diff --git a/orchagent/portsorch.cpp b/orchagent/portsorch.cpp
index 97bac5e65c5a..b3d7a49d15be 100755
--- a/orchagent/portsorch.cpp
+++ b/orchagent/portsorch.cpp
@@ -727,6 +727,8 @@ bool PortsOrch::getPortByBridgePortId(sai_object_id_t bridge_port_id, Port &port
 
 bool PortsOrch::addSubPort(Port &port, const string &alias, const bool &adminUp, const uint32_t &mtu)
 {
+    SWSS_LOG_ENTER();
+
     size_t found = alias.find(VLAN_SUB_INTERFACE_SEPARATOR);
     if (found == string::npos)
     {
@@ -804,15 +806,19 @@ bool PortsOrch::addSubPort(Port &port, const string &alias, const bool &adminUp,
         }
     }
 
-    parentPort.m_child_ports.insert(p.m_alias);
+    parentPort.m_child_ports.insert(alias);
+    increasePortRefCount(parentPort.m_alias);
 
     m_portList[alias] = p;
+    m_port_ref_count[alias] = 0;
     port = p;
     return true;
 }
 
 bool PortsOrch::removeSubPort(const string &alias)
 {
+    SWSS_LOG_ENTER();
+
     auto it = m_portList.find(alias);
     if (it == m_portList.end())
     {
@@ -827,6 +833,12 @@ bool PortsOrch::removeSubPort(const string &alias)
         return false;
     }
 
+    if (m_port_ref_count[alias] > 0)
+    {
+        SWSS_LOG_ERROR("Unable to remove sub interface %s: ref count %u", alias.c_str(), m_port_ref_count[alias]);
+        return false;
+    }
+
     Port parentPort;
     if (!getPort(port.m_parent_port_id, parentPort))
     {
@@ -837,6 +849,10 @@ bool PortsOrch::removeSubPort(const string &alias)
     {
         SWSS_LOG_WARN("Sub interface %s not associated to parent port %s", alias.c_str(), parentPort.m_alias.c_str());
     }
+    else
+    {
+        decreasePortRefCount(parentPort.m_alias);
+    }
     m_portList[parentPort.m_alias] = parentPort;
 
     m_portList.erase(it);
@@ -3104,6 +3120,13 @@ void PortsOrch::doPortTask(Consumer &consumer)
         }
         else if (op == DEL_COMMAND)
         {
+            if (m_port_ref_count[alias] > 0)
+            {
+                SWSS_LOG_WARN("Unable to remove port %s: ref count %u", alias.c_str(), m_port_ref_count[alias]);
+                it++;
+                continue;
+            }
+
             SWSS_LOG_NOTICE("Deleting Port %s", alias.c_str());
             auto port_id = m_portList[alias].m_port_id;
             auto hif_id = m_portList[alias].m_hif_id;
@@ -4258,6 +4281,7 @@ bool PortsOrch::addVlan(string vlan_alias)
 bool PortsOrch::removeVlan(Port vlan)
 {
     SWSS_LOG_ENTER();
+
     if (m_port_ref_count[vlan.m_alias] > 0)
     {
         SWSS_LOG_ERROR("Failed to remove ref count %d VLAN %s",
diff --git a/tests/test_sub_port_intf.py b/tests/test_sub_port_intf.py
index 56efb320b74f..ac65a3069694 100644
--- a/tests/test_sub_port_intf.py
+++ b/tests/test_sub_port_intf.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 ASIC_LAG_MEMBER_TABLE = "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_LAG_MEMBER"
 ASIC_HOSTIF_TABLE = "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_HOSTIF"
 ASIC_VIRTUAL_ROUTER_TABLE = "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_VIRTUAL_ROUTER"
+ASIC_PORT_TABLE = "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_PORT"
 ASIC_LAG_TABLE = "ASIC_STATE:SAI_OBJECT_TYPE_LAG"
 
 ADMIN_STATUS = "admin_status"
@@ -65,6 +66,21 @@ def connect_dbs(self, dvs):
 
         self.default_vrf_oid = self.get_default_vrf_oid()
 
+        phy_port = self.SUB_PORT_INTERFACE_UNDER_TEST.split(VLAN_SUB_INTERFACE_SEPARATOR)[0]
+
+        self.port_fvs = {}
+        self.port_fvs[phy_port] = self.app_db.get_entry(APP_PORT_TABLE_NAME, phy_port)
+
+        self.buf_pg_fvs = {}
+        for key in self.config_db.get_keys("BUFFER_PG"):
+            if phy_port in key:
+                self.buf_pg_fvs[key] = self.config_db.get_entry("BUFFER_PG", key)
+
+        self.buf_q_fvs = {}
+        for key in self.config_db.get_keys("BUFFER_QUEUE"):
+            if phy_port in key:
+                self.buf_q_fvs[key] = self.config_db.get_entry("BUFFER_QUEUE", key)
+
     def get_parent_port_index(self, port_name):
         if port_name.startswith(ETHERNET_PREFIX):
             idx = int(port_name[len(ETHERNET_PREFIX):])
@@ -110,6 +126,26 @@ def create_sub_port_intf_profile(self, sub_port_intf_name, vrf_name=None):
 
         self.config_db.create_entry(CFG_VLAN_SUB_INTF_TABLE_NAME, sub_port_intf_name, fvs)
 
+    def create_phy_port_appl_db(self, dvs, port_name):
+        assert port_name in self.port_fvs
+
+        hostif_cnt = len(self.asic_db.get_keys(ASIC_HOSTIF_TABLE))
+
+        fvs = swsscommon.FieldValuePairs(list(self.port_fvs[port_name].items()))
+        tbl = swsscommon.ProducerStateTable(self.app_db.db_connection, APP_PORT_TABLE_NAME)
+        tbl.set(port_name, fvs)
+
+        self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_HOSTIF_TABLE, hostif_cnt + 1)
+        dvs.asicdb._generate_oid_to_interface_mapping()
+
+        for key, fvs in self.buf_pg_fvs.items():
+            if port_name in key:
+                self.config_db.create_entry("BUFFER_PG", key, fvs)
+
+        for key, fvs in self.buf_q_fvs.items():
+            if port_name in key:
+                self.config_db.create_entry("BUFFER_QUEUE", key, fvs)
+
     def add_lag_members(self, lag, members):
         fvs = {"NULL": "NULL"}
 
@@ -162,6 +198,23 @@ def remove_vrf(self, vrf_name):
     def check_vrf_removal(self, vrf_oid):
         self.asic_db.wait_for_deleted_keys(ASIC_VIRTUAL_ROUTER_TABLE, [vrf_oid])
 
+    def remove_parent_port_appl_db(self, port_name):
+        if port_name.startswith(ETHERNET_PREFIX):
+            tbl_name = APP_PORT_TABLE_NAME
+
+            for key in self.buf_pg_fvs:
+                if port_name in key:
+                    self.config_db.delete_entry("BUFFER_PG", key)
+
+            for key in self.buf_q_fvs:
+                if port_name in key:
+                    self.config_db.delete_entry("BUFFER_QUEUE", key)
+        else:
+            assert port_name.startswith(LAG_PREFIX)
+            tbl_name = APP_LAG_TABLE_NAME
+        tbl = swsscommon.ProducerStateTable(self.app_db.db_connection, tbl_name)
+        tbl._del(port_name)
+
     def remove_lag(self, lag):
         self.config_db.delete_entry(CFG_LAG_TABLE_NAME, lag)
 
@@ -734,11 +787,13 @@ def _test_sub_port_intf_removal(self, dvs, sub_port_intf_name, removal_seq_test=
             state_tbl_name = STATE_PORT_TABLE_NAME
             phy_ports = [parent_port]
             parent_port_oid = dvs.asicdb.portnamemap[parent_port]
+            asic_tbl_name = ASIC_PORT_TABLE
         else:
             assert parent_port.startswith(LAG_PREFIX)
             state_tbl_name = STATE_LAG_TABLE_NAME
             phy_ports = self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST
             old_lag_oids = self.get_oids(ASIC_LAG_TABLE)
+            asic_tbl_name = ASIC_LAG_TABLE
 
         vrf_oid = self.default_vrf_oid
         old_rif_oids = self.get_oids(ASIC_RIF_TABLE)
@@ -746,9 +801,10 @@ def _test_sub_port_intf_removal(self, dvs, sub_port_intf_name, removal_seq_test=
         self.set_parent_port_admin_status(dvs, parent_port, "up")
         if parent_port.startswith(LAG_PREFIX):
             parent_port_oid = self.get_newly_created_oid(ASIC_LAG_TABLE, old_lag_oids)
-            # Add lag members to test physical port host interface vlan tag attribute
-            self.add_lag_members(parent_port, self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST)
-            self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_LAG_MEMBER_TABLE, len(self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST))
+            if removal_seq_test == False:
+                # Add lag members to test physical port host interface vlan tag attribute
+                self.add_lag_members(parent_port, self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST)
+                self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_LAG_MEMBER_TABLE, len(self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST))
         if vrf_name:
             self.create_vrf(vrf_name)
             vrf_oid = self.get_newly_created_oid(ASIC_VIRTUAL_ROUTER_TABLE, [vrf_oid])
@@ -779,6 +835,14 @@ def _test_sub_port_intf_removal(self, dvs, sub_port_intf_name, removal_seq_test=
         self.check_sub_port_intf_fvs(self.app_db, APP_INTF_TABLE_NAME, sub_port_intf_name, fv_dict)
 
         if removal_seq_test == True:
+            obj_cnt = len(self.asic_db.get_keys(asic_tbl_name))
+            # Remove parent port before removing sub port interface
+            self.remove_parent_port_appl_db(parent_port)
+            time.sleep(2)
+
+            # Verify parent port persists in ASIC_DB
+            self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(asic_tbl_name, obj_cnt)
+
             # Remove a sub port interface before removing sub port interface IP addresses
             self.remove_sub_port_intf_profile(sub_port_intf_name)
             time.sleep(2)
@@ -851,23 +915,32 @@ def _test_sub_port_intf_removal(self, dvs, sub_port_intf_name, removal_seq_test=
         # Verify that sub port router interface entry is removed from ASIC_DB
         self.check_sub_port_intf_key_removal(self.asic_db, ASIC_RIF_TABLE, rif_oid)
 
-        # Verify physical port host interface vlan tag attribute
-        fv_dict = {
-            "SAI_HOSTIF_ATTR_VLAN_TAG": "SAI_HOSTIF_VLAN_TAG_STRIP",
-        }
-        for phy_port in phy_ports:
-            hostif_oid = dvs.asicdb.hostifnamemap[phy_port]
-            self.check_sub_port_intf_fvs(self.asic_db, ASIC_HOSTIF_TABLE, hostif_oid, fv_dict)
+        if removal_seq_test == True:
+            # Verify that parent port is removed from ASIC_DB
+            self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(asic_tbl_name, obj_cnt - 1)
+        else:
+            # Verify physical port host interface vlan tag attribute
+            fv_dict = {
+                "SAI_HOSTIF_ATTR_VLAN_TAG": "SAI_HOSTIF_VLAN_TAG_STRIP",
+            }
+            for phy_port in phy_ports:
+                hostif_oid = dvs.asicdb.hostifnamemap[phy_port]
+                self.check_sub_port_intf_fvs(self.asic_db, ASIC_HOSTIF_TABLE, hostif_oid, fv_dict)
 
         # Remove vrf if created
         if vrf_name:
             self.remove_vrf(vrf_name)
             self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_VIRTUAL_ROUTER_TABLE, 1)
 
-        if parent_port.startswith(LAG_PREFIX):
-            # Remove lag members from lag parent port
-            self.remove_lag_members(parent_port, self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST)
-            self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_LAG_MEMBER_TABLE, 0)
+        if parent_port.startswith(ETHERNET_PREFIX):
+            if removal_seq_test == True:
+                self.create_phy_port_appl_db(dvs, parent_port)
+                self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(asic_tbl_name, obj_cnt)
+        else:
+            if removal_seq_test == False:
+                # Remove lag members from lag parent port
+                self.remove_lag_members(parent_port, self.LAG_MEMBERS_UNDER_TEST)
+                self.asic_db.wait_for_n_keys(ASIC_LAG_MEMBER_TABLE, 0)
 
             # Remove lag
             self.remove_lag(parent_port)