diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
index 00ed3e2..265d620 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev.c
@@ -5451,12 +5451,25 @@ hns3_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	hns3_set_rxtx_function(eth_dev);
 	eth_dev->dev_ops = &hns3_eth_dev_ops;
 	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
-		hns3_mp_init_secondary();
+		ret = hns3_mp_init_secondary();
+		if (ret) {
+			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "Failed to init for secondary "
+				     "process, ret = %d", ret);
+			goto err_mp_init_secondary;
+		}
+
 		hw->secondary_cnt++;
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	hns3_mp_init_primary();
+	ret = hns3_mp_init_primary();
+	if (ret) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR,
+			     "Failed to init for primary process, ret = %d",
+			     ret);
+		goto err_mp_init_primary;
+	}
+
 	hw->adapter_state = HNS3_NIC_UNINITIALIZED;
 	hns->is_vf = false;
 	hw->data = eth_dev->data;
@@ -5517,7 +5530,12 @@ hns3_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 
 err_init_pf:
 	rte_free(hw->reset.wait_data);
+
 err_init_reset:
+	hns3_mp_uninit_primary();
+
+err_mp_init_primary:
+err_mp_init_secondary:
 	eth_dev->dev_ops = NULL;
 	eth_dev->rx_pkt_burst = NULL;
 	eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
index 3c5998a..54e5dac 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_ethdev_vf.c
@@ -2524,12 +2524,24 @@ hns3vf_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	hns3_set_rxtx_function(eth_dev);
 	eth_dev->dev_ops = &hns3vf_eth_dev_ops;
 	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
-		hns3_mp_init_secondary();
+		ret = hns3_mp_init_secondary();
+		if (ret) {
+			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "Failed to init for secondary "
+					  "process, ret = %d", ret);
+			goto err_mp_init_secondary;
+		}
+
 		hw->secondary_cnt++;
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	hns3_mp_init_primary();
+	ret = hns3_mp_init_primary();
+	if (ret) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR,
+			     "Failed to init for primary process, ret = %d",
+			     ret);
+		goto err_mp_init_primary;
+	}
 
 	hw->adapter_state = HNS3_NIC_UNINITIALIZED;
 	hns->is_vf = true;
@@ -2586,6 +2598,10 @@ hns3vf_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	rte_free(hw->reset.wait_data);
 
 err_init_reset:
+	hns3_mp_uninit_primary();
+
+err_mp_init_primary:
+err_mp_init_secondary:
 	eth_dev->dev_ops = NULL;
 	eth_dev->rx_pkt_burst = NULL;
 	eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.c b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.c
index 596c310..639f46c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.c
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #include "hns3_rxtx.h"
 #include "hns3_mp.h"
 
+static bool hns3_inited;
+
 /*
  * Initialize IPC message.
  *
@@ -192,9 +194,20 @@ void hns3_mp_req_stop_rxtx(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 /*
  * Initialize by primary process.
  */
-void hns3_mp_init_primary(void)
+int hns3_mp_init_primary(void)
 {
-	rte_mp_action_register(HNS3_MP_NAME, mp_primary_handle);
+	int ret;
+
+	if (!hns3_inited) {
+		/* primary is allowed to not support IPC */
+		ret = rte_mp_action_register(HNS3_MP_NAME, mp_primary_handle);
+		if (ret && rte_errno != ENOTSUP)
+			return ret;
+
+		hns3_inited = true;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -202,13 +215,24 @@ void hns3_mp_init_primary(void)
  */
 void hns3_mp_uninit_primary(void)
 {
-	rte_mp_action_unregister(HNS3_MP_NAME);
+	if (hns3_inited)
+		rte_mp_action_unregister(HNS3_MP_NAME);
 }
 
 /*
  * Initialize by secondary process.
  */
-void hns3_mp_init_secondary(void)
+int hns3_mp_init_secondary(void)
 {
-	rte_mp_action_register(HNS3_MP_NAME, mp_secondary_handle);
+	int ret;
+
+	if (!hns3_inited) {
+		ret = rte_mp_action_register(HNS3_MP_NAME, mp_secondary_handle);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+
+		hns3_inited = true;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.h b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.h
index aefbeb1..036546a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.h
+++ b/drivers/net/hns3/hns3_mp.h
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 
 void hns3_mp_req_start_rxtx(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
 void hns3_mp_req_stop_rxtx(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
-void hns3_mp_init_primary(void);
+int hns3_mp_init_primary(void);
 void hns3_mp_uninit_primary(void);
-void hns3_mp_init_secondary(void);
+int hns3_mp_init_secondary(void);
 
 #endif /* _HNS3_MP_H_ */
