diff --git a/drivers/net/null/rte_eth_null.c b/drivers/net/null/rte_eth_null.c
index a7b57bcc8f..4a0d07df64 100644
--- a/drivers/net/null/rte_eth_null.c
+++ b/drivers/net/null/rte_eth_null.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ static unsigned default_packet_copy;
 static const char *valid_arguments[] = {
 	ETH_NULL_PACKET_SIZE_ARG,
 	ETH_NULL_PACKET_COPY_ARG,
+	"driver",
 	NULL
 };
 
diff --git a/test/test/test_link_bonding_rssconf.c b/test/test/test_link_bonding_rssconf.c
index ba7163ed63..12602f128a 100644
--- a/test/test/test_link_bonding_rssconf.c
+++ b/test/test/test_link_bonding_rssconf.c
@@ -551,7 +551,8 @@ test_setup(void)
 		port_id = rte_eth_dev_count();
 		snprintf(name, sizeof(name), SLAVE_DEV_NAME_FMT, port_id);
 
-		retval = eth_dev_null_create(name, 0, 64, 0);
+		retval = rte_eal_vdev_init(name,
+			"driver=net_null,size=64,copy=0");
 		TEST_ASSERT_SUCCESS(retval, "Failed to create null device '%s'\n",
 				name);