diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.c
index 1b933083f551..ea5148c4b7e1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.c
@@ -496,6 +496,12 @@ static int
 ice_activate_dynamic_port(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port,
 			  struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
 {
+	int err;
+
+	err = ice_sf_eth_activate(dyn_port, extack);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+
 	dyn_port->active = true;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -509,6 +515,7 @@ ice_activate_dynamic_port(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port,
  */
 static void ice_deactivate_dynamic_port(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port)
 {
+	ice_sf_eth_deactivate(dyn_port);
 	dyn_port->active = false;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.h
index 1f66705e0261..91d0dcb9c8cf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/devlink/devlink_port.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  * @devlink_port: the associated devlink port structure
  * @pf: pointer to the PF private structure
  * @vsi: the VSI associated with this port
+ * @sf_dev: pointer to the subfunction device
  *
  * An instance of a dynamically added devlink port. Each port flavour
  */
@@ -23,6 +24,10 @@ struct ice_dynamic_port {
 	struct devlink_port devlink_port;
 	struct ice_pf *pf;
 	struct ice_vsi *vsi;
+	/* Flavour-specific implementation data */
+	union {
+		struct ice_sf_dev *sf_dev;
+	};
 };
 
 void ice_dealloc_all_dynamic_ports(struct ice_pf *pf);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.c
index 2b69dd5facf9..3f088ce38fe5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.c
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ static struct auxiliary_driver ice_sf_driver = {
 	.id_table = ice_sf_dev_id_table
 };
 
+static DEFINE_XARRAY_ALLOC1(ice_sf_aux_id);
+
 /**
  * ice_sf_driver_register - Register new auxiliary subfunction driver
  *
@@ -211,3 +213,105 @@ void ice_sf_driver_unregister(void)
 {
 	auxiliary_driver_unregister(&ice_sf_driver);
 }
+
+/**
+ * ice_sf_dev_release - Release device associated with auxiliary device
+ * @device: pointer to the device
+ *
+ * Since most of the code for subfunction deactivation is handled in
+ * the remove handler, here just free tracking resources.
+ */
+static void ice_sf_dev_release(struct device *device)
+{
+	struct auxiliary_device *adev = to_auxiliary_dev(device);
+	struct ice_sf_dev *sf_dev = ice_adev_to_sf_dev(adev);
+
+	xa_erase(&ice_sf_aux_id, adev->id);
+	kfree(sf_dev);
+}
+
+/**
+ * ice_sf_eth_activate - Activate Ethernet subfunction port
+ * @dyn_port: the dynamic port instance for this subfunction
+ * @extack: extack for reporting error messages
+ *
+ * Activate the dynamic port as an Ethernet subfunction. Setup the netdev
+ * resources associated and initialize the auxiliary device.
+ *
+ * Return: zero on success or an error code on failure.
+ */
+int
+ice_sf_eth_activate(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port,
+		    struct netlink_ext_ack *extack)
+{
+	struct ice_pf *pf = dyn_port->pf;
+	struct ice_sf_dev *sf_dev;
+	struct pci_dev *pdev;
+	int err;
+	u32 id;
+
+	err  = xa_alloc(&ice_sf_aux_id, &id, NULL, xa_limit_32b,
+			GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (err) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Could not allocate subfunction ID");
+		return err;
+	}
+
+	sf_dev = kzalloc(sizeof(*sf_dev), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!sf_dev) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Could not allocate sf_dev memory");
+		goto xa_erase;
+	}
+	pdev = pf->pdev;
+
+	sf_dev->dyn_port = dyn_port;
+	sf_dev->adev.id = id;
+	sf_dev->adev.name = "sf";
+	sf_dev->adev.dev.release = ice_sf_dev_release;
+	sf_dev->adev.dev.parent = &pdev->dev;
+
+	err = auxiliary_device_init(&sf_dev->adev);
+	if (err) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Failed to initialize auxiliary device");
+		goto sf_dev_free;
+	}
+
+	err = auxiliary_device_add(&sf_dev->adev);
+	if (err) {
+		NL_SET_ERR_MSG_MOD(extack, "Auxiliary device failed to probe");
+		goto aux_dev_uninit;
+	}
+
+	dyn_port->sf_dev = sf_dev;
+
+	return 0;
+
+aux_dev_uninit:
+	auxiliary_device_uninit(&sf_dev->adev);
+sf_dev_free:
+	kfree(sf_dev);
+xa_erase:
+	xa_erase(&ice_sf_aux_id, id);
+
+	return err;
+}
+
+/**
+ * ice_sf_eth_deactivate - Deactivate Ethernet subfunction port
+ * @dyn_port: the dynamic port instance for this subfunction
+ *
+ * Deactivate the Ethernet subfunction, removing its auxiliary device and the
+ * associated resources.
+ */
+void ice_sf_eth_deactivate(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port)
+{
+	struct ice_sf_dev *sf_dev = dyn_port->sf_dev;
+
+	if (sf_dev) {
+		auxiliary_device_delete(&sf_dev->adev);
+		auxiliary_device_uninit(&sf_dev->adev);
+	}
+
+	dyn_port->sf_dev = NULL;
+}
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.h
index e972c50f96c9..c558cad0a183 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_sf_eth.h
@@ -27,4 +27,7 @@ ice_sf_dev *ice_adev_to_sf_dev(struct auxiliary_device *adev)
 int ice_sf_driver_register(void);
 void ice_sf_driver_unregister(void);
 
+int ice_sf_eth_activate(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port,
+			struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
+void ice_sf_eth_deactivate(struct ice_dynamic_port *dyn_port);
 #endif /* _ICE_SF_ETH_H_ */
