diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/devlink_port_split.py b/tools/testing/selftests/net/devlink_port_split.py
index 834066d465fc..f0fbd7367f4f 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/devlink_port_split.py
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/devlink_port_split.py
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ class devlink_ports(object):
         assert stderr == ""
         ports = json.loads(stdout)['port']
 
+        validate_devlink_output(ports, 'flavour')
+
         for port in ports:
             if dev in port:
                 if ports[port]['flavour'] == 'physical':
@@ -218,6 +220,27 @@ def split_splittable_port(port, k, lanes, dev):
     unsplit(port.bus_info)
 
 
+def validate_devlink_output(devlink_data, target_property=None):
+    """
+    Determine if test should be skipped by checking:
+      1. devlink_data contains values
+      2. The target_property exist in devlink_data
+    """
+    skip_reason = None
+    if any(devlink_data.values()):
+        if target_property:
+            skip_reason = "{} not found in devlink output, test skipped".format(target_property)
+            for key in devlink_data:
+                if target_property in devlink_data[key]:
+                    skip_reason = None
+    else:
+        skip_reason = 'devlink output is empty, test skipped'
+
+    if skip_reason:
+        print(skip_reason)
+        sys.exit(KSFT_SKIP)
+
+
 def make_parser():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='A test for port splitting.')
     parser.add_argument('--dev',
@@ -238,6 +261,7 @@ def main(cmdline=None):
         stdout, stderr = run_command(cmd)
         assert stderr == ""
 
+        validate_devlink_output(json.loads(stdout))
         devs = json.loads(stdout)['dev']
         dev = list(devs.keys())[0]
 
@@ -249,6 +273,7 @@ def main(cmdline=None):
 
     ports = devlink_ports(dev)
 
+    found_max_lanes = False
     for port in ports.if_names:
         max_lanes = get_max_lanes(port.name)
 
@@ -271,6 +296,11 @@ def main(cmdline=None):
                 split_splittable_port(port, lane, max_lanes, dev)
 
                 lane //= 2
+        found_max_lanes = True
+
+    if not found_max_lanes:
+        print(f"Test not started, no port of device {dev} reports max_lanes")
+        sys.exit(KSFT_SKIP)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":