diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_admin_cmd.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_admin_cmd.c
index 6f9791c47..f15f402d6 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_admin_cmd.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_admin_cmd.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 #include "spdk/pci.h"
 #include "spdk/trace.h"
 
-extern struct rte_mempool *request_mempool;
-
 int
 nvmf_process_admin_cmd(struct nvmf_session *session,
 		       struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd,
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_io_cmd.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_io_cmd.c
index 785b2ff84..6ba3bd7ca 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_io_cmd.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_io_cmd.c
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 #include "spdk/pci.h"
 #include "spdk/trace.h"
 
-extern struct rte_mempool *request_mempool;
-
 int
 nvmf_process_io_cmd(struct nvmf_session *session,
 		    struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd,