diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_lib.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_lib.c
index a3d6b8f198a8..a055a47449f1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_lib.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/idpf/idpf_lib.c
@@ -927,15 +927,19 @@ static int idpf_stop(struct net_device *netdev)
 static void idpf_decfg_netdev(struct idpf_vport *vport)
 {
 	struct idpf_adapter *adapter = vport->adapter;
+	u16 idx = vport->idx;
 
 	kfree(vport->rx_ptype_lkup);
 	vport->rx_ptype_lkup = NULL;
 
-	unregister_netdev(vport->netdev);
-	free_netdev(vport->netdev);
+	if (test_and_clear_bit(IDPF_VPORT_REG_NETDEV,
+			       adapter->vport_config[idx]->flags)) {
+		unregister_netdev(vport->netdev);
+		free_netdev(vport->netdev);
+	}
 	vport->netdev = NULL;
 
-	adapter->netdevs[vport->idx] = NULL;
+	adapter->netdevs[idx] = NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1536,13 +1540,22 @@ void idpf_init_task(struct work_struct *work)
 	}
 
 	for (index = 0; index < adapter->max_vports; index++) {
-		if (adapter->netdevs[index] &&
-		    !test_bit(IDPF_VPORT_REG_NETDEV,
-			      adapter->vport_config[index]->flags)) {
-			register_netdev(adapter->netdevs[index]);
-			set_bit(IDPF_VPORT_REG_NETDEV,
-				adapter->vport_config[index]->flags);
+		struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdevs[index];
+		struct idpf_vport_config *vport_config;
+
+		vport_config = adapter->vport_config[index];
+
+		if (!netdev ||
+		    test_bit(IDPF_VPORT_REG_NETDEV, vport_config->flags))
+			continue;
+
+		err = register_netdev(netdev);
+		if (err) {
+			dev_err(&pdev->dev, "failed to register netdev for vport %d: %pe\n",
+				index, ERR_PTR(err));
+			continue;
 		}
+		set_bit(IDPF_VPORT_REG_NETDEV, vport_config->flags);
 	}
 
 	/* As all the required vports are created, clear the reset flag