diff --git a/docs/sdei.rst b/docs/sdei.rst
index b81e21a..ed6a85a 100644
--- a/docs/sdei.rst
+++ b/docs/sdei.rst
@@ -48,8 +48,10 @@
 original EL2 execution [13]. Note that the SDEI interrupt remains active until
 the client handler completes, at which point EL3 does EOI [12].
 
-SDEI events can be explicitly dispatched in response to other asynchronous
-exceptions. See `Explicit dispatch of events`_.
+Other than events bound to interrupts (as depicted in the sequence above, SDEI
+events can be explicitly dispatched in response to other exceptions, for
+example, upon receiving an *SError* or *Synchronous External Abort*. See
+`Explicit dispatch of events`_.
 
 The remainder of this document only discusses the design and implementation of
 SDEI dispatcher in TF-A, and assumes that the reader is familiar with the SDEI
@@ -71,7 +73,8 @@
 
 -  The event number: this must be a positive 32-bit integer.
 
--  The interrupt number the event is bound to:
+-  For an event that has a backing interrupt, the interrupt number the event is
+   bound to:
 
    - If it's not applicable to an event, this shall be left as ``0``.
 
@@ -82,6 +85,17 @@
 To define event 0, the macro ``SDEI_DEFINE_EVENT_0()`` should be used. This
 macro takes only one parameter: an SGI number to signal other PEs.
 
+To define an event that's meant to be `explicitly dispatched`__ (i.e., not as a
+result of receiving an SDEI interrupt), the macro ``SDEI_EXPLICIT_EVENT()``
+should be used. It accepts two parameters:
+
+.. __: `Explicit dispatch of events`_
+
+-  The event number (as above);
+
+-  Event priority: ``SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL`` or ``SDEI_MAPF_NORMAL``, as described
+   below.
+
 Once the event descriptor arrays are defined, they should be exported to the
 SDEI dispatcher using the ``REGISTER_SDEI_MAP()`` macro, passing it the pointers
 to the private and shared event descriptor arrays, respectively. Note that the
@@ -99,6 +113,8 @@
 
    - Must be bound to a Secure SGI on the platform.
 
+-  Explicit events should only be used in the private array.
+
 -  Statically bound shared and private interrupts must be bound to shared and
    private interrupts on the platform, respectively. See the section on
    `interrupt configuration`__.
@@ -132,8 +148,10 @@
 -  ``SDEI_MAPF_BOUND``: Marks the event as statically bound to an interrupt.
    These events cannot be re-bound at runtime.
 
+-  ``SDEI_MAPF_NORMAL``: Marks the event as having *Normal* priority. This is
+   the default priority.
+
 -  ``SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL``: Marks the event as having *Critical* priority.
-   Without this flag, the event is assumed to have *Normal* priority.
 
 Event definition example
 ------------------------
@@ -150,6 +168,10 @@
         /* Dynamic private events */
         SDEI_PRIVATE_EVENT(100, SDEI_DYN_IRQ, SDEI_MAPF_DYNAMIC),
         SDEI_PRIVATE_EVENT(101, SDEI_DYN_IRQ, SDEI_MAPF_DYNAMIC)
+
+        /* Events for explicit dispatch */
+        SDEI_EXPLICIT_EVENT(2000, SDEI_MAPF_NORMAL);
+        SDEI_EXPLICIT_EVENT(2000, SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL);
    };
 
    /* Shared event mappings */
@@ -258,7 +280,8 @@
 
 -  Event 0 can't be dispatched.
 
--  The event must neither be a dynamic event nor be bound to an interrupt.
+-  The event must be declared using the ``SDEI_EXPLICIT_EVENT()`` macro
+   described above.
 
 -  The event must be private to the PE.
 
diff --git a/include/services/sdei.h b/include/services/sdei.h
index ce9a008..ee3531c 100644
--- a/include/services/sdei.h
+++ b/include/services/sdei.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2017, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #define _SDEI_MAPF_SIGNALABLE_SHIFT	3
 #define _SDEI_MAPF_PRIVATE_SHIFT	4
 #define _SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL_SHIFT	5
+#define _SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT_SHIFT	6
 
 /* SDEI event 0 */
 #define SDEI_EVENT_0	0
@@ -81,9 +82,12 @@
  */
 #define SDEI_MAPF_DYNAMIC	BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_DYNAMIC_SHIFT)
 #define SDEI_MAPF_BOUND		BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_BOUND_SHIFT)
+#define SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT	BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT_SHIFT)
 
 #define SDEI_MAPF_SIGNALABLE	BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_SIGNALABLE_SHIFT)
 #define SDEI_MAPF_PRIVATE	BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_PRIVATE_SHIFT)
+
+#define SDEI_MAPF_NORMAL	0
 #define SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL	BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL_SHIFT)
 
 /* Indices of private and shared mappings */
@@ -114,6 +118,9 @@
 #define SDEI_DEFINE_EVENT_0(_intr) \
 	SDEI_PRIVATE_EVENT(SDEI_EVENT_0, _intr, SDEI_MAPF_SIGNALABLE)
 
+#define SDEI_EXPLICIT_EVENT(_event, _pri) \
+	SDEI_EVENT_MAP(_event, 0, _pri | SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT | SDEI_MAPF_PRIVATE)
+
 /*
  * Declare shared and private entries for each core. Also declare a global
  * structure containing private and share entries.
diff --git a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_intr_mgmt.c b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_intr_mgmt.c
index c0bd9de..a7104b4 100644
--- a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_intr_mgmt.c
+++ b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_intr_mgmt.c
@@ -520,15 +520,8 @@
 	if (!map)
 		return -1;
 
-	/*
-	 * Statically-bound or dynamic maps are dispatched only as a result of
-	 * interrupt, and not upon explicit request.
-	 */
-	if (is_map_dynamic(map) || is_map_bound(map))
-		return -1;
-
-	/* The event must be private */
-	if (is_event_shared(map))
+	/* Only explicit events can be dispatched */
+	if (!is_map_explicit(map))
 		return -1;
 
 	/* Examine state of dispatch stack */
diff --git a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_main.c b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_main.c
index 9589a25..f881ba8 100644
--- a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_main.c
+++ b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_main.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2017, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@
 
 		/* No shared mapping should have signalable property */
 		assert(!is_event_signalable(map));
+
+		/* Shared mappings can't be explicit */
+		assert(!is_map_explicit(map));
 #endif
 
 		/* Skip initializing the wrong priority */
@@ -162,6 +165,16 @@
 
 		/* Make sure it's a private event */
 		assert(is_event_private(map));
+
+		/*
+		 * Other than priority, explicit events can only have explicit
+		 * and private flags set.
+		 */
+		if (is_map_explicit(map)) {
+			assert((map->map_flags | SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL) ==
+					(SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT | SDEI_MAPF_PRIVATE
+					| SDEI_MAPF_CRITICAL));
+		}
 #endif
 
 		/* Skip initializing the wrong priority */
@@ -174,6 +187,12 @@
 				assert(map->intr == SDEI_DYN_IRQ);
 				assert(is_event_normal(map));
 				num_dyn_priv_slots++;
+			} else if (is_map_explicit(map)) {
+				/*
+				 * Explicit mappings don't have a backing
+				 * SDEI interrupt, but verify that anyway.
+				 */
+				assert(map->intr == SDEI_DYN_IRQ);
 			} else {
 				/*
 				 * Private mappings must be bound to private
diff --git a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_private.h b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_private.h
index 44db419..45d537f 100644
--- a/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_private.h
+++ b/services/std_svc/sdei/sdei_private.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2017, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@
 	map->map_flags |= BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_BOUND_SHIFT);
 }
 
+static inline int is_map_explicit(sdei_ev_map_t *map)
+{
+	return ((map->map_flags & BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_EXPLICIT_SHIFT)) != 0);
+}
+
 static inline void clr_map_bound(sdei_ev_map_t *map)
 {
 	map->map_flags &= ~(BIT(_SDEI_MAPF_BOUND_SHIFT));