diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic.h b/drivers/net/enic/enic.h
index 5a92508f0..2c8b3e0e4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic.h
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ struct enic {
 	bool udp_rss_weak;    /* Bodega style UDP RSS */
 	uint8_t ig_vlan_rewrite_mode; /* devargs ig-vlan-rewrite */
 	uint16_t vxlan_port;  /* current vxlan port pushed to NIC */
+	int use_simple_tx_handler;
 
 	unsigned int flags;
 	unsigned int priv_flags;
@@ -333,7 +334,9 @@ uint16_t enic_prep_pkts(void *tx_queue, struct rte_mbuf **tx_pkts,
 			uint16_t nb_pkts);
 int enic_set_mtu(struct enic *enic, uint16_t new_mtu);
 int enic_link_update(struct enic *enic);
-bool enic_use_vector_rx_handler(struct enic *enic);
+bool enic_use_vector_rx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
+void enic_pick_rx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
+void enic_pick_tx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev);
 void enic_fdir_info(struct enic *enic);
 void enic_fdir_info_get(struct enic *enic, struct rte_eth_fdir_info *stats);
 extern const struct rte_flow_ops enic_flow_ops;
diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
index 85d785e62..c6d0d7557 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
@@ -1216,12 +1216,18 @@ static int eth_enicpmd_dev_init(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 
 	ENICPMD_FUNC_TRACE();
 
-	enic->port_id = eth_dev->data->port_id;
-	enic->rte_dev = eth_dev;
 	eth_dev->dev_ops = &enicpmd_eth_dev_ops;
 	eth_dev->rx_pkt_burst = &enic_recv_pkts;
 	eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = &enic_xmit_pkts;
 	eth_dev->tx_pkt_prepare = &enic_prep_pkts;
+	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY) {
+		enic_pick_tx_handler(eth_dev);
+		enic_pick_rx_handler(eth_dev);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	/* Only the primary sets up adapter and other data in shared memory */
+	enic->port_id = eth_dev->data->port_id;
+	enic->rte_dev = eth_dev;
 	/* Let rte_eth_dev_close() release the port resources */
 	eth_dev->data->dev_flags |= RTE_ETH_DEV_CLOSE_REMOVE;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic_main.c b/drivers/net/enic/enic_main.c
index 40af3781b..aecdee248 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_main.c
@@ -518,14 +518,14 @@ static void enic_prep_wq_for_simple_tx(struct enic *enic, uint16_t queue_idx)
  * used when that file is not compiled.
  */
 __rte_weak bool
-enic_use_vector_rx_handler(__rte_unused struct enic *enic)
+enic_use_vector_rx_handler(__rte_unused struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
 	return false;
 }
 
-static void pick_rx_handler(struct enic *enic)
+void enic_pick_rx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
-	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev;
+	struct enic *enic = pmd_priv(eth_dev);
 
 	/*
 	 * Preference order:
@@ -533,8 +533,7 @@ static void pick_rx_handler(struct enic *enic)
 	 * 2. The non-scatter, simplified handler if scatter Rx is not used.
 	 * 3. The default handler as a fallback.
 	 */
-	eth_dev = enic->rte_dev;
-	if (enic_use_vector_rx_handler(enic))
+	if (enic_use_vector_rx_handler(eth_dev))
 		return;
 	if (enic->rq_count > 0 && enic->rq[0].data_queue_enable == 0) {
 		ENICPMD_LOG(DEBUG, " use the non-scatter Rx handler");
@@ -545,6 +544,20 @@ static void pick_rx_handler(struct enic *enic)
 	}
 }
 
+/* Secondary process uses this to set the Tx handler */
+void enic_pick_tx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
+{
+	struct enic *enic = pmd_priv(eth_dev);
+
+	if (enic->use_simple_tx_handler) {
+		ENICPMD_LOG(DEBUG, " use the simple tx handler");
+		eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = &enic_simple_xmit_pkts;
+	} else {
+		ENICPMD_LOG(DEBUG, " use the default tx handler");
+		eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = &enic_xmit_pkts;
+	}
+}
+
 int enic_enable(struct enic *enic)
 {
 	unsigned int index;
@@ -622,12 +635,13 @@ int enic_enable(struct enic *enic)
 		eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = &enic_simple_xmit_pkts;
 		for (index = 0; index < enic->wq_count; index++)
 			enic_prep_wq_for_simple_tx(enic, index);
+		enic->use_simple_tx_handler = 1;
 	} else {
 		ENICPMD_LOG(DEBUG, " use the default tx handler");
 		eth_dev->tx_pkt_burst = &enic_xmit_pkts;
 	}
 
-	pick_rx_handler(enic);
+	enic_pick_rx_handler(eth_dev);
 
 	for (index = 0; index < enic->wq_count; index++)
 		enic_start_wq(enic, index);
@@ -1598,7 +1612,7 @@ int enic_set_mtu(struct enic *enic, uint16_t new_mtu)
 
 	/* put back the real receive function */
 	rte_mb();
-	pick_rx_handler(enic);
+	enic_pick_rx_handler(eth_dev);
 	rte_mb();
 
 	/* restart Rx traffic */
diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx_vec_avx2.c b/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx_vec_avx2.c
index 517d4092f..36d4d0dea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx_vec_avx2.c
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx_vec_avx2.c
@@ -806,12 +806,11 @@ enic_noscatter_vec_recv_pkts(void *rx_queue, struct rte_mbuf **rx_pkts,
 }
 
 bool
-enic_use_vector_rx_handler(struct enic *enic)
+enic_use_vector_rx_handler(struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev)
 {
-	struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev;
+	struct enic *enic = pmd_priv(eth_dev);
 	struct rte_fdir_conf *fconf;
 
-	eth_dev = enic->rte_dev;
 	/* User needs to request for the avx2 handler */
 	if (!enic->enable_avx2_rx)
 		return false;
