diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
index 691538095..f9f23f5fd 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
@@ -77,6 +77,42 @@ rte_eal_parse_devargs_str(const char *devargs_str,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static struct rte_devargs *
+devargs_alloc(const char *busname, const char *name, const char *args)
+{
+	struct rte_devargs *devargs;
+	int ret;
+
+	if (busname == NULL || name == NULL || args == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	/* use calloc instead of rte_zmalloc as it's called early at init */
+	devargs = calloc(1, sizeof(*devargs));
+	if (devargs == NULL)
+		goto fail;
+
+	ret = snprintf(devargs->busname, sizeof(devargs->busname), "%s",
+		busname);
+	if (ret < 0 || ret >= (int)sizeof(devargs->busname))
+		goto fail;
+
+	ret = snprintf(devargs->name, sizeof(devargs->name), "%s", name);
+	if (ret < 0 || ret >= (int)sizeof(devargs->name))
+		goto fail;
+
+	devargs->args = strdup(args);
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&devargs_list, devargs, next);
+	return devargs;
+
+fail:
+	if (devargs != NULL) {
+		free(devargs->args);
+		free(devargs);
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 static int
 bus_name_cmp(const struct rte_bus *bus, const void *name)
 {
@@ -150,38 +186,43 @@ int
 rte_eal_devargs_add(enum rte_devtype devtype, const char *devargs_str)
 {
 	struct rte_devargs *devargs = NULL;
-	struct rte_bus *bus = NULL;
-	const char *dev = devargs_str;
+	const char *busname = NULL;
+	char *name = NULL;
+	char *args = NULL;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* use calloc instead of rte_zmalloc as it's called early at init */
-	devargs = calloc(1, sizeof(*devargs));
-	if (devargs == NULL)
+	ret = rte_eal_parse_devargs_str(devargs_str, &name, &args);
+	if (ret != 0)
 		goto fail;
 
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_parse(dev, devargs))
-		goto fail;
-	devargs->type = devtype;
-	bus = devargs->bus;
-	ret = rte_bus_configure(bus,
-		devtype == RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI ?
-		&BUS_CONF_WHITELIST : &BUS_CONF_WHITELIST);
-	if (ret != 0) {
-		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
-			"incompatible device type and bus scan mode\n");
-		goto fail;
+	switch (devtype) {
+	case RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI:
+	case RTE_DEVTYPE_BLACKLISTED_PCI:
+		busname = "pci";
+		ret = rte_bus_configure(rte_bus_find_by_name(busname),
+			devtype == RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI ?
+			&BUS_CONF_WHITELIST : &BUS_CONF_BLACKLIST);
+		if (ret != 0) {
+			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
+				"Bus [%s] scan_mode conflicts with devtype: "
+				"%s\n", busname, name);
+			goto fail;
+		}
+		break;
+	case RTE_DEVTYPE_VIRTUAL:
+		busname = "vdev";
+		break;
 	}
 
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&devargs_list, devargs, next);
-	return 0;
+	devargs = devargs_alloc(busname, name, args);
+	if (devargs != NULL)
+		devargs->type = devtype;
+	ret = devargs == NULL ? -1 : 0;
 
 fail:
-	if (devargs) {
-		free(devargs->args);
-		free(devargs);
-	}
-
-	return -1;
+	free(name);
+	free(args);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /* count the number of devices of a specified type */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
index 41db817cc..29631cbaa 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ struct rte_devargs {
 	enum rte_devtype type;
 	/** Bus handle for the device. */
 	struct rte_bus *bus;
+	/** Name of the bus the device belongs to. */
+	char busname[RTE_DEV_NAME_MAX_LEN];
 	/** Name of the device. */
 	char name[RTE_DEV_NAME_MAX_LEN];
 	/** Arguments string as given by user or "" for no argument. */
@@ -149,9 +151,10 @@ rte_eal_devargs_parse(const char *dev,
  *
  * For virtual devices, the format of arguments string is "DRIVER_NAME*"
  * or "DRIVER_NAME*,key=val,key2=val2,...". Examples: "net_ring",
- * "net_ring0", "net_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1". The validity of the
- * driver name is not checked by this function, it is done when probing
- * the drivers.
+ * "net_ring0", "net_pmdAnything,arg=0:arg2=1".
+ *
+ * The validity of the device name is not checked by this function, it is
+ * done when probing the drivers.
  *
  * @param devtype
  *   The type of the device.
diff --git a/test/test/test_devargs.c b/test/test/test_devargs.c
index 02fec8b1f..048b3d00b 100644
--- a/test/test/test_devargs.c
+++ b/test/test/test_devargs.c
@@ -109,18 +109,6 @@ test_devargs(void)
 		goto fail;
 	free_devargs_list();
 
-	/* test error case: bad PCI address */
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI, "08:1") == 0)
-		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI, "00.1") == 0)
-		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI, "foo") == 0)
-		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI, ",") == 0)
-		goto fail;
-	if (rte_eal_devargs_add(RTE_DEVTYPE_WHITELISTED_PCI, "000f:0:0") == 0)
-		goto fail;
-
 	devargs_list = save_devargs_list;
 	return 0;
 
