diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
index 12fa6403ae..c89fa9f6b8 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
@@ -222,12 +222,12 @@ virtio_send_command(struct virtnet_ctl *cvq, struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *ctrl,
 	virtqueue_notify(vq);
 
 	rte_rmb();
-	while (vq->vq_used_cons_idx == vq->vq_ring.used->idx) {
+	while (VIRTQUEUE_NUSED(vq) == 0) {
 		rte_rmb();
 		usleep(100);
 	}
 
-	while (vq->vq_used_cons_idx != vq->vq_ring.used->idx) {
+	while (VIRTQUEUE_NUSED(vq)) {
 		uint32_t idx, desc_idx, used_idx;
 		struct vring_used_elem *uep;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ring.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ring.h
index 447760a8e5..fcecc1614c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ring.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ring.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ struct vring_used_elem {
 
 struct vring_used {
 	uint16_t flags;
-	uint16_t idx;
+	volatile uint16_t idx;
 	struct vring_used_elem ring[0];
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
index 7b50119f46..242ad90d06 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
@@ -184,8 +184,7 @@ virtio_recv_pkts_vec(void *rx_queue, struct rte_mbuf **rx_pkts,
 	if (unlikely(nb_pkts < RTE_VIRTIO_DESC_PER_LOOP))
 		return 0;
 
-	nb_used = *(volatile uint16_t *)&vq->vq_ring.used->idx -
-		vq->vq_used_cons_idx;
+	nb_used = VIRTQUEUE_NUSED(vq);
 
 	rte_compiler_barrier();