diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index 3bcd0f3e92..8043d28831 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ spdk_app_init(struct spdk_app_opts *opts)
 	 *  reactor_mask will be NULL which will enable all cores to run
 	 *  reactors.
 	 */
-	if (spdk_reactor_subsystem_init(opts->reactor_mask)) {
+	if (spdk_reactors_init(opts->reactor_mask)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid reactor mask.\n");
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	}
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ spdk_app_start(spdk_event_fn start_fn, void *arg1, void *arg2)
 	spdk_event_call(event);
 
 	/* This blocks until spdk_app_stop is called */
-	spdk_reactor_subsystem_start();
+	spdk_reactors_start();
 
 	return g_spdk_app.rc;
 }
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ spdk_app_start(spdk_event_fn start_fn, void *arg1, void *arg2)
 void
 spdk_app_stop(int rc)
 {
-	spdk_reactor_subsystem_stop();
+	spdk_reactors_stop();
 	g_spdk_app.rc = rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/event/reactor.c b/lib/event/reactor.c
index 3497aeca26..8b583a1a5f 100644
--- a/lib/event/reactor.c
+++ b/lib/event/reactor.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ spdk_reactor_get_socket_mask(void)
 }
 
 void
-spdk_reactor_subsystem_start(void)
+spdk_reactors_start(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_reactor *reactor;
 	uint32_t i;
@@ -429,13 +429,13 @@ spdk_reactor_subsystem_start(void)
 	g_reactor_state = SPDK_REACTOR_STATE_SHUTDOWN;
 }
 
-void spdk_reactor_subsystem_stop(void)
+void spdk_reactors_stop(void)
 {
 	g_reactor_state = SPDK_REACTOR_STATE_EXITING;
 }
 
 int
-spdk_reactor_subsystem_init(const char *mask)
+spdk_reactors_init(const char *mask)
 {
 	uint32_t i;
 	int rc;
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ spdk_reactor_subsystem_init(const char *mask)
 }
 
 int
-spdk_reactor_subsystem_fini(void)
+spdk_reactors_fini(void)
 {
 	/* TODO: free rings and mempool */
 	return 0;
diff --git a/lib/event/reactor.h b/lib/event/reactor.h
index 4cec18138d..cfbcaa3215 100644
--- a/lib/event/reactor.h
+++ b/lib/event/reactor.h
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
 #ifndef SPDK_REACTOR_H_
 #define SPDK_REACTOR_H_
 
-int spdk_reactor_subsystem_init(const char *mask);
-int spdk_reactor_subsystem_fini(void);
+int spdk_reactors_init(const char *mask);
+int spdk_reactors_fini(void);
 
-void spdk_reactor_subsystem_start(void);
-void spdk_reactor_subsystem_stop(void);
+void spdk_reactors_start(void);
+void spdk_reactors_stop(void);
 
 #endif