diff --git a/drivers/net/pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c b/drivers/net/pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
index 7bbe72e25..ad4fe0bf7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
+++ b/drivers/net/pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ struct pmd_internals {
 	int if_index;
 	int single_iface;
 	int phy_mac;
+	char devargs[ETH_PCAP_ARG_MAXLEN];
 };
 
 struct pmd_devargs {
@@ -892,19 +893,19 @@ static int
 pmd_init_internals(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 		const unsigned int nb_rx_queues,
 		const unsigned int nb_tx_queues,
-		struct pmd_internals **internals,
 		struct rte_eth_dev **eth_dev)
 {
 	struct rte_eth_dev_data *data;
 	unsigned int numa_node = vdev->device.numa_node;
+	struct pmd_internals *internals;
 
 	PMD_LOG(INFO, "Creating pcap-backed ethdev on numa socket %d",
 		numa_node);
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	*eth_dev = rte_eth_vdev_allocate(vdev, sizeof(**internals));
+	*eth_dev = rte_eth_vdev_allocate(vdev, sizeof(*internals));
 	if (!(*eth_dev))
-		return -1;
+		return -ENODEV;
 
 	/* now put it all together
 	 * - store queue data in internals,
@@ -912,21 +913,21 @@ pmd_init_internals(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 	 * - point eth_dev_data to internals
 	 * - and point eth_dev structure to new eth_dev_data structure
 	 */
-	*internals = (*eth_dev)->data->dev_private;
+	internals = (*eth_dev)->data->dev_private;
 	/*
 	 * Interface MAC = 02:70:63:61:70:<iface_idx>
 	 * derived from: 'locally administered':'p':'c':'a':'p':'iface_idx'
 	 * where the middle 4 characters are converted to hex.
 	 */
-	(*internals)->eth_addr = (struct ether_addr) {
+	internals->eth_addr = (struct ether_addr) {
 		.addr_bytes = { 0x02, 0x70, 0x63, 0x61, 0x70, iface_idx++ }
 	};
-	(*internals)->phy_mac = 0;
+	internals->phy_mac = 0;
 	data = (*eth_dev)->data;
 	data->nb_rx_queues = (uint16_t)nb_rx_queues;
 	data->nb_tx_queues = (uint16_t)nb_tx_queues;
 	data->dev_link = pmd_link;
-	data->mac_addrs = &(*internals)->eth_addr;
+	data->mac_addrs = &internals->eth_addr;
 
 	/*
 	 * NOTE: we'll replace the data element, of originally allocated
@@ -934,6 +935,10 @@ pmd_init_internals(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 	 */
 	(*eth_dev)->dev_ops = &ops;
 
+	/* store a copy of devargs for secondary process */
+	strlcpy(internals->devargs, rte_vdev_device_args(vdev),
+			ETH_PCAP_ARG_MAXLEN);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1022,10 +1027,11 @@ eth_pcap_update_mac(const char *if_name, struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 }
 
 static int
-eth_from_pcaps_common(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
-		struct pmd_devargs *rx_queues, const unsigned int nb_rx_queues,
-		struct pmd_devargs *tx_queues, const unsigned int nb_tx_queues,
-		struct pmd_internals **internals, struct rte_eth_dev **eth_dev)
+eth_from_pcaps_common(struct pmd_devargs *rx_queues,
+			const unsigned int nb_rx_queues,
+			struct pmd_devargs *tx_queues,
+			const unsigned int nb_tx_queues,
+			struct pmd_internals *internals)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
@@ -1035,12 +1041,8 @@ eth_from_pcaps_common(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 	if (tx_queues == NULL && nb_tx_queues > 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	if (pmd_init_internals(vdev, nb_rx_queues, nb_tx_queues, internals,
-			eth_dev) < 0)
-		return -1;
-
 	for (i = 0; i < nb_rx_queues; i++) {
-		struct pcap_rx_queue *rx = &(*internals)->rx_queue[i];
+		struct pcap_rx_queue *rx = &internals->rx_queue[i];
 		struct devargs_queue *queue = &rx_queues->queue[i];
 
 		rx->pcap = queue->pcap;
@@ -1049,7 +1051,7 @@ eth_from_pcaps_common(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nb_tx_queues; i++) {
-		struct pcap_tx_queue *tx = &(*internals)->tx_queue[i];
+		struct pcap_tx_queue *tx = &internals->tx_queue[i];
 		struct devargs_queue *queue = &tx_queues->queue[i];
 
 		tx->dumper = queue->dumper;
@@ -1062,17 +1064,17 @@ eth_from_pcaps_common(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 }
 
 static int
-eth_from_pcaps(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
+eth_from_pcaps(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev, struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev,
 		struct pmd_devargs *rx_queues, const unsigned int nb_rx_queues,
 		struct pmd_devargs *tx_queues, const unsigned int nb_tx_queues,
 		int single_iface, unsigned int using_dumpers)
 {
 	struct pmd_internals *internals = NULL;
-	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = NULL;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = eth_from_pcaps_common(vdev, rx_queues, nb_rx_queues,
-		tx_queues, nb_tx_queues, &internals, &eth_dev);
+	internals = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
+	ret = eth_from_pcaps_common(rx_queues, nb_rx_queues,
+		tx_queues, nb_tx_queues, internals);
 
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
@@ -1099,7 +1101,6 @@ eth_from_pcaps(struct rte_vdev_device *vdev,
 	else
 		eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = eth_pcap_tx;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_probing_finish(eth_dev);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1108,12 +1109,15 @@ pmd_pcap_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 {
 	const char *name;
 	unsigned int is_rx_pcap = 0, is_tx_pcap = 0;
-	struct rte_kvargs *kvlist;
+	struct rte_kvargs *kvlist = NULL;
 	struct pmd_devargs pcaps = {0};
 	struct pmd_devargs dumpers = {0};
-	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev;
+	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = NULL;
+	struct pmd_internals *internals = NULL;
+	unsigned int nb_rx_queue;
+	unsigned int nb_tx_queue;
 	int single_iface = 0;
-	int ret;
+	int ret = 0;
 
 	name = rte_vdev_device_name(dev);
 	PMD_LOG(INFO, "Initializing pmd_pcap for %s", name);
@@ -1122,23 +1126,37 @@ pmd_pcap_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 	start_cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
 	hz = rte_get_timer_hz();
 
-	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_SECONDARY) {
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() == RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+		kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(rte_vdev_device_args(dev),
+				valid_arguments);
+		if (kvlist == NULL)
+			return -EINVAL;
+		if (rte_kvargs_count(kvlist, ETH_PCAP_IFACE_ARG) == 1)
+			nb_rx_queue = 1;
+		else
+			nb_rx_queue =
+				rte_kvargs_count(kvlist,
+					ETH_PCAP_RX_PCAP_ARG) ? 1 : 0;
+		nb_tx_queue = 1;
+		ret = pmd_init_internals(dev, nb_rx_queue,
+				nb_tx_queue, &eth_dev);
+		if (ret != 0)
+			goto free_kvlist;
+	} else {
 		eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_attach_secondary(name);
 		if (!eth_dev) {
 			PMD_LOG(ERR, "Failed to probe %s", name);
-			return -1;
+			ret = -ENODEV;
+			goto free_kvlist;
 		}
-		/* TODO: request info from primary to set up Rx and Tx */
 		eth_dev->dev_ops = &ops;
 		eth_dev->device = &dev->device;
-		rte_eth_dev_probing_finish(eth_dev);
-		return 0;
+		internals = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
+		kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(internals->devargs, valid_arguments);
+		if (kvlist == NULL)
+			return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	kvlist = rte_kvargs_parse(rte_vdev_device_args(dev), valid_arguments);
-	if (kvlist == NULL)
-		return -1;
-
 	/*
 	 * If iface argument is passed we open the NICs and use them for
 	 * reading / writing
@@ -1202,8 +1220,12 @@ pmd_pcap_probe(struct rte_vdev_device *dev)
 		goto free_kvlist;
 
 create_eth:
-	ret = eth_from_pcaps(dev, &pcaps, pcaps.num_of_queue, &dumpers,
-		dumpers.num_of_queue, single_iface, is_tx_pcap);
+	ret = eth_from_pcaps(dev, eth_dev, &pcaps, pcaps.num_of_queue,
+			&dumpers, dumpers.num_of_queue,
+			single_iface, is_tx_pcap);
+	if (ret != 0)
+		goto free_kvlist;
+	rte_eth_dev_probing_finish(eth_dev);
 
 free_kvlist:
 	rte_kvargs_free(kvlist);
