diff --git a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
index f6868b1..7492585 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
+++ b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@
 
 config MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION
 	bool "SW based downgrade prevention"
-	depends on BOOT_UPGRADE_ONLY
+	depends on !BOOT_DIRECT_XIP
 	help
 	  Prevent downgrades by enforcing incrementing version numbers.
 	  When this option is set, any upgrade must have greater major version
@@ -556,6 +556,17 @@
 	  only protects against some attacks against version downgrades (for
 	  example, a JTAG could be used to write an older version).
 
+config MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_SECURITY_COUNTER
+	bool "Use image security counter instead of version number"
+	depends on MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION
+	depends on (BOOT_SWAP_USING_MOVE || BOOT_SWAP_USING_SCRATCH)
+	help
+       Security counter is used for version eligibility check instead of pure
+       version.  When this option is set, any upgrade must have greater or
+       equal security counter value.
+       Because of the acceptance of equal values it allows for software
+       downgrades to some extent.
+
 config MCUBOOT_HW_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION
 	bool "HW based downgrade prevention"
 	help
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
index 5c132cf..4dc105f 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
+++ b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
@@ -133,6 +133,14 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION
 #define MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION 1
+/* MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_SECURITY_COUNTER is used later as bool value so it is
+ * always defined, (unlike MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION which is only used in
+ * preprocessor condition and my be not defined) */
+#  ifdef CONFIG_MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_SECURITY_COUNTER
+#    define MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_SECURITY_COUNTER 1
+#  else
+#    define MCUBOOT_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION_SECURITY_COUNTER 0
+#  endif
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MCUBOOT_HW_DOWNGRADE_PREVENTION