diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/init.c b/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
index 55452b77b..d712bb18d 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/init.c
@@ -273,9 +273,11 @@ spdk_build_eal_cmdline(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 
 #if RTE_VERSION >= RTE_VERSION_NUM(18, 05, 0, 0) && RTE_VERSION < RTE_VERSION_NUM(18, 5, 1, 0)
 	/* Dynamic memory management is buggy in DPDK 18.05.0. Don't use it. */
-	args = spdk_push_arg(args, &argcount, _sprintf_alloc("--legacy-mem"));
-	if (args == NULL) {
-		return -1;
+	if (!opts->env_context || strcmp(opts->env_context, "--legacy-mem") != 0) {
+		args = spdk_push_arg(args, &argcount, _sprintf_alloc("--legacy-mem"));
+		if (args == NULL) {
+			return -1;
+		}
 	}
 #endif
 
@@ -329,9 +331,11 @@ spdk_build_eal_cmdline(const struct spdk_env_opts *opts)
 	 * the memory for a buffer over two allocations meaning the buffer will be split over a memory region.
 	 */
 #if RTE_VERSION >= RTE_VERSION_NUM(19, 02, 0, 0)
-	args = spdk_push_arg(args, &argcount, _sprintf_alloc("%s", "--match-allocations"));
-	if (args == NULL) {
-		return -1;
+	if (!opts->env_context || strcmp(opts->env_context, "--legacy-mem") != 0) {
+		args = spdk_push_arg(args, &argcount, _sprintf_alloc("%s", "--match-allocations"));
+		if (args == NULL) {
+			return -1;
+		}
 	}
 #endif