diff --git a/src/util/virnetdev.c b/src/util/virnetdev.c
index 2111b3ada9..d3e69b6f60 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdev.c
@@ -1355,9 +1355,8 @@ virNetDevGetPhysicalFunction(const char *ifname, char **pfname)
     }
 
     if (!*pfname) {
-        /* this shouldn't be possible. A VF can't exist unless its
-         * PF device is bound to a network driver
-         */
+        /* The SRIOV standard does not require VF netdevs to have
+         * the netdev assigned to a PF. */
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("The PF device for VF %s has no network device name"),
                        ifname);
@@ -3178,8 +3177,12 @@ virNetDevSwitchdevFeature(const char *ifname,
     if ((is_vf = virNetDevIsVirtualFunction(ifname)) < 0)
         return ret;
 
-    if (is_vf == 1 && virNetDevGetPhysicalFunction(ifname, &pfname) < 0)
-        goto cleanup;
+    if (is_vf == 1) {
+        /* Ignore error if PF does not have netdev assigned.
+         * In that case pfname == NULL. */
+        if (virNetDevGetPhysicalFunction(ifname, &pfname) < 0)
+            virResetLastError();
+    }
 
     pci_device_ptr = pfname ? virNetDevGetPCIDevice(pfname) :
                               virNetDevGetPCIDevice(ifname);