diff --git a/hls4ml/converters/pytorch_to_hls.py b/hls4ml/converters/pytorch_to_hls.py
index d82cf49ec5..a36ff5eb67 100644
--- a/hls4ml/converters/pytorch_to_hls.py
+++ b/hls4ml/converters/pytorch_to_hls.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def decorator(function):
     return decorator
 
 
-# map names of operations between toch.nn and torch.nn.functionals
+# map names of operations between torch.nn and torch.nn.functionals
 layer_name_map = {
     'relu': 'ReLU',
     'tanh': 'Tanh',
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ def parse_pytorch_model(config, verbose=True):
         ModelGraph: hls4ml model object.
     """
     import torch
-    from torch.fx import symbolic_trace
+
+    from hls4ml.utils.torch import CustomFXTracer
 
     # This is a list of dictionaries to hold all the layer info we need to generate HLS
     layer_list = []
@@ -136,11 +137,12 @@ def parse_pytorch_model(config, verbose=True):
 
     model = reader.torch_model
 
-    # dict of layer objects in non-traced form for access lateron
+    # dict of layer objects in non-traced form for access later on
     children = {c[0]: c[1] for c in model.named_children()}
     # use symbolic_trace to get a full graph of the model
 
-    traced_model = symbolic_trace(model)
+    tracer = CustomFXTracer()
+    traced_model = tracer.trace(model)
     # Define layers to skip for conversion to HLS
     skip_layers = ['Dropout', 'Sequential']
 
@@ -167,21 +169,19 @@ def parse_pytorch_model(config, verbose=True):
     # check for constant nodes
     merge_layers = ['add', 'mul', 'sub', 'fmin', 'fmax']
     i = 0  # count number of consts and use it in the name
-    for node in traced_model.graph.nodes:
+    for node in traced_model.nodes:
         if node.name.split('_')[0] in merge_layers:
             for arg in node.args:
                 if np.isscalar(arg):
                     # add an input node with the constant value
-                    new_node = traced_model.graph.placeholder(
-                        name='const_' + str(i), type_expr=torch.Tensor, default_value=arg
-                    )
+                    new_node = traced_model.placeholder(name='const_' + str(i), type_expr=torch.Tensor, default_value=arg)
                     node.prepend(new_node)
                     node.update_arg(1, new_node)
                     i += 1
 
-    traced_model.graph.lint()
+    traced_model.lint()
 
-    for node in traced_model.graph.nodes:
+    for node in traced_model.nodes:
         if node.op == 'call_module':
             # modules that are part of a torch.nn.Sequential with name 'name' have target names 'name.x',
             # where x is an integer numbering the elements of the Sequential
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def parse_pytorch_model(config, verbose=True):
 
             # if a 'getitem' is the input to a node, step back in the graph to find the real source of the input
             elif "getitem" in node.args[0].name:
-                for tmp_node in traced_model.graph.nodes:
+                for tmp_node in traced_model.nodes:
                     if tmp_node.name == node.args[0].name:
                         if "getitem" in tmp_node.args[0].name:
                             raise Exception('Nested getitem calles not resolved at the moment.')
diff --git a/hls4ml/utils/torch.py b/hls4ml/utils/torch.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bfd2c9f0ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hls4ml/utils/torch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import torch
+
+
+class HLS4MLModule(torch.nn.Module):
+    """
+    Custom PyTorch module class for hls4ml to define custom modules that shouldn't be traced through by torch.FX
+    """
+
+    pass
+
+
+class CustomFXTracer(torch.fx.Tracer):
+
+    def is_leaf_module(self, m, module_qualified_name: str) -> bool:
+        """
+        Custom Tracer class for hls4ml to define Brevitas modules and custom modules as leaf modules so they are not traced
+        through by torch.FX
+        """
+        import torch
+
+        return (
+            isinstance(m, HLS4MLModule)
+            or m.__module__.startswith('torch.nn')
+            or m.__module__.startswith('torch.ao.nn')
+            or m.__module__.startswith('brevitas.nn')
+        ) and not isinstance(m, torch.nn.Sequential)
diff --git a/test/pytest/test_extensions_pytorch.py b/test/pytest/test_extensions_pytorch.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..010fa56695
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/pytest/test_extensions_pytorch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+import torch
+
+import hls4ml
+import hls4ml.utils.torch
+
+test_root_path = Path(__file__).parent
+
+
+# PyTorch implementation of a custom layer
+class TReverse(hls4ml.utils.torch.HLS4MLModule):
+    '''PyTorch implementation of a hypothetical custom layer'''
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+    def forward(self, inputs):
+        return torch.flip(inputs, dims=[-1])
+
+
+# hls4ml layer implementation
+class HReverse(hls4ml.model.layers.Layer):
+    '''hls4ml implementation of a hypothetical custom layer'''
+
+    def initialize(self):
+        inp = self.get_input_variable()
+        shape = inp.shape
+        dims = inp.dim_names
+        self.add_output_variable(shape, dims)
+
+
+# hls4ml optimizer to remove duplicate optimizer
+class RemoveDuplicateReverse(hls4ml.model.optimizer.OptimizerPass):
+    '''OptimizerPass to remove consecutive HReverse layers.'''
+
+    def match(self, node):
+        return isinstance(node, HReverse) and isinstance(node.get_input_node(), HReverse)
+
+    def transform(self, model, node):
+        first = node.get_input_node()
+        second = node
+
+        model.remove_node(first)
+        model.remove_node(second)
+        return True
+
+
+# Parser for converter
+def parse_reverse_layer(operation, layer_name, input_names, input_shapes, node, class_object, data_reader, config):
+    assert operation == 'TReverse'
+
+    layer = {}
+    layer['class_name'] = 'HReverse'
+    layer['name'] = layer_name
+    layer['n_in'] = input_shapes[0][1]
+
+    if input_names is not None:
+        layer['inputs'] = input_names
+
+    return layer, [shape for shape in input_shapes[0]]
+
+
+# HLS Templates - No specific pragmas used; generic enough for both Intel and Vivado
+
+rev_config_template = """struct config{index} : nnet::reverse_config {{
+    static const unsigned n_in = {n_in};
+}};\n"""
+
+rev_function_template = 'nnet::reverse<{input_t}, {config}>({input}, {output});'
+rev_include_list = ['nnet_utils/nnet_reverse.h']
+
+
+class HReverseConfigTemplate(hls4ml.backends.template.LayerConfigTemplate):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(HReverse)
+        self.template = rev_config_template
+
+    def format(self, node):
+        params = self._default_config_params(node)
+        return self.template.format(**params)
+
+
+class HReverseFunctionTemplate(hls4ml.backends.template.FunctionCallTemplate):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(HReverse, include_header=rev_include_list)
+        self.template = rev_function_template
+
+    def format(self, node):
+        params = self._default_function_params(node)
+        return self.template.format(**params)
+
+
+rev_hls = """#ifndef NNET_REVERSE_H_
+#define NNET_REVERSE_H_
+
+#include "nnet_common.h"
+
+namespace nnet {
+
+struct reverse_config {
+    static const unsigned n_in = 10;
+};
+
+template<class data_T, typename CONFIG_T>
+void reverse(
+    data_T input[CONFIG_T::n_in],
+    data_T reversed[CONFIG_T::n_in]
+) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < CONFIG_T::n_in; i++) {
+        reversed[CONFIG_T::n_in - 1 - i] = input[i];
+    }
+}
+
+}
+
+#endif
+"""
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='session', autouse=True)
+def register_custom_layer():
+    # Register the converter for custom PyTorch layer
+    hls4ml.converters.register_pytorch_layer_handler('TReverse', parse_reverse_layer)
+
+    # Register the hls4ml's IR layer
+    hls4ml.model.layers.register_layer('HReverse', HReverse)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('backend_id', ['Vivado', 'Vitis', 'Quartus'])
+def test_extensions_pytorch(tmp_path, backend_id):
+    # Register the optimization passes (if any)
+    backend = hls4ml.backends.get_backend(backend_id)
+    ip_flow = hls4ml.model.flow.get_flow(backend.get_default_flow())
+    # Add the pass into the main optimization flow
+    optimize_flow = [flow for flow in ip_flow.requires if ':optimize' in flow][0]
+    optmizer_name = f'{backend_id.lower()}:remove_duplicate_reverse'
+    backend.register_pass(optmizer_name, RemoveDuplicateReverse, flow=optimize_flow)
+
+    # Register template passes for the given backend
+    backend.register_template(HReverseConfigTemplate)
+    backend.register_template(HReverseFunctionTemplate)
+
+    # Register HLS implementation
+    p = tmp_path / 'nnet_reverse.h'
+    p.write_text(rev_hls)
+    backend.register_source(p)
+
+    # Test if it works
+    class PyTorchModel(torch.nn.Module):
+        def __init__(self):
+            super().__init__()
+            self.reverse1 = TReverse()
+            self.relu = torch.nn.ReLU()
+            self.reverse2 = TReverse()
+            self.reverse3 = TReverse()
+
+        def forward(self, x):
+            x = self.reverse1(x)
+            x = self.relu(x)
+            x = self.reverse2(x)
+            x = self.reverse3(x)
+            return x
+
+    pmodel = PyTorchModel()
+
+    x = torch.randint(-5, 5, (8,), dtype=torch.int32)
+    pres = pmodel(x).detach().numpy()
+
+    config = hls4ml.utils.config_from_pytorch_model(
+        pmodel, (8,), default_precision='ap_int<6>', granularity='name', backend=backend_id
+    )
+    hmodel = hls4ml.converters.convert_from_pytorch_model(
+        pmodel,
+        output_dir=str(test_root_path / f'hls4mlprj_extensions_torch_{backend_id}'),
+        backend=backend_id,
+        io_type='io_parallel',
+        hls_config=config,
+    )
+
+    hmodel.compile()
+    hres = hmodel.predict(x.numpy().astype('float32'))
+
+    # Check if the optimizer pass was applied
+    assert optmizer_name in hmodel._applied_flows[0][optimize_flow]
+
+    # Remove flow from "optimize" step
+    hls4ml.model.flow.update_flow(optimize_flow, remove_optimizers=[optmizer_name])
+
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(pres, hres)