diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
index 21f1dfbe4f..741a864f7b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
@@ -362,6 +362,18 @@ rte_eth_dev_attach_secondary(const char *name)
 	return eth_dev;
 }
 
+int
+rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
+{
+	if (eth_dev == NULL)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	_rte_eth_dev_callback_process(eth_dev, RTE_ETH_EVENT_DESTROY, NULL);
+	eth_dev->state = RTE_ETH_DEV_UNUSED;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int
 rte_eth_dev_release_port(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
@@ -3578,9 +3590,10 @@ rte_eth_dev_destroy(struct rte_eth_dev *ethdev,
 			return ret;
 	}
 
-	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
-		rte_free(ethdev->data->dev_private);
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
+		return rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary(ethdev);
 
+	rte_free(ethdev->data->dev_private);
 	ethdev->data->dev_private = NULL;
 
 	return rte_eth_dev_release_port(ethdev);
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_driver.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_driver.h
index f158462a01..ca31b57776 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_driver.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_driver.h
@@ -61,12 +61,26 @@ struct rte_eth_dev *rte_eth_dev_attach_secondary(const char *name);
  * Release the specified ethdev port.
  *
  * @param eth_dev
- * The *eth_dev* pointer is the address of the *rte_eth_dev* structure.
+ * Device to be detached.
  * @return
  *   - 0 on success, negative on error
  */
 int rte_eth_dev_release_port(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
 
+/**
+ * @internal
+ * Release the specified ethdev port in the local process.
+ * Only set ethdev state to unused, but not reset shared data since
+ * it assume other processes is still using it. typically it is
+ * called by a secondary process.
+ *
+ * @param eth_dev
+ * Device to be detached.
+ * @return
+ *   - 0 on success, negative on error
+ */
+int rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
+
 /**
  * @internal
  * Release device queues and clear its configuration to force the user
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_pci.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_pci.h
index f652596f4c..70d2d25036 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_pci.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_pci.h
@@ -135,9 +135,15 @@ rte_eth_dev_pci_allocate(struct rte_pci_device *dev, size_t private_data_size)
 static inline void
 rte_eth_dev_pci_release(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
-	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
-		rte_free(eth_dev->data->dev_private);
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+		eth_dev->device = NULL;
+		eth_dev->intr_handle = NULL;
+		rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary(eth_dev);
+		return;
+	}
 
+	/* primary process */
+	rte_free(eth_dev->data->dev_private);
 	eth_dev->data->dev_private = NULL;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
index dfa122c1a0..3a4dd47901 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev_version.map
@@ -220,6 +220,13 @@ DPDK_18.08 {
 
 } DPDK_18.05;
 
+DPDK_18.11 {
+	global:
+
+	rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary;
+
+} DPDK_18.08;
+
 EXPERIMENTAL {
 	global: