diff --git a/jax/_src/extend/ffi.py b/jax/_src/extend/ffi.py
index 833ac4f615a8..c4a73840b4fd 100644
--- a/jax/_src/extend/ffi.py
+++ b/jax/_src/extend/ffi.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 from jax._src import core
 from jax._src import dispatch
+from jax._src import effects
 from jax._src import util
 from jax._src.callback import _check_shape_dtype, callback_batching_rule
 from jax._src.interpreters import ad
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ def ffi_call(
     result_shape_dtypes: ResultMetadata | Sequence[ResultMetadata],
     *args: ArrayLike,
     vectorized: bool = False,
+    has_side_effect: bool = False,
     **kwargs: Any,
 ) -> Array | list[Array]:
   """Call a foreign function interface (FFI) target.
@@ -222,8 +224,11 @@ def ffi_call(
       used to define the elements of ``result_shape_dtypes``.
       ``jax.core.abstract_token`` may be used to represent a token-typed output.
     *args: the arguments passed to the custom call.
-    vectorized: boolean specifying whether the callback function can operate in
-      a vectorized manner, as described above.
+    vectorized: boolean specifying whether the FFI call can operate in a
+      vectorized manner, as described above.
+    has_side_effect: boolean specifying whether the custom call has side
+      effects. When ``True``, the FFI call will be executed even when the
+      outputs are not used.
     **kwargs: keyword arguments that are passed as named attributes to the
       custom call using XLA's FFI interface.
 
@@ -242,6 +247,7 @@ def ffi_call(
       result_avals=result_avals,
       vectorized=vectorized,
       target_name=target_name,
+      has_side_effect=has_side_effect,
       **kwargs,
   )
   if multiple_results:
@@ -250,15 +256,26 @@ def ffi_call(
     return results[0]
 
 
+class FfiEffect(effects.Effect):
+  def __str__(self):
+    return "FFI"
+
+_FfiEffect = FfiEffect()
+effects.lowerable_effects.add_type(FfiEffect)
+effects.control_flow_allowed_effects.add_type(FfiEffect)
+
+
 def ffi_call_abstract_eval(
     *avals_in,
     result_avals: tuple[core.AbstractValue, ...],
     target_name: str,
     vectorized: bool,
+    has_side_effect: bool,
     **kwargs: Any,
 ):
   del avals_in, target_name, vectorized, kwargs
-  return result_avals
+  effects = {_FfiEffect} if has_side_effect else core.no_effects
+  return result_avals, effects
 
 
 def ffi_call_jvp(*args, target_name, **kwargs):
@@ -281,16 +298,18 @@ def ffi_call_lowering(
     result_avals: tuple[core.AbstractValue, ...],
     target_name: str,
     vectorized: bool,
+    has_side_effect: bool,
     **kwargs: Any,
 ) -> Sequence[ir.Value]:
   del result_avals, vectorized
-  return ffi_lowering(target_name)(ctx, *operands, **kwargs)
+  rule = ffi_lowering(target_name, has_side_effect=has_side_effect)
+  return rule(ctx, *operands, **kwargs)
 
 
 ffi_call_p = core.Primitive("ffi_call")
 ffi_call_p.multiple_results = True
 ffi_call_p.def_impl(functools.partial(dispatch.apply_primitive, ffi_call_p))
-ffi_call_p.def_abstract_eval(ffi_call_abstract_eval)
+ffi_call_p.def_effectful_abstract_eval(ffi_call_abstract_eval)
 ad.primitive_jvps[ffi_call_p] = ffi_call_jvp
 ad.primitive_transposes[ffi_call_p] = ffi_call_transpose
 batching.primitive_batchers[ffi_call_p] = functools.partial(
diff --git a/tests/extend_test.py b/tests/extend_test.py
index fff3314a7656..cacad4f6e452 100644
--- a/tests/extend_test.py
+++ b/tests/extend_test.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import os
+import unittest
 
 import numpy as np
 from absl.testing import absltest
@@ -178,6 +179,25 @@ def fun():
     self.assertTrue(hlo.TokenType.isinstance(op.operands[0].type))
     self.assertTrue(hlo.TokenType.isinstance(op.results[0].type))
 
+  def testEffectsHlo(self):
+    # The target name must exist on the current platform, but we don't actually
+    # need to call it with the correct syntax, because we're only checking the
+    # compiled HLO.
+    if jtu.test_device_matches(["cpu"]):
+      target_name = "lapack_sgetrf_ffi"
+    elif jtu.test_device_matches(["rocm"]):
+      target_name = "hipsolver_getrf_ffi"
+    elif jtu.test_device_matches(["cuda", "gpu"]):
+      target_name = "cusolver_getrf_ffi"
+    else:
+      raise unittest.SkipTest("Unsupported device")
+    def fun():
+      jex.ffi.ffi_call(target_name, (), has_side_effect=True)
+    hlo = jax.jit(fun).lower()
+    self.assertIn(target_name, hlo.as_text())
+    self.assertIn("has_side_effect = true", hlo.as_text())
+    self.assertIn(target_name, hlo.compile().as_text())
+
   @jtu.sample_product(
     shape=[(1,), (4,), (5,)],
     dtype=(np.int32,),