diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
index 22f7d327d2..a5db278e8d 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/rte_flow.rst
@@ -504,6 +504,8 @@ Usage example, matching non-TCPv4 packets only:
 Item: ``PF``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This item is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Item: ETHDEV`_, `Item: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) the physical
 function of the current device.
 
@@ -531,6 +533,8 @@ the application and thus not associated with a DPDK port ID.
 Item: ``VF``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This item is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Item: ETHDEV`_, `Item: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a given
 virtual function of the current device.
 
@@ -562,6 +566,8 @@ separate entities, should be addressed through their own DPDK port IDs.
 Item: ``PHY_PORT``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This item is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Item: ETHDEV`_, `Item: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a physical
 port of the underlying device.
 
@@ -596,6 +602,8 @@ associated with a port_id should be retrieved by other means.
 Item: ``PORT_ID``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This item is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Item: ETHDEV`_, `Item: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a given DPDK
 port ID.
 
@@ -1913,6 +1921,8 @@ only matching traffic goes through.
 Action: ``PF``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This action is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Action: ETHDEV`_.
+
 Directs matching traffic to the physical function (PF) of the current
 device.
 
@@ -1933,6 +1943,8 @@ See `Item: PF`_.
 Action: ``VF``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This action is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Action: ETHDEV`_, `Action: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Directs matching traffic to a given virtual function of the current device.
 
 Packets matched by a VF pattern item can be redirected to their original VF
@@ -1957,6 +1969,8 @@ See `Item: VF`_.
 Action: ``PHY_PORT``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
+This action is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Action: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Directs matching traffic to a given physical port index of the underlying
 device.
 
@@ -1976,6 +1990,8 @@ See `Item: PHY_PORT`_.
 
 Action: ``PORT_ID``
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+This action is DEPRECATED. Consider: `Action: ETHDEV`_, `Action: ESWITCH_PORT`_.
+
 Directs matching traffic to a given DPDK port ID.
 
 See `Item: PORT_ID`_.
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
index a2fe766d4b..2b6718211f 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
@@ -128,12 +128,6 @@ Deprecation Notices
   is deprecated and will be removed in DPDK 21.11. Shared counters should
   be managed using shared actions API (``rte_flow_shared_action_create`` etc).
 
-* ethdev: Definition of the flow API action ``RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_PORT_ID``
-  is ambiguous and needs clarification.
-  Structure ``rte_flow_action_port_id`` will be extended to specify
-  traffic direction to the represented entity or ethdev port itself
-  in DPDK 21.11.
-
 * ethdev: Flow API documentation is unclear if ethdev port used to create
   a flow rule adds any implicit match criteria in the case of transfer rules.
   The semantics will be clarified in DPDK 21.11 and it will require fixes in
@@ -262,3 +256,6 @@ Deprecation Notices
 * cmdline: ``cmdline`` structure will be made opaque to hide platform-specific
   content. On Linux and FreeBSD, supported prior to DPDK 20.11,
   original structure will be kept until DPDK 21.11.
+
+* ethdev: Items and actions ``PF``, ``VF``, ``PHY_PORT``, ``PORT_ID`` are
+  deprecated as hard-to-use / ambiguous and will be removed in DPDK 22.11.
diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_21_11.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_21_11.rst
index 4f4890c7df..fa0476a290 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_21_11.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_21_11.rst
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ API Changes
 
 * ethdev: Added items and actions ``ETHDEV``, ``ESWITCH_PORT`` to flow API.
 
+* ethdev: Deprecated items and actions ``PF``, ``VF``, ``PHY_PORT``, ``PORT_ID``.
+  Suggested items and actions ``ETHDEV``, ``ESWITCH_PORT`` instead.
+
 * cryptodev: The API rte_cryptodev_pmd_is_valid_dev is modified to
   rte_cryptodev_is_valid_dev as it can be used by the application as
   well as PMD to check whether the device is valid or not.
diff --git a/lib/ethdev/rte_flow.h b/lib/ethdev/rte_flow.h
index 5d46b2350d..a9661dd6ae 100644
--- a/lib/ethdev/rte_flow.h
+++ b/lib/ethdev/rte_flow.h
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ enum rte_flow_item_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ANY,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * [META]
 	 *
 	 * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress)
@@ -170,6 +174,10 @@ enum rte_flow_item_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_PF,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * [META]
 	 *
 	 * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a
@@ -180,6 +188,10 @@ enum rte_flow_item_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_VF,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * [META]
 	 *
 	 * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a
@@ -190,6 +202,10 @@ enum rte_flow_item_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_PHY_PORT,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * [META]
 	 *
 	 * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a
@@ -640,6 +656,10 @@ static const struct rte_flow_item_any rte_flow_item_any_mask = {
 #endif
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_VF
  *
  * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a given
@@ -669,6 +689,10 @@ static const struct rte_flow_item_vf rte_flow_item_vf_mask = {
 #endif
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_PHY_PORT
  *
  * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a
@@ -700,6 +724,10 @@ static const struct rte_flow_item_phy_port rte_flow_item_phy_port_mask = {
 #endif
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ETHDEV
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ITEM_TYPE_PORT_ID
  *
  * Matches traffic originating from (ingress) or going to (egress) a given
@@ -1989,6 +2017,9 @@ enum rte_flow_action_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_RSS,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 *
 	 * Directs matching traffic to the physical function (PF) of the
 	 * current device.
 	 *
@@ -1997,6 +2028,10 @@ enum rte_flow_action_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_PF,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * Directs matching traffic to a given virtual function of the
 	 * current device.
 	 *
@@ -2005,6 +2040,9 @@ enum rte_flow_action_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_VF,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * Directs packets to a given physical port index of the underlying
 	 * device.
 	 *
@@ -2013,6 +2051,10 @@ enum rte_flow_action_type {
 	RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_PHY_PORT,
 
 	/**
+	 * @deprecated
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ETHDEV
+	 * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+	 *
 	 * Directs matching traffic to a given DPDK port ID.
 	 *
 	 * See struct rte_flow_action_port_id.
@@ -2653,6 +2695,10 @@ struct rte_flow_action_rss {
 };
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ETHDEV
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_VF
  *
  * Directs matching traffic to a given virtual function of the current
@@ -2671,6 +2717,9 @@ struct rte_flow_action_vf {
 };
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_PHY_PORT
  *
  * Directs packets to a given physical port index of the underlying
@@ -2685,6 +2734,10 @@ struct rte_flow_action_phy_port {
 };
 
 /**
+ * @deprecated
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ETHDEV
+ * @see RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_ESWITCH_PORT
+ *
  * RTE_FLOW_ACTION_TYPE_PORT_ID
  *
  * Directs matching traffic to a given DPDK port ID.
