diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/sd.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/sd.c
index dd5d186dc6148..f6deb5a3f8202 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/sd.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/lib/sd.c
@@ -100,10 +100,6 @@ static bool ft_create_alias_supported(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 
 static bool mlx5_sd_is_supported(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev, u8 host_buses)
 {
-	/* Feature is currently implemented for PFs only */
-	if (!mlx5_core_is_pf(dev))
-		return false;
-
 	/* Honor the SW implementation limit */
 	if (host_buses > MLX5_SD_MAX_GROUP_SZ)
 		return false;
@@ -162,6 +158,14 @@ static int sd_init(struct mlx5_core_dev *dev)
 	bool sdm;
 	int err;
 
+	/* Feature is currently implemented for PFs only */
+	if (!mlx5_core_is_pf(dev))
+		return 0;
+
+	/* Block on embedded CPU PFs */
+	if (mlx5_core_is_ecpf(dev))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (!MLX5_CAP_MCAM_REG(dev, mpir))
 		return 0;