diff --git a/examples/accel/perf/accel_perf.c b/examples/accel/perf/accel_perf.c
index ed541272d..2093253c1 100644
--- a/examples/accel/perf/accel_perf.c
+++ b/examples/accel/perf/accel_perf.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk/accel_engine.h"
 #include "spdk/crc32.h"
+#include "spdk/util.h"
 
 #define DATA_PATTERN 0x5a
 #define ALIGN_4K 0x1000
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ static struct worker_thread *g_workers = NULL;
 static int g_num_workers = 0;
 static pthread_mutex_t g_workers_lock = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 uint64_t g_capabilites;
+struct ap_task;
 
 struct worker_thread {
 	struct spdk_io_channel		*ch;
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ struct worker_thread {
 	uint64_t			xfer_failed;
 	uint64_t			injected_miscompares;
 	uint64_t			current_queue_depth;
-	struct spdk_mempool		*task_pool;
+	TAILQ_HEAD(, ap_task)		tasks;
 	struct worker_thread		*next;
 	unsigned			core;
 	struct spdk_thread		*thread;
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ struct ap_task {
 	struct worker_thread	*worker;
 	int			status;
 	int			expected_status; /* used for compare */
+	TAILQ_ENTRY(ap_task)	link;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -170,8 +173,13 @@ static void
 unregister_worker(void *arg1)
 {
 	struct worker_thread *worker = arg1;
+	struct ap_task *task;
 
-	spdk_mempool_free(worker->task_pool);
+	while (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&worker->tasks)) {
+		task = TAILQ_FIRST(&worker->tasks);
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&worker->tasks, task, link);
+		free(task);
+	}
 	spdk_put_io_channel(worker->ch);
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_workers_lock);
 	assert(g_num_workers >= 1);
@@ -307,7 +315,7 @@ _accel_done(void *arg1)
 		if (g_workload_selection == ACCEL_DUALCAST) {
 			spdk_free(task->dst2);
 		}
-		spdk_mempool_put(worker->task_pool, task);
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&worker->tasks, task, link);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -318,7 +326,7 @@ batch_done(void *cb_arg, int status)
 	struct worker_thread *worker = task->worker;
 
 	worker->current_queue_depth--;
-	spdk_mempool_put(worker->task_pool, task);
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&worker->tasks, task, link);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -486,9 +494,8 @@ static void
 _init_thread(void *arg1)
 {
 	struct worker_thread *worker;
-	char task_pool_name[30];
 	struct ap_task *task;
-	int i, rc, max_per_batch, batch_count;
+	int i, rc, max_per_batch, batch_count, num_tasks;
 	int remaining = g_queue_depth;
 	struct spdk_accel_batch *batch, *new_batch;
 
@@ -503,16 +510,19 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 	worker->next = g_workers;
 	worker->ch = spdk_accel_engine_get_io_channel();
 
-	snprintf(task_pool_name, sizeof(task_pool_name), "task_pool_%d", g_num_workers);
-	worker->task_pool = spdk_mempool_create(task_pool_name,
-						g_queue_depth * 2,
-						sizeof(struct ap_task),
-						SPDK_MEMPOOL_DEFAULT_CACHE_SIZE,
-						SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY);
-	if (!worker->task_pool) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Could not allocate buffer pool.\n");
-		free(worker);
-		return;
+	max_per_batch = spdk_accel_batch_get_max(worker->ch);
+	assert(max_per_batch > 0);
+	num_tasks = g_queue_depth + spdk_divide_round_up(g_queue_depth, max_per_batch);
+
+	TAILQ_INIT(&worker->tasks);
+	for (i = 0; i < num_tasks; i++) {
+		task = calloc(1, sizeof(struct ap_task));
+		if (task == NULL) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Could not allocate task.\n");
+			return;
+			/* TODO cleanup */
+		}
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&worker->tasks, task, link);
 	}
 
 	/* Register a poller that will stop the worker at time elapsed */
@@ -527,9 +537,6 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 	/* Batching is only possible if there is at least 2 operations. */
 	if (g_queue_depth > 1) {
 
-		/* Selected engine supports batching and we have enough, so do it. */
-		max_per_batch = spdk_accel_batch_get_max(worker->ch);
-
 		/* Outter loop sets up each batch command, inner loop populates the
 		 * batch descriptors.
 		 */
@@ -543,8 +550,10 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 			batch_count = 0;
 
 			do {
-				task = spdk_mempool_get(worker->task_pool);
-				if (!task) {
+				if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&worker->tasks)) {
+					task = TAILQ_FIRST(&worker->tasks);
+					TAILQ_REMOVE(&worker->tasks, task, link);
+				} else {
 					fprintf(stderr, "Unable to get accel_task\n");
 					goto error;
 				}
@@ -566,8 +575,10 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 			} while (batch_count < max_per_batch && remaining > 0);
 
 			/* Now send the batch command. */
-			task = spdk_mempool_get(worker->task_pool);
-			if (!task) {
+			if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&worker->tasks)) {
+				task = TAILQ_FIRST(&worker->tasks);
+				TAILQ_REMOVE(&worker->tasks, task, link);
+			} else {
 				fprintf(stderr, "Unable to get accel_task\n");
 				goto error;
 			}
@@ -593,8 +604,10 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < remaining; i++) {
 
-		task = spdk_mempool_get(worker->task_pool);
-		if (!task) {
+		if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&worker->tasks)) {
+			task = TAILQ_FIRST(&worker->tasks);
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&worker->tasks, task, link);
+		} else {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Unable to get accel_task\n");
 			goto error;
 		}
@@ -610,7 +623,11 @@ _init_thread(void *arg1)
 error:
 	/* TODO clean exit */
 	raise(SIGINT);
-	spdk_mempool_free(worker->task_pool);
+	while (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&worker->tasks)) {
+		task = TAILQ_FIRST(&worker->tasks);
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&worker->tasks, task, link);
+		free(task);
+	}
 	free(worker);
 	spdk_app_stop(-1);
 }