diff --git a/app/boards/imx8mp_evk_mimx8ml8_adsp.overlay b/app/boards/imx8mp_evk_mimx8ml8_adsp.overlay
index 6748b621985a..773fecc25bdb 100644
--- a/app/boards/imx8mp_evk_mimx8ml8_adsp.overlay
+++ b/app/boards/imx8mp_evk_mimx8ml8_adsp.overlay
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 	};
 };
 
+&emul_dma {
+	status = "okay";
+};
+
 &sdma3 {
 	status = "okay";
 };
diff --git a/src/audio/dai-zephyr.c b/src/audio/dai-zephyr.c
index 0512b92abc87..836763314601 100644
--- a/src/audio/dai-zephyr.c
+++ b/src/audio/dai-zephyr.c
@@ -194,6 +194,10 @@ __cold int dai_set_config(struct dai *dai, struct ipc_config_dai *common_config,
 		cfg.type = DAI_IMX_MICFIL;
 		cfg_params = &sof_cfg->micfil;
 		break;
+	case SOF_DAI_VIRTUAL:
+		cfg.type = DAI_VIRTUAL;
+		cfg_params = &sof_cfg->virtual_dai;
+		break;
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
@@ -492,8 +496,12 @@ __cold int dai_common_new(struct dai_data *dd, struct comp_dev *dev,
 	dd->ipc_config = *dai_cfg;
 
 	/* request GP LP DMA with shared access privilege */
+#if CONFIG_DAI_VIRTUAL
+	dir = SOF_DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_MEM;
+#else
 	dir = dai_cfg->direction == SOF_IPC_STREAM_PLAYBACK ?
 		SOF_DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV : SOF_DMA_DIR_DEV_TO_MEM;
+#endif
 
 	dd->dma = sof_dma_get(dir, dd->dai->dma_caps, dd->dai->dma_dev, SOF_DMA_ACCESS_SHARED);
 	if (!dd->dma) {
diff --git a/src/include/ipc/dai.h b/src/include/ipc/dai.h
index b5b29316f9e6..1d86f8173962 100644
--- a/src/include/ipc/dai.h
+++ b/src/include/ipc/dai.h
@@ -94,9 +94,31 @@ enum sof_ipc_dai_type {
 	SOF_DAI_AMD_SP_VIRTUAL,		/**<Amd SP VIRTUAL */
 	SOF_DAI_AMD_HS_VIRTUAL,		/**<Amd HS VIRTUAL */
 	SOF_DAI_IMX_MICFIL,		/**< i.MX MICFIL */
-	SOF_DAI_AMD_SW_AUDIO		/**<Amd SW AUDIO */
+	SOF_DAI_AMD_SW_AUDIO,		/**<Amd SW AUDIO */
+	SOF_DAI_VIRTUAL,		/**< Virtual DAI for testing/debugging*/
 };
 
+/* Virtual DAI Configuration Request - SOF_IPC_DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG */
+struct sof_ipc_dai_virtual_params {
+	uint32_t reserved0;
+
+	/* MCLK */
+	uint16_t reserved1;
+	uint16_t mclk_id;
+	uint32_t mclk_direction;
+
+	uint32_t mclk_rate; /* MCLK frequency in Hz */
+	uint32_t fsync_rate;
+	uint32_t bclk_rate;
+
+	/* TDM */
+	uint32_t tdm_slots;
+	uint32_t rx_slots;
+	uint32_t tx_slots;
+	uint16_t tdm_slot_width;
+	uint16_t reserved2;	/* alignment */
+} __attribute__((packed, aligned(4)));
+
 /* general purpose DAI configuration */
 struct sof_ipc_dai_config {
 	struct sof_ipc_cmd_hdr hdr;
@@ -126,6 +148,7 @@ struct sof_ipc_dai_config {
 		struct sof_ipc_dai_afe_params afe;
 		struct sof_ipc_dai_micfil_params micfil;
 		struct sof_ipc_dai_acp_sdw_params acpsdw;
+		struct sof_ipc_dai_virtual_params virtual_dai;
 	};
 } __attribute__((packed, aligned(4)));
 
diff --git a/src/ipc/ipc3/dai.c b/src/ipc/ipc3/dai.c
index 4d152deef28b..1131e1289368 100644
--- a/src/ipc/ipc3/dai.c
+++ b/src/ipc/ipc3/dai.c
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ int dai_config_dma_channel(struct dai_data *dd, struct comp_dev *dev, const void
 	case SOF_DAI_IMX_ESAI:
 		handshake = dai_get_handshake(dd->dai, dai->direction,
 					      dd->stream_id);
+	case SOF_DAI_VIRTUAL:
+		handshake = dai_get_handshake(dd->dai, dai->direction,
+					      dd->stream_id);
 /* TODO: remove this when transition to native drivers is complete on all NXP platforms */
 #ifndef CONFIG_ZEPHYR_NATIVE_DRIVERS
 		channel = EDMA_HS_GET_CHAN(handshake);
@@ -171,6 +174,7 @@ int ipc_dai_data_config(struct dai_data *dd, struct comp_dev *dev)
 	case SOF_DAI_IMX_MICFIL:
 	case SOF_DAI_IMX_SAI:
 	case SOF_DAI_IMX_ESAI:
+	case SOF_DAI_VIRTUAL:
 		dd->config.burst_elems = dai_get_fifo_depth(dd->dai, dai->direction);
 		break;
 	case SOF_DAI_AMD_BT:
diff --git a/src/lib/dai.c b/src/lib/dai.c
index c4daf2b06918..b90d1fe6c555 100644
--- a/src/lib/dai.c
+++ b/src/lib/dai.c
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ const struct device *zephyr_dev[] = {
 #if CONFIG_DAI_NXP_MICFIL
 	DT_FOREACH_STATUS_OKAY(nxp_dai_micfil, GET_DEVICE_LIST)
 #endif
+#if CONFIG_DAI_VIRTUAL
+	DT_FOREACH_STATUS_OKAY(virtual_dai, GET_DEVICE_LIST)
+#endif
 };
 
 /* convert sof_ipc_dai_type to Zephyr dai_type */
@@ -218,6 +221,8 @@ static int sof_dai_type_to_zephyr(uint32_t type)
 	case SOF_DAI_AMD_HS_VIRTUAL:
 	case SOF_DAI_AMD_SW_AUDIO:
 		return -ENOTSUP;
+	case SOF_DAI_VIRTUAL:
+		return DAI_VIRTUAL;
 	default:
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology1/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/topology/topology1/CMakeLists.txt
index c6ae06d0be04..0c77ef6afbe5 100644
--- a/tools/topology/topology1/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/topology/topology1/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ set(TPLGS
 	"sof-imx8mp-compr-pcm-cap-wm8960\;sof-imx8mp-compr-pcm-cap-wm8960"
 	"sof-imx8mp-compr-wm8960\;sof-imx8mp-compr-wm8960\;-DCODEC=wm8960\;-DRATE=48000"
 	"sof-imx8mp-compr-wm8960\;sof-imx8mp-compr-wm8962\;-DCODEC=wm8962\;-DRATE=48000"
+	"sof-imx8-virtual\;sof-imx8-virtual"
 	## end i.MX8MP topologies
 
 	## i.MX8ULP topologies
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology1/m4/dai.m4 b/tools/topology/topology1/m4/dai.m4
index cd968c6c61fd..5ae7aac24f03 100644
--- a/tools/topology/topology1/m4/dai.m4
+++ b/tools/topology/topology1/m4/dai.m4
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ define(`DO_DAI_CONFIG',
 `'
 `	id		"'$3`"'
 `'
-`	ifelse($1, `SSP', $5, $1, `HDA', $5, $1, `ALH', $5, $1, `ESAI', $5, $1, `SAI', $5, $1, `MICFIL', $5, $1, `AFE', $5, $1, `ACP', $5, $1, `ACPSP', $5, $1,`ACPSP_VIRTUAL', $5, $1, `ACPHS', $5, $1, `ACPHS_VIRTUAL', $5, $1, `ACP_SDW', $5, $1, `ACPDMIC', $5, `}')'
+`	ifelse($1, `SSP', $5, $1, `HDA', $5, $1, `ALH', $5, $1, `ESAI', $5, $1, `SAI', $5, $1, `MICFIL', $5, $1, `AFE', $5, $1, `ACP', $5, $1, `ACPSP', $5, $1,`ACPSP_VIRTUAL', $5, $1, `ACPHS', $5, $1, `ACPHS_VIRTUAL', $5, $1, `ACP_SDW', $5, $1, `ACPDMIC', $5, $1, `DAI_VIRTUAL', $5, `}')'
 `ifelse($1, `DMIC', $5, `')'
 `SectionVendorTuples."'N_DAI_CONFIG($1$2)`_tuples_common" {'
 `	tokens "sof_dai_tokens"'
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology1/platform/common/virtual-dai.m4 b/tools/topology/topology1/platform/common/virtual-dai.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7c12f9a85f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/topology/topology1/platform/common/virtual-dai.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+divert(-1)
+
+dnl Virtual DAI related macros
+
+dnl DAI_VIRTUAL_CLOCK(clock, freq, codec_provider, polarity)
+dnl polarity is optional
+define(`DAI_VIRTUAL_CLOCK',
+	$1		STR($3)
+	$1_freq		STR($2))
+	`ifelse($4, `inverted', `$1_invert	"true"',`')')
+
+dnl DAI_VIRTUAL_TDM(slots, width, tx_mask, rx_mask)
+define(`DAI_VIRTUAL_TDM',
+`	tdm_slots	'STR($1)
+`	tdm_slot_width	'STR($2)
+`	tx_slots	'STR($3)
+`	rx_slots	'STR($4)
+)
+
+dnl DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG(format, mclk, bclk, fsync, tdm, config_data)
+define(`DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG',
+`	format		"'$1`"'
+`	'$2
+`	'$3
+`	'$4
+`	'$5
+`}'
+$6
+)
+
+dnl DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG_DATA(type, idx, dummy_id)
+dnl dummy_id is optional
+define(`DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG_DATA',
+`SectionVendorTuples."'N_DAI_CONFIG($1$2)`_tuples" {'
+`	tokens "sof_virtual_tokens"'
+`	tuples."short" {'
+`		SOF_TKN_DAI_VIRTUAL_MCLK_ID'	ifelse($3, `', "0", STR($3))
+`	}'
+`}'
+`SectionData."'N_DAI_CONFIG($1$2)`_data" {'
+`	tuples "'N_DAI_CONFIG($1$2)`_tuples"'
+`}'
+)
+
+divert(0)dnl
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology1/sof-imx8-virtual.m4 b/tools/topology/topology1/sof-imx8-virtual.m4
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2cfbfd449c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/topology/topology1/sof-imx8-virtual.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#
+# Topology for i.MX8 board using Virtual DAI (no physical codec)
+#
+
+# Include topology builder
+include(`utils.m4')
+include(`dai.m4')
+include(`pipeline.m4')
+include(`virtual-dai.m4')
+include(`pcm.m4')
+include(`buffer.m4')
+
+# Include TLV library
+include(`common/tlv.m4')
+
+# Include Token library
+include(`sof/tokens.m4')
+
+# Include DSP configuration
+include(`platform/imx/imx8.m4')
+
+#
+# Define the pipelines
+#
+# PCM0 ---> Volume ---> Virtual DAI0 (NoCodec)
+#
+
+dnl PIPELINE_PCM_ADD(pipeline,
+dnl     pipe id, pcm, max channels, format,
+dnl     period, priority, core,
+dnl     pcm_min_rate, pcm_max_rate, pipeline_rate,
+dnl     time_domain, sched_comp)
+
+# Low Latency playback pipeline 1 on PCM 0 using max 2 channels of s32le
+PIPELINE_PCM_ADD(sof/pipe-volume-playback.m4,
+	1, 0, 2, s32le,
+	1000, 0, 0,
+	8000, 96000, 48000)
+
+#
+# DAIs configuration
+#
+
+dnl DAI_ADD(pipeline,
+dnl     pipe id, dai type, dai_index, dai_be,
+dnl     buffer, periods, format,
+dnl     deadline, priority, core, time_domain)
+
+DAI_ADD(sof/pipe-dai-playback.m4,
+	1, DAI_VIRTUAL, 7, NoCodec-0,
+	PIPELINE_SOURCE_1, 2, s32le,
+	1000, 0, 0, SCHEDULE_TIME_DOMAIN_TIMER)
+
+#
+# PCM interface
+#
+
+dnl PCM_PLAYBACK_ADD(name, pcm_id, playback)
+PCM_PLAYBACK_ADD(Port0, 0, PIPELINE_PCM_1)
+
+#
+# DAI Configuration
+#
+
+dnl DAI_CONFIG(type, dai_index, link_id, name, config)
+DAI_CONFIG(DAI_VIRTUAL, 7, 0, NoCodec-0,
+	DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG(I2S, DAI_VIRTUAL_CLOCK(mclk, 0, dai_provider),
+		DAI_VIRTUAL_CLOCK(bclk, 0, dai_provider),
+		DAI_VIRTUAL_CLOCK(fsync, 0, dai_provider),
+		DAI_VIRTUAL_TDM(2, 32, 3, 3),
+		DAI_VIRTUAL_CONFIG_DATA(DAI_VIRTUAL, 7, 0)))
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology1/sof/tokens.m4 b/tools/topology/topology1/sof/tokens.m4
index b9748bb52fbc..6b2951934326 100644
--- a/tools/topology/topology1/sof/tokens.m4
+++ b/tools/topology/topology1/sof/tokens.m4
@@ -157,3 +157,7 @@ SectionVendorTokens."sof_acp_sdw_tokens" {
 	SOF_TKN_AMD_ACP_SDW_SAMPLERATE		"2100"
 	SOF_TKN_AMD_ACP_SDW_CH			"2101"
 }
+
+SectionVendorTokens."sof_virtual_tokens" {
+	SOF_TKN_DAI_VIRTUAL_MCLK_ID		"2102"
+}
diff --git a/tools/topology/topology2/include/common/tokens.conf b/tools/topology/topology2/include/common/tokens.conf
index d1b986ab01d4..80c907d84b5d 100644
--- a/tools/topology/topology2/include/common/tokens.conf
+++ b/tools/topology/topology2/include/common/tokens.conf
@@ -190,4 +190,9 @@ Object.Base.VendorToken {
 		node_type		1980
 		deep_buffer_dma_ms	1981
 	}
+
+	"19" {
+		name "dai_virtual"
+		mclk_id		2102
+	}
 }
diff --git a/zephyr/include/sof/lib/dma.h b/zephyr/include/sof/lib/dma.h
index 1b384412b123..4e5b31d4ae7d 100644
--- a/zephyr/include/sof/lib/dma.h
+++ b/zephyr/include/sof/lib/dma.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ struct comp_dev;
 #define SOF_DMA_DEV_HS		BIT(13) /**< connectable to ACP HS I2S */
 #define SOF_DMA_DEV_MICFIL	BIT(14) /**< connectable to MICFIL fifo */
 #define SOF_DMA_DEV_SW		BIT(15) /**< connectable to ACP SW */
+#define SOF_DMA_DEV_DAI_VIRTUAL	BIT(16) /**< connectable to Virtual DAI */
 
 /* DMA access privilege flag */
 #define SOF_DMA_ACCESS_EXCLUSIVE	1
diff --git a/zephyr/lib/dma.c b/zephyr/lib/dma.c
index c72e26cf57cf..4cb521bcf1dc 100644
--- a/zephyr/lib/dma.c
+++ b/zephyr/lib/dma.c
@@ -151,6 +151,17 @@ SHARED_DATA struct sof_dma dma[] = {
 },
 #endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_SOC_MIMX8ML8_ADSP)
+#if CONFIG_DAI_VIRTUAL
+{
+	.plat_data = {
+		.dir = SOF_DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_MEM,
+		.devs = SOF_DMA_DEV_DAI_VIRTUAL,
+		.channels = 32,
+		.period_count = 2,
+	},
+	.z_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_NODELABEL(emul_dma)),
+},
+#endif /* CONFIG_DAI_VIRTUAL */
 {
 	.plat_data = {
 		.dir = SOF_DMA_DIR_MEM_TO_DEV | SOF_DMA_DIR_DEV_TO_MEM,