diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/devlink_port.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/devlink_port.c
index 8e825ef35cb7..183f782b940f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/devlink_port.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/esw/devlink_port.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ int mlx5_esw_devlink_sf_port_register(struct mlx5_eswitch *esw, struct devlink_p
 	mlx5_esw_get_port_parent_id(dev, &ppid);
 	memcpy(dl_port->attrs.switch_id.id, &ppid.id[0], ppid.id_len);
 	dl_port->attrs.switch_id.id_len = ppid.id_len;
-	devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set(dl_port, 0, pfnum, sfnum);
+	devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set(dl_port, 0, pfnum, sfnum, false);
 	devlink = priv_to_devlink(dev);
 	dl_port_index = mlx5_esw_vport_to_devlink_port_index(dev, vport_num);
 	err = devlink_port_register(devlink, dl_port, dl_port_index);
diff --git a/include/net/devlink.h b/include/net/devlink.h
index 853420db5d32..7c984cadfec4 100644
--- a/include/net/devlink.h
+++ b/include/net/devlink.h
@@ -98,11 +98,13 @@ struct devlink_port_pci_vf_attrs {
  * @controller: Associated controller number
  * @sf: Associated PCI SF for of the PCI PF for this port.
  * @pf: Associated PCI PF number for this port.
+ * @external: when set, indicates if a port is for an external controller
  */
 struct devlink_port_pci_sf_attrs {
 	u32 controller;
 	u32 sf;
 	u16 pf;
+	u8 external:1;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1508,7 +1510,8 @@ void devlink_port_attrs_pci_pf_set(struct devlink_port *devlink_port, u32 contro
 void devlink_port_attrs_pci_vf_set(struct devlink_port *devlink_port, u32 controller,
 				   u16 pf, u16 vf, bool external);
 void devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set(struct devlink_port *devlink_port,
-				   u32 controller, u16 pf, u32 sf);
+				   u32 controller, u16 pf, u32 sf,
+				   bool external);
 int devlink_sb_register(struct devlink *devlink, unsigned int sb_index,
 			u32 size, u16 ingress_pools_count,
 			u16 egress_pools_count, u16 ingress_tc_count,
diff --git a/net/core/devlink.c b/net/core/devlink.c
index 737b61c2976e..4eb969518ee0 100644
--- a/net/core/devlink.c
+++ b/net/core/devlink.c
@@ -8599,9 +8599,10 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(devlink_port_attrs_pci_vf_set);
  *	@controller: associated controller number for the devlink port instance
  *	@pf: associated PF for the devlink port instance
  *	@sf: associated SF of a PF for the devlink port instance
+ *	@external: indicates if the port is for an external controller
  */
 void devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set(struct devlink_port *devlink_port, u32 controller,
-				   u16 pf, u32 sf)
+				   u16 pf, u32 sf, bool external)
 {
 	struct devlink_port_attrs *attrs = &devlink_port->attrs;
 	int ret;
@@ -8615,6 +8616,7 @@ void devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set(struct devlink_port *devlink_port, u32 contro
 	attrs->pci_sf.controller = controller;
 	attrs->pci_sf.pf = pf;
 	attrs->pci_sf.sf = sf;
+	attrs->pci_sf.external = external;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(devlink_port_attrs_pci_sf_set);
 
@@ -8667,6 +8669,13 @@ static int __devlink_port_phys_port_name_get(struct devlink_port *devlink_port,
 			     attrs->pci_vf.pf, attrs->pci_vf.vf);
 		break;
 	case DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_PCI_SF:
+		if (attrs->pci_sf.external) {
+			n = snprintf(name, len, "c%u", attrs->pci_sf.controller);
+			if (n >= len)
+				return -EINVAL;
+			len -= n;
+			name += n;
+		}
 		n = snprintf(name, len, "pf%usf%u", attrs->pci_sf.pf,
 			     attrs->pci_sf.sf);
 		break;