diff --git a/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev.c b/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev.c
index 15de2d413c..b6f1e1c779 100644
--- a/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev.c
@@ -496,16 +496,17 @@ rte_rawdev_pmd_allocate(const char *name, size_t dev_priv_size, int socket_id)
 
 	rawdev = &rte_rawdevs[dev_id];
 
-	rawdev->dev_private = rte_zmalloc_socket("rawdev private",
+	if (dev_priv_size > 0) {
+		rawdev->dev_private = rte_zmalloc_socket("rawdev private",
 				     dev_priv_size,
 				     RTE_CACHE_LINE_SIZE,
 				     socket_id);
-	if (!rawdev->dev_private) {
-		RTE_RDEV_ERR("Unable to allocate memory to Skeleton dev");
-		return NULL;
+		if (!rawdev->dev_private) {
+			RTE_RDEV_ERR("Unable to allocate memory for rawdev");
+			return NULL;
+		}
 	}
 
-
 	rawdev->dev_id = dev_id;
 	rawdev->socket_id = socket_id;
 	rawdev->started = 0;
diff --git a/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev_pmd.h b/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev_pmd.h
index aa6af4a375..cb3555ab50 100644
--- a/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev_pmd.h
+++ b/lib/librte_rawdev/rte_rawdev_pmd.h
@@ -568,7 +568,9 @@ struct rte_rawdev_ops {
  * @param name
  *   Unique identifier name for each device
  * @param dev_private_size
- *   Private data allocated within rte_rawdev object.
+ *   Size of private data memory allocated within rte_rawdev object.
+ *   Set to 0 to disable internal memory allocation and allow for
+ *   self-allocation.
  * @param socket_id
  *   Socket to allocate resources on.
  * @return