diff --git a/src/finn/custom_op/fpgadataflow/__init__.py b/src/finn/custom_op/fpgadataflow/__init__.py
index a2ace12f5a3012825ad868a0cfa9b485ec533577..65c898a8c453420ed96ca22715ef2595c5840288 100644
--- a/src/finn/custom_op/fpgadataflow/__init__.py
+++ b/src/finn/custom_op/fpgadataflow/__init__.py
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ class HLSCustomOp(CustomOp):
             "ip_vlnv": ("s", False, ""),
             "exec_mode": ("s", False, ""),
             "cycles_rtlsim": ("i", False, 0),
+            "cycles_estimate": ("i", False, 0),
             "rtlsim_trace": ("s", False, ""),
             "res_estimate": ("s", False, ""),
             "res_hls": ("s", False, ""),
diff --git a/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/annotate_cycles.py b/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/annotate_cycles.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..521c84952daf25982e574421dfba3ff0f7df91ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/annotate_cycles.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2020, Xilinx
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+#
+# * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
+#   list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#
+# * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
+#   this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
+#   and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+#
+# * Neither the name of FINN nor the names of its
+#   contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+#   this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+# AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+# IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
+# DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+# FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+# DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
+# SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+# CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+# OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+import finn.custom_op.registry as registry
+from finn.transformation import Transformation
+from finn.transformation.move_reshape import _is_fpgadataflow_node
+from finn.core.modelwrapper import ModelWrapper
+from finn.custom_op.registry import getCustomOp
+
+
+class AnnotateCycles(Transformation):
+    """Annotate the estimate of clock cycles per sample taken by each fpgadataflow
+    node as an attribute on the node.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+    def apply(self, model):
+        graph = model.graph
+        # annotate node cycles
+        for node in graph.node:
+            if _is_fpgadataflow_node(node):
+                op_inst = registry.getCustomOp(node)
+                cycles = op_inst.get_exp_cycles()
+                op_inst.set_nodeattr("cycles_estimate", cycles)
+            elif node.op_type == "StreamingDataflowPartition":
+                # recurse into model to manually annotate per-layer cycles
+                sdp_model_filename = getCustomOp(node).get_nodeattr("model")
+                sdp_model = ModelWrapper(sdp_model_filename)
+                sdp_model = sdp_model.transform(AnnotateCycles())
+                # save transformed model
+                sdp_model.save(sdp_model_filename)
+        return (model, False)