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)
 {
                        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);
 
  * 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
 
 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;
 
        /*
 
 
 } DPDK_18.05;
 
+DPDK_18.11 {
+       global:
+
+       rte_eth_dev_release_port_secondary;
+
+} DPDK_18.08;
+
 EXPERIMENTAL {
        global: