diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic.h
index bb106a32f416..59f8385d591f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ struct ionic_lif;
 
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_PF	0x1002
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_VF	0x1003
+#define PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_MGMT	0x1004
 
 #define DEVCMD_TIMEOUT  10
 
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ struct ionic {
 	struct dentry *dentry;
 	struct ionic_dev_bar bars[IONIC_BARS_MAX];
 	unsigned int num_bars;
+	bool is_mgmt_nic;
 	struct ionic_identity ident;
 	struct list_head lifs;
 	struct ionic_lif *master_lif;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
index 2924cde440aa..60fc191a35e5 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_bus_pci.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 static const struct pci_device_id ionic_id_table[] = {
 	{ PCI_VDEVICE(PENSANDO, PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_PF) },
 	{ PCI_VDEVICE(PENSANDO, PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_VF) },
+	{ PCI_VDEVICE(PENSANDO, PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_MGMT) },
 	{ 0, }	/* end of table */
 };
 MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(pci, ionic_id_table);
@@ -224,6 +225,9 @@ static int ionic_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	pci_set_drvdata(pdev, ionic);
 	mutex_init(&ionic->dev_cmd_lock);
 
+	ionic->is_mgmt_nic =
+		ent->device == PCI_DEVICE_ID_PENSANDO_IONIC_ETH_MGMT;
+
 	/* Query system for DMA addressing limitation for the device. */
 	err = dma_set_mask_and_coherent(dev, DMA_BIT_MASK(IONIC_ADDR_LEN));
 	if (err) {
@@ -248,7 +252,8 @@ static int ionic_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	}
 
 	pci_set_master(pdev);
-	pcie_print_link_status(pdev);
+	if (!ionic->is_mgmt_nic)
+		pcie_print_link_status(pdev);
 
 	err = ionic_map_bars(ionic);
 	if (err)
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_devlink.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_devlink.c
index 6fb27dcc5787..ed14164468a1 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_devlink.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_devlink.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ int ionic_devlink_register(struct ionic *ionic)
 	err = devlink_port_register(dl, &ionic->dl_port, 0);
 	if (err)
 		dev_err(ionic->dev, "devlink_port_register failed: %d\n", err);
-	else
+	else if (!ionic->is_mgmt_nic)
 		devlink_port_type_eth_set(&ionic->dl_port,
 					  ionic->master_lif->netdev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
index 4b953f9e9084..aaf4a40fa98b 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
@@ -1155,6 +1155,10 @@ static int ionic_init_nic_features(struct ionic_lif *lif)
 	netdev_features_t features;
 	int err;
 
+	/* no netdev features on the management device */
+	if (lif->ionic->is_mgmt_nic)
+		return 0;
+
 	/* set up what we expect to support by default */
 	features = NETIF_F_HW_VLAN_CTAG_TX |
 		   NETIF_F_HW_VLAN_CTAG_RX |
@@ -2383,6 +2387,12 @@ int ionic_lifs_register(struct ionic *ionic)
 {
 	int err;
 
+	/* the netdev is not registered on the management device, it is
+	 * only used as a vehicle for napi operations on the adminq
+	 */
+	if (ionic->is_mgmt_nic)
+		return 0;
+
 	INIT_WORK(&ionic->nb_work, ionic_lif_notify_work);
 
 	ionic->nb.notifier_call = ionic_lif_notify;