diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/Kconfig b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/Kconfig
index d8a12da5c49a6..eae1b42e48db4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/Kconfig
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ config I40E
 	tristate "Intel(R) Ethernet Controller XL710 Family support"
 	imply PTP_1588_CLOCK
 	depends on PCI
+	select AUXILIARY_BUS
 	help
 	  This driver supports Intel(R) Ethernet Controller XL710 Family of
 	  devices.  For more information on how to identify your adapter, go
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
index 85d3dd3a3339f..b9417dc0007cb 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.h
@@ -870,6 +870,8 @@ struct i40e_netdev_priv {
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi;
 };
 
+extern struct ida i40e_client_ida;
+
 /* struct that defines an interrupt vector */
 struct i40e_q_vector {
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
index 63eab14a26df3..e07ed065d3a4b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_client.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ static const char i40e_client_interface_version_str[] = I40E_CLIENT_VERSION_STR;
 static struct i40e_client *registered_client;
 static LIST_HEAD(i40e_devices);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(i40e_device_mutex);
+DEFINE_IDA(i40e_client_ida);
 
 static int i40e_client_virtchnl_send(struct i40e_info *ldev,
 				     struct i40e_client *client,
@@ -275,6 +276,57 @@ void i40e_client_update_msix_info(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	cdev->lan_info.msix_entries = &pf->msix_entries[pf->iwarp_base_vector];
 }
 
+static void i40e_auxiliary_dev_release(struct device *dev)
+{
+	struct i40e_auxiliary_device *i40e_aux_dev =
+			container_of(dev, struct i40e_auxiliary_device, aux_dev.dev);
+
+	ida_free(&i40e_client_ida, i40e_aux_dev->aux_dev.id);
+	kfree(i40e_aux_dev);
+}
+
+static int i40e_register_auxiliary_dev(struct i40e_info *ldev, const char *name)
+{
+	struct i40e_auxiliary_device *i40e_aux_dev;
+	struct pci_dev *pdev = ldev->pcidev;
+	struct auxiliary_device *aux_dev;
+	int ret;
+
+	i40e_aux_dev = kzalloc(sizeof(*i40e_aux_dev), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!i40e_aux_dev)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	i40e_aux_dev->ldev = ldev;
+
+	aux_dev = &i40e_aux_dev->aux_dev;
+	aux_dev->name = name;
+	aux_dev->dev.parent = &pdev->dev;
+	aux_dev->dev.release = i40e_auxiliary_dev_release;
+	ldev->aux_dev = aux_dev;
+
+	ret = ida_alloc(&i40e_client_ida, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		kfree(i40e_aux_dev);
+		return ret;
+	}
+	aux_dev->id = ret;
+
+	ret = auxiliary_device_init(aux_dev);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		ida_free(&i40e_client_ida, aux_dev->id);
+		kfree(i40e_aux_dev);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	ret = auxiliary_device_add(aux_dev);
+	if (ret) {
+		auxiliary_device_uninit(aux_dev);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /**
  * i40e_client_add_instance - add a client instance struct to the instance list
  * @pf: pointer to the board struct
@@ -286,9 +338,6 @@ static void i40e_client_add_instance(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	struct netdev_hw_addr *mac = NULL;
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi = pf->vsi[pf->lan_vsi];
 
-	if (!registered_client || pf->cinst)
-		return;
-
 	cdev = kzalloc(sizeof(*cdev), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!cdev)
 		return;
@@ -308,11 +357,8 @@ static void i40e_client_add_instance(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	cdev->lan_info.fw_build = pf->hw.aq.fw_build;
 	set_bit(__I40E_CLIENT_INSTANCE_NONE, &cdev->state);
 
-	if (i40e_client_get_params(vsi, &cdev->lan_info.params)) {
-		kfree(cdev);
-		cdev = NULL;
-		return;
-	}
+	if (i40e_client_get_params(vsi, &cdev->lan_info.params))
+		goto free_cdev;
 
 	mac = list_first_entry(&cdev->lan_info.netdev->dev_addrs.list,
 			       struct netdev_hw_addr, list);
@@ -324,7 +370,17 @@ static void i40e_client_add_instance(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	cdev->client = registered_client;
 	pf->cinst = cdev;
 
-	i40e_client_update_msix_info(pf);
+	cdev->lan_info.msix_count = pf->num_iwarp_msix;
+	cdev->lan_info.msix_entries = &pf->msix_entries[pf->iwarp_base_vector];
+
+	if (i40e_register_auxiliary_dev(&cdev->lan_info, "iwarp"))
+		goto free_cdev;
+
+	return;
+
+free_cdev:
+	kfree(cdev);
+	pf->cinst = NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -345,7 +401,7 @@ void i40e_client_del_instance(struct i40e_pf *pf)
  **/
 void i40e_client_subtask(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 {
-	struct i40e_client *client = registered_client;
+	struct i40e_client *client;
 	struct i40e_client_instance *cdev;
 	struct i40e_vsi *vsi = pf->vsi[pf->lan_vsi];
 	int ret = 0;
@@ -359,9 +415,11 @@ void i40e_client_subtask(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 	    test_bit(__I40E_CONFIG_BUSY, pf->state))
 		return;
 
-	if (!client || !cdev)
+	if (!cdev || !cdev->client)
 		return;
 
+	client = cdev->client;
+
 	/* Here we handle client opens. If the client is down, and
 	 * the netdev is registered, then open the client.
 	 */
@@ -423,16 +481,8 @@ int i40e_lan_add_device(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 		 pf->hw.pf_id, pf->hw.bus.bus_id,
 		 pf->hw.bus.device, pf->hw.bus.func);
 
-	/* If a client has already been registered, we need to add an instance
-	 * of it to our new LAN device.
-	 */
-	if (registered_client)
-		i40e_client_add_instance(pf);
+	i40e_client_add_instance(pf);
 
-	/* Since in some cases register may have happened before a device gets
-	 * added, we can schedule a subtask to go initiate the clients if
-	 * they can be launched at probe time.
-	 */
 	set_bit(__I40E_CLIENT_SERVICE_REQUESTED, pf->state);
 	i40e_service_event_schedule(pf);
 
@@ -449,9 +499,13 @@ int i40e_lan_add_device(struct i40e_pf *pf)
  **/
 int i40e_lan_del_device(struct i40e_pf *pf)
 {
+	struct auxiliary_device *aux_dev = pf->cinst->lan_info.aux_dev;
 	struct i40e_device *ldev, *tmp;
 	int ret = -ENODEV;
 
+	auxiliary_device_delete(aux_dev);
+	auxiliary_device_uninit(aux_dev);
+
 	/* First, remove any client instance. */
 	i40e_client_del_instance(pf);
 
@@ -732,6 +786,42 @@ static int i40e_client_update_vsi_ctxt(struct i40e_info *ldev,
 	return err;
 }
 
+void i40e_client_device_register(struct i40e_info *ldev, struct i40e_client *client)
+{
+	struct i40e_pf *pf = ldev->pf;
+
+	pf->cinst->client = client;
+	set_bit(__I40E_CLIENT_SERVICE_REQUESTED, pf->state);
+	i40e_service_event_schedule(pf);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(i40e_client_device_register);
+
+void i40e_client_device_unregister(struct i40e_info *ldev)
+{
+	struct i40e_pf *pf = ldev->pf;
+	struct i40e_client_instance *cdev = pf->cinst;
+
+	if (!cdev)
+		return;
+
+	while (test_and_set_bit(__I40E_SERVICE_SCHED, pf->state))
+		usleep_range(500, 1000);
+
+	if (test_bit(__I40E_CLIENT_INSTANCE_OPENED, &cdev->state)) {
+		cdev->client->ops->close(&cdev->lan_info, cdev->client, false);
+		clear_bit(__I40E_CLIENT_INSTANCE_OPENED, &cdev->state);
+		i40e_client_release_qvlist(&cdev->lan_info);
+	}
+
+	pf->cinst->client = NULL;
+	clear_bit(__I40E_SERVICE_SCHED, pf->state);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(i40e_client_device_unregister);
+
+/* Retain these legacy global registration/unregistration calls till i40iw is
+ * removed from the kernel. The irdma unified driver does not use these
+ * exported symbols.
+ */
 /**
  * i40e_register_client - Register a i40e client driver with the L2 driver
  * @client: pointer to the i40e_client struct
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
index 704e474879c5b..9db1968fc491b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_main.c
@@ -16270,6 +16270,7 @@ static void __exit i40e_exit_module(void)
 {
 	pci_unregister_driver(&i40e_driver);
 	destroy_workqueue(i40e_wq);
+	ida_destroy(&i40e_client_ida);
 	i40e_dbg_exit();
 }
 module_exit(i40e_exit_module);