diff --git a/crates/viona-api/src/ffi.rs b/crates/viona-api/src/ffi.rs
index e67f97d11..45fc32482 100644
--- a/crates/viona-api/src/ffi.rs
+++ b/crates/viona-api/src/ffi.rs
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ pub struct vioc_set_params {
 /// This is the viona interface version which viona_api expects to operate
 /// against.  All constants and structs defined by the crate are done so in
 /// terms of that specific version.
-pub const VIONA_CURRENT_INTERFACE_VERSION: u32 = 6;
+pub const VIONA_CURRENT_INTERFACE_VERSION: u32 = 7;
 
 /// Maximum size of packed nvlists used in viona parameter ioctls
 pub const VIONA_MAX_PARAM_NVLIST_SZ: usize = 4096;
diff --git a/crates/viona-api/src/lib.rs b/crates/viona-api/src/lib.rs
index d8535972c..a2e5fd96e 100644
--- a/crates/viona-api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/viona-api/src/lib.rs
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ fn minor(meta: &std::fs::Metadata) -> u32 {
 #[repr(u32)]
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub enum ApiVersion {
+    /// Adds ioctls in support of CTRL_RX MAC commands; setting a multicast MAC
+    /// filter table as well as controlling the device's unicast MAC.
+    V7 = 7,
+
     /// Adds multi-queue support and change the data structure for per-queue
     /// interrupt polling to a compact bitmap.
     V6 = 6,
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ pub enum ApiVersion {
 }
 impl ApiVersion {
     pub const fn current() -> Self {
-        Self::V6
+        Self::V7
     }
 }
 impl PartialEq<ApiVersion> for u32 {
diff --git a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
index 4f2dc8ea6..168044ce0 100644
--- a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
+++ b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
@@ -1883,8 +1883,13 @@ use bits::*;
 pub(crate) fn check_api_version() -> Result<(), crate::api_version::Error> {
     let vers = viona_api::api_version()?;
 
-    // when setting up a vNIC, Propolis will unconditionally do the SET_PAIRS
+    // When setting up a vNIC, Propolis will unconditionally do the SET_PAIRS
     // ioctl, which requires V6.
+    //
+    // The virtio-nic implementation here is still correct on a V7 viona, where
+    // we use promiscuity exclusively to control what traffic is filtered from
+    // guests. A future change to Propolis will use the new-in-V7 filter ioctls
+    // at which point we will change "want" to match that new baseline.
     let want = viona_api::ApiVersion::V6 as u32;
 
     if vers < want {