diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.c b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.c
index 8d13da591..28f89dba9 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.c
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ __handle_secondary_request(void *param)
 		} else {
 			ret = tmp_req.result;
 		}
+	} else if (req->t == REQ_TYPE_SHARE_DATA_PREPARE) {
+		eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 	} else {
 		ethdev_log(ERR, "unsupported secondary to primary request\n");
 		ret = -ENOTSUP;
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.h
index 40be46c89..61fc381da 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_mp.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ enum eth_dev_req_type {
 	REQ_TYPE_PRE_DETACH,
 	REQ_TYPE_DETACH,
 	REQ_TYPE_ATTACH_ROLLBACK,
+	REQ_TYPE_SHARE_DATA_PREPARE,
 };
 
 struct eth_dev_mp_req {
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_private.h b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_private.h
index 981e7de8a..005d63afc 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_private.h
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/ethdev_private.h
@@ -36,4 +36,7 @@ int do_eth_dev_attach(const char *devargs, uint16_t *port_id);
  */
 int do_eth_dev_detach(uint16_t port_id);
 
+/* Prepare shared data for multi-process */
+void eth_dev_shared_data_prepare(void);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
index 7d89d9f95..408a49f44 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ethdev/rte_ethdev.c
@@ -199,11 +199,14 @@ rte_eth_find_next(uint16_t port_id)
 	return port_id;
 }
 
-static void
-rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare(void)
+void
+eth_dev_shared_data_prepare(void)
 {
 	const unsigned flags = 0;
 	const struct rte_memzone *mz;
+	struct eth_dev_mp_req req;
+
+	memset(&req, 0, sizeof(req));
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_shared_data_lock);
 
@@ -215,6 +218,12 @@ rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare(void)
 					rte_socket_id(), flags);
 		} else
 			mz = rte_memzone_lookup(MZ_RTE_ETH_DEV_DATA);
+		/* if secondary attach a private device first */
+		if (mz == NULL && rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+			req.t = REQ_TYPE_SHARE_DATA_PREPARE;
+			eth_dev_request_to_primary(&req);
+			mz = rte_memzone_lookup(MZ_RTE_ETH_DEV_DATA);
+		}
 		if (mz == NULL)
 			rte_panic("Cannot allocate ethdev shared data\n");
 
@@ -255,7 +264,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_allocated(const char *name)
 {
 	struct rte_eth_dev *ethdev;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
@@ -300,7 +309,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_allocate(const char *name)
 	uint16_t port_id;
 	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = NULL;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	/* Synchronize port creation between primary and secondary threads. */
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
@@ -339,7 +348,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_attach_secondary(const char *name)
 	uint16_t i;
 	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = NULL;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	/* Synchronize port attachment to primary port creation and release. */
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
@@ -379,7 +388,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_release_port(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 	if (eth_dev == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	_rte_eth_dev_callback_process(eth_dev, RTE_ETH_EVENT_DESTROY, NULL);
 
@@ -433,7 +442,7 @@ rte_eth_find_next_owned_by(uint16_t port_id, const uint64_t owner_id)
 int __rte_experimental
 rte_eth_dev_owner_new(uint64_t *owner_id)
 {
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
@@ -488,7 +497,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_owner_set(const uint16_t port_id,
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
@@ -505,7 +514,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_owner_unset(const uint16_t port_id, const uint64_t owner_id)
 			{.id = RTE_ETH_DEV_NO_OWNER, .name = ""};
 	int ret;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
@@ -520,7 +529,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_owner_delete(const uint64_t owner_id)
 {
 	uint16_t port_id;
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
@@ -542,7 +551,7 @@ rte_eth_dev_owner_get(const uint16_t port_id, struct rte_eth_dev_owner *owner)
 	int ret = 0;
 	struct rte_eth_dev *ethdev = &rte_eth_devices[port_id];
 
-	rte_eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
+	eth_dev_shared_data_prepare();
 
 	rte_spinlock_lock(&rte_eth_dev_shared_data->ownership_lock);
 
