diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad.c b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad.c
index c452318..310118c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad.c
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@
 			bond_mode_8023ad_periodic_cb, arg);
 }
 
-void
+int
 bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *bond_dev,
 				uint16_t slave_id)
 {
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@
 	timer_cancel(&port->warning_timer);
 
 	if (port->mbuf_pool != NULL)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	RTE_ASSERT(port->rx_ring == NULL);
 	RTE_ASSERT(port->tx_ring == NULL);
@@ -968,8 +968,10 @@
 	/* Any memory allocation failure in initialization is critical because
 	 * resources can't be free, so reinitialization is impossible. */
 	if (port->mbuf_pool == NULL) {
-		rte_panic("Slave %u: Failed to create memory pool '%s': %s\n",
-			slave_id, mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD, "%s() Slave %u: Failed to create memory"
+				" pool '%s': %s\n", __func__,
+				slave_id, mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	snprintf(mem_name, RTE_DIM(mem_name), "slave_%u_rx", slave_id);
@@ -977,8 +979,9 @@
 			rte_align32pow2(BOND_MODE_8023AX_SLAVE_RX_PKTS), socket_id, 0);
 
 	if (port->rx_ring == NULL) {
-		rte_panic("Slave %u: Failed to create rx ring '%s': %s\n", slave_id,
-			mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD, "%s() Slave %u: Failed to create rx ring '%s': %s\n",
+			__func__, slave_id, mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	/* TX ring is at least one pkt longer to make room for marker packet. */
@@ -987,9 +990,13 @@
 			rte_align32pow2(BOND_MODE_8023AX_SLAVE_TX_PKTS + 1), socket_id, 0);
 
 	if (port->tx_ring == NULL) {
-		rte_panic("Slave %u: Failed to create tx ring '%s': %s\n", slave_id,
-			mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD, "%s() Slave %u: Fail to create tx ring "
+				"'%s': %s\n", __func__,
+				slave_id, mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+		return -1;
 	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int
@@ -1143,9 +1150,12 @@
 	struct bond_dev_private *internals = bond_dev->data->dev_private;
 	uint8_t i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < internals->active_slave_count; i++)
-		bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(bond_dev,
+	for (i = 0; i < internals->active_slave_count; i++) {
+		int rc = bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(bond_dev,
 				internals->active_slaves[i]);
+		if (rc != 0)
+			return rc;
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad_private.h b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad_private.h
index 0f490a5..96a42f2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad_private.h
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_8023ad_private.h
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ struct mode8023ad_private {
  * @return
  *  0 on success, negative value otherwise.
  */
-void
+int
 bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, uint16_t port_id);
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_api.c b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_api.c
index f854b73..6bc5887 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_api.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_api.c
@@ -69,14 +69,15 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 activate_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, uint16_t port_id)
 {
 	struct bond_dev_private *internals = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
 	uint8_t active_count = internals->active_slave_count;
 
 	if (internals->mode == BONDING_MODE_8023AD)
-		bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(eth_dev, port_id);
+		if (bond_mode_8023ad_activate_slave(eth_dev, port_id) != 0)
+			return -1;
 
 	if (internals->mode == BONDING_MODE_TLB
 			|| internals->mode == BONDING_MODE_ALB) {
@@ -349,10 +350,17 @@
 				bond_ethdev_primary_set(internals,
 							slave_port_id);
 
-			if (find_slave_by_id(internals->active_slaves,
-					     internals->active_slave_count,
-					     slave_port_id) == internals->active_slave_count)
-				activate_slave(bonded_eth_dev, slave_port_id);
+			int rc =
+				find_slave_by_id(internals->active_slaves,
+					internals->active_slave_count,
+					slave_port_id);
+
+			if (rc == internals->active_slave_count) {
+				int rc = activate_slave(bonded_eth_dev,
+							slave_port_id);
+				if (rc != 0)
+					return -1;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_pmd.c b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_pmd.c
index b59ba9f..96f8b1a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_pmd.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_pmd.c
@@ -1740,8 +1740,11 @@ struct bwg_slave {
 		/* Any memory allocation failure in initialization is critical because
 		 * resources can't be free, so reinitialization is impossible. */
 		if (port->slow_pool == NULL) {
-			rte_panic("Slave %u: Failed to create memory pool '%s': %s\n",
-				slave_id, mem_name, rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+			RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD, "%s() Slave %u: Failed to create"
+					" memory pool '%s': %s\n",
+					__func__, slave_id, mem_name,
+					rte_strerror(rte_errno));
+			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2660,7 +2663,8 @@ struct bwg_slave {
 			mac_address_slaves_update(bonded_eth_dev);
 		}
 
-		activate_slave(bonded_eth_dev, port_id);
+		if (activate_slave(bonded_eth_dev, port_id) != 0)
+			return -1;
 
 		/* If user has defined the primary port then default to using it */
 		if (internals->user_defined_primary_port &&
diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_private.h b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_private.h
index 92e15f8..65453aa 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_private.h
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/rte_eth_bond_private.h
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ struct bond_dev_private {
 void
 deactivate_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, uint16_t port_id);
 
-void
+int
 activate_slave(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev, uint16_t port_id);
 
 void
