diff --git a/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c b/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
index eead269cc2..8c5eb69f7d 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/s390-pci-bus.c
@@ -1080,6 +1080,16 @@ static void s390_pcihost_plug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
 
         pbdev = s390_pci_find_dev_by_target(s, dev->id);
         if (!pbdev) {
+            /*
+             * VFs are automatically created by PF, and creating zpci for them
+             * will result in unexpected usage of fids. Currently QEMU does not
+             * support multifunction for s390x so we don't need zpci for VFs
+             * anyway.
+             */
+            if (pci_is_vf(pdev)) {
+                return;
+            }
+
             pbdev = s390_pci_device_new(s, dev->id, errp);
             if (!pbdev) {
                 return;
@@ -1167,7 +1177,10 @@ static void s390_pcihost_unplug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
         int32_t devfn;
 
         pbdev = s390_pci_find_dev_by_pci(s, PCI_DEVICE(dev));
-        g_assert(pbdev);
+        if (!pbdev) {
+            g_assert(pci_is_vf(pci_dev));
+            return;
+        }
 
         s390_pci_generate_plug_event(HP_EVENT_STANDBY_TO_RESERVED,
                                      pbdev->fh, pbdev->fid);
@@ -1206,7 +1219,11 @@ static void s390_pcihost_unplug_request(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev,
          * we've checked the PCI device already (to prevent endless recursion).
          */
         pbdev = s390_pci_find_dev_by_pci(s, PCI_DEVICE(dev));
-        g_assert(pbdev);
+        if (!pbdev) {
+            g_assert(pci_is_vf(PCI_DEVICE(dev)));
+            return;
+        }
+
         pbdev->pci_unplug_request_processed = true;
         qdev_unplug(DEVICE(pbdev), errp);
     } else if (object_dynamic_cast(OBJECT(dev), TYPE_S390_PCI_DEVICE)) {