diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_ethdev.c b/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
index 42fcd2d38a..22a9186522 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
@@ -952,8 +952,6 @@ virtio_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 	/* Tell the host we've known how to drive the device. */
 	vtpci_set_status(hw, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_DRIVER);
 
-	hw->adapter_stopped = 0;
-
 	virtio_dev_cq_start(dev);
 
 	/* Do final configuration before rx/tx engine starts */
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_pci.h b/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_pci.h
index 6d4c23042a..a787fd2325 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_pci.h
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_virtio/virtio_pci.h
@@ -179,7 +179,6 @@ struct virtio_hw {
 	uint8_t     revision_id;
 	uint8_t	    use_msix;
 	uint8_t     mac_addr[ETHER_ADDR_LEN];
-	int         adapter_stopped;
 };
 
 /*