diff --git a/app/test/virtual_pmd.c b/app/test/virtual_pmd.c
index 9fac95d..c02644a 100644
--- a/app/test/virtual_pmd.c
+++ b/app/test/virtual_pmd.c
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ virtual_ethdev_create(const char *name, struct ether_addr *mac_addr,
 		goto err;
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_PCI);
 	if (eth_dev == NULL)
 		goto err;
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.c b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.c
index 3b64f3a..201c04a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_find_free_port(void)
 }
 
 struct rte_eth_dev *
-rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name)
+rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name, enum rte_eth_dev_type type)
 {
 	uint8_t port_id;
 	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev;
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name)
 	snprintf(eth_dev->data->name, sizeof(eth_dev->data->name), "%s", name);
 	eth_dev->data->port_id = port_id;
 	eth_dev->attached = DEV_ATTACHED;
+	eth_dev->dev_type = type;
 	nb_ports++;
 	return eth_dev;
 }
@@ -262,6 +263,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_release_port(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	eth_dev->attached = 0;
+	eth_dev->dev_type = RTE_ETH_DEV_UNKNOWN;
 	nb_ports--;
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -299,7 +301,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_init(struct rte_pci_driver *pci_drv,
 	/* Create unique Ethernet device name using PCI address */
 	rte_eth_dev_create_unique_device_name(ethdev_name, pci_dev);
 
-	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(ethdev_name);
+	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(ethdev_name, RTE_ETH_DEV_PCI);
 	if (eth_dev == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -424,6 +426,14 @@ rte_eth_dev_count(void)
 	return (nb_ports);
 }
 
+enum rte_eth_dev_type
+rte_eth_dev_get_device_type(uint8_t port_id)
+{
+	if (!rte_eth_dev_is_valid_port(port_id))
+		return -1;
+	return rte_eth_devices[port_id].dev_type;
+}
+
 int
 rte_eth_dev_save(struct rte_eth_dev *devs, size_t size)
 {
@@ -521,6 +531,17 @@ rte_eth_dev_is_detachable(uint8_t port_id)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (rte_eth_devices[port_id].dev_type == RTE_ETH_DEV_PCI) {
+		switch (rte_eth_devices[port_id].pci_dev->pt_driver) {
+		case RTE_PT_IGB_UIO:
+		case RTE_PT_UIO_GENERIC:
+			break;
+		case RTE_PT_VFIO:
+		default:
+			return -ENOTSUP;
+		}
+	}
+
 	drv_flags = rte_eth_devices[port_id].driver->pci_drv.drv_flags;
 	return !(drv_flags & RTE_PCI_DRV_DETACHABLE);
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
index 90b7f25..4f66bb6 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ethdev.h
@@ -1523,6 +1523,17 @@ struct eth_dev_ops {
 };
 
 /**
+ * The eth device type
+ */
+enum rte_eth_dev_type {
+	RTE_ETH_DEV_UNKNOWN,	/**< unknown device type */
+	RTE_ETH_DEV_PCI,
+		/**< Physical function and Virtual function of PCI devices */
+	RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL,	/**< non hardware device */
+	RTE_ETH_DEV_MAX		/**< max value of this enum */
+};
+
+/**
  * @internal
  * The generic data structure associated with each ethernet device.
  *
@@ -1541,6 +1552,7 @@ struct rte_eth_dev {
 	struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev; /**< PCI info. supplied by probing */
 	struct rte_eth_dev_cb_list callbacks; /**< User application callbacks */
 	uint8_t attached; /**< Flag indicating the port is attached */
+	enum rte_eth_dev_type dev_type; /**< Flag indicating the device type */
 };
 
 struct rte_eth_dev_sriov {
@@ -1618,6 +1630,15 @@ extern uint8_t rte_eth_dev_count(void);
 
 /**
  * Function for internal use by port hotplug functions.
+ * Get the device type to know whether the device is physical or virtual.
+ * @param	port_id	The pointer to the port id
+ * @return
+ *   - Device type.
+ */
+extern enum rte_eth_dev_type rte_eth_dev_get_device_type(uint8_t port_id);
+
+/**
+ * Function for internal use by port hotplug functions.
  * Copies current ethdev structures to the specified pointer.
  *
  * @param	devs	The pointer to the ethdev structures
@@ -1706,10 +1727,12 @@ extern struct rte_eth_dev *rte_eth_dev_allocated(const char *name);
  * to that slot for the driver to use.
  *
  * @param	name	Unique identifier name for each Ethernet device
+ * @param	type	Device type of this Ethernet device
  * @return
  *   - Slot in the rte_dev_devices array for a new device;
  */
-struct rte_eth_dev *rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name);
+struct rte_eth_dev *rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name,
+		enum rte_eth_dev_type type);
 
 /**
  * Function for internal use by dummy drivers primarily, e.g. ring-based
diff --git a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ether_version.map b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ether_version.map
index 1d039ed..b78f5e3 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ether/rte_ether_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_ether/rte_ether_version.map
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ DPDK_2.0 {
 	rte_eth_dev_get_port_by_addr;
 	rte_eth_dev_get_changed_port;
 	rte_eth_dev_save;
+	rte_eth_dev_get_device_type;
 
 	local: *;
 };
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_af_packet/rte_eth_af_packet.c b/lib/librte_pmd_af_packet/rte_eth_af_packet.c
index 1ffe1cd..80e9bdf 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_af_packet/rte_eth_af_packet.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_af_packet/rte_eth_af_packet.c
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ rte_pmd_init_internals(const char *name,
 	}
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	*eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	*eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL);
 	if (*eth_dev == NULL)
 		goto error;
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_bond/rte_eth_bond_api.c b/lib/librte_pmd_bond/rte_eth_bond_api.c
index 4ab3267..7a6a5f7 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_bond/rte_eth_bond_api.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_bond/rte_eth_bond_api.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ rte_eth_bond_create(const char *name, uint8_t mode, uint8_t socket_id)
 	}
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL);
 	if (eth_dev == NULL) {
 		RTE_BOND_LOG(ERR, "Unable to allocate rte_eth_dev");
 		goto err;
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
index d299288..af7fae8 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ rte_pmd_init_internals(const char *name, const unsigned nb_rx_queues,
 		goto error;
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	*eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	*eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL);
 	if (*eth_dev == NULL)
 		goto error;
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_ring/rte_eth_ring.c b/lib/librte_pmd_ring/rte_eth_ring.c
index d5b1686..c837fcd 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_ring/rte_eth_ring.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_ring/rte_eth_ring.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ rte_eth_from_rings(const char *name, struct rte_ring *const rx_queues[],
 		goto error;
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL);
 	if (eth_dev == NULL)
 		goto error;
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_xenvirt/rte_eth_xenvirt.c b/lib/librte_pmd_xenvirt/rte_eth_xenvirt.c
index 04e30c9..bc403d6 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_xenvirt/rte_eth_xenvirt.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_xenvirt/rte_eth_xenvirt.c
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ eth_dev_xenvirt_create(const char *name, const char *params,
 		goto err;
 
 	/* reserve an ethdev entry */
-	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name);
+	eth_dev = rte_eth_dev_allocate(name, RTE_ETH_DEV_VIRTUAL);
 	if (eth_dev == NULL)
 		goto err;
 
