diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/arm/include/rte_io_64.h b/lib/librte_eal/arm/include/rte_io_64.h
index d07d9cb226..f9a1f10ce7 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/arm/include/rte_io_64.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/arm/include/rte_io_64.h
@@ -164,12 +164,14 @@ rte_write64(uint64_t value, volatile void *addr)
 	rte_write64_relaxed(value, addr);
 }
 
+__rte_experimental
 static __rte_always_inline void
 rte_write32_wc(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 {
 	rte_write32(value, addr);
 }
 
+__rte_experimental
 static __rte_always_inline void
 rte_write32_wc_relaxed(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 {
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/include/generic/rte_io.h b/lib/librte_eal/include/generic/rte_io.h
index 0669baa0b6..ebcf8051e1 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/include/generic/rte_io.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/include/generic/rte_io.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <rte_common.h>
+#include <rte_compat.h>
 #include <rte_atomic.h>
 
 #ifdef __DOXYGEN__
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/x86/include/rte_io.h b/lib/librte_eal/x86/include/rte_io.h
index c035eecc6a..730f958758 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/x86/include/rte_io.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/x86/include/rte_io.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ __rte_x86_movdiri(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 		: "a" (value), "d" (addr));
 }
 
+__rte_experimental
 static __rte_always_inline void
 rte_write32_wc_relaxed(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 {
@@ -47,11 +48,19 @@ rte_write32_wc_relaxed(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 	}
 }
 
+__rte_experimental
 static __rte_always_inline void
 rte_write32_wc(uint32_t value, volatile void *addr)
 {
+	/* gcc complains about calling this experimental function even
+	 * when not using it. Hide it with ALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API.
+	 */
+#ifdef ALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
 	rte_wmb();
 	rte_write32_wc_relaxed(value, addr);
+#else
+	rte_write32(value, addr);
+#endif
 }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus