 100644
--- a/include/sound/sof/topology.h
+++ b/include/sound/sof/topology.h
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ enum sof_comp_type {
 	SOF_COMP_ASRC,		/**< Asynchronous sample rate converter */
 	SOF_COMP_DCBLOCK,
 	SOF_COMP_SMART_AMP,             /**< smart amplifier component */
+
+	/*
+	 * No more _COMP_ types to be added.
+	 * Use SOF_COMP_PROCESS from now on.
+	 */
+	SOF_COMP_PROCESS = 1000,	/**< generic process component */
 	/* keep FILEREAD/FILEWRITE as the last ones */
 	SOF_COMP_FILEREAD = 10000,	/**< host test based file IO */
 	SOF_COMP_FILEWRITE = 10001,	/**< host test based file IO */
@@ -57,8 +63,7 @@ struct sof_ipc_comp {
 	uint32_t pipeline_id;
 	uint32_t core;
 
-	/* reserved for future use */
-	uint32_t reserved[1];
+	uint32_t subtype;	/**< flavour for generic component type */
 } __packed;
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/uapi/sound/sof/abi.h b/include/uapi/sound/sof/abi.h
index d54be303090fc3..6af32f82fb99a7 100644
--- a/include/uapi/sound/sof/abi.h
+++ b/include/uapi/sound/sof/abi.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 /* SOF ABI version major, minor and patch numbers */
 #define SOF_ABI_MAJOR 3
-#define SOF_ABI_MINOR 16
+#define SOF_ABI_MINOR 17
 #define SOF_ABI_PATCH 0
 
 /* SOF ABI version number. Format within 32bit word is MMmmmppp */
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
index 34f2dace020f82..537785fac70133 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
@@ -2183,7 +2183,13 @@ static int sof_process_load(struct snd_soc_component *scomp, int index,
 	process->comp.hdr.size = ipc_size;
 	process->comp.hdr.cmd = SOF_IPC_GLB_TPLG_MSG | SOF_IPC_TPLG_COMP_NEW;
 	process->comp.id = swidget->comp_id;
-	process->comp.type = type;
+	if (sdev->fw_ready.version.abi_version >= SOF_ABI_VER(3, 17, 0)) {
+		/* use generic process component if supported */
+		process->comp.type = SOF_COMP_PROCESS;
+		process->comp.subtype = type;
+	} else {
+		process->comp.type = SOF_COMP_PROCESS;
+	}
 	process->comp.pipeline_id = index;
 	process->config.hdr.size = sizeof(process->config);