diff --git a/include/spdk/env.h b/include/spdk/env.h
index 540e56c16..8aae751aa 100644
--- a/include/spdk/env.h
+++ b/include/spdk/env.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#define SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY	(-1)
+
 struct spdk_pci_device;
 
 /**
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ void spdk_free(void *buf);
  *   socket_id and flags.
  * Return a pointer to the allocated memory address. If the allocation
  *   cannot be done, return NULL.
- * Note: to pick any socket id, just set socket_id to -1.
+ * Note: to pick any socket id, just set socket_id to SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY.
  */
 void *spdk_memzone_reserve(const char *name, size_t len, int socket_id, unsigned flags);
 
diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/env.c b/lib/env_dpdk/env.c
index 69b441375..16ef775fc 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/env.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/env.c
@@ -82,7 +82,13 @@ spdk_free(void *buf)
 void *
 spdk_memzone_reserve(const char *name, size_t len, int socket_id, unsigned flags)
 {
-	const struct rte_memzone *mz = rte_memzone_reserve(name, len, socket_id, flags);
+	const struct rte_memzone *mz;
+
+	if (socket_id == SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY) {
+		socket_id = SOCKET_ID_ANY;
+	}
+
+	mz = rte_memzone_reserve(name, len, socket_id, flags);
 
 	if (mz != NULL) {
 		memset(mz->addr, 0, len);