diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 09a445906..606d450b9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ library through the `spdk_vmd_init` call.
 `--json-ignore-init-errors` command line param has been added to ignore initialization errors
 on JSON config load.
 
+The public header file io_channel.h has been removed. Please use thread.h which has the
+exact same API.
+
 ### crypto
 
 Support for AES_XTS was added for the QAT polled mode driver (pmd).  The create RPC
diff --git a/include/spdk/io_channel.h b/include/spdk/io_channel.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 71ddb90a4..000000000
--- a/include/spdk/io_channel.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-/*-
- *   BSD LICENSE
- *
- *   Copyright (c) Intel Corporation.
- *   All rights reserved.
- *
- *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
- *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
- *   are met:
- *
- *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
- *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
- *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
- *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
- *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
- *       distribution.
- *     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
- *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
- *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
- *
- *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
- *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
- *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
- *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
- *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
- *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
- *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
- *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
- *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
- *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
- *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
- */
-
-/** \file
- * IO channel
- */
-
-#ifndef SPDK_IO_CHANNEL_H_
-#define SPDK_IO_CHANNEL_H_
-
-/*
- * This file has been renamed to thread.h. Please update
- * include paths.
- */
-
-#include "spdk/thread.h"
-
-#endif /* SPDK_IO_CHANNEL_H_ */
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
index c11a70a2f..7507b159b 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "spdk/likely.h"
 #include "spdk/stdinc.h"
 #include "spdk/nvme.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/bdev_module.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
index e161c109f..a9c196e6a 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 #include "spdk/stdinc.h"
 #include "spdk/nvme.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk/likely.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/fc.c b/lib/nvmf/fc.c
index ed6030df2..cf3cb7d4d 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/fc.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/fc.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 #include "spdk/likely.h"
 #include "spdk/endian.h"
 #include "spdk/log.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_fc.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_fc.h
index f8cc717f1..251d31e98 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_fc.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_fc.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #include "spdk/nvme_spec.h"
 #include "spdk/nvmf_fc_spec.h"
 #include "spdk/event.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "nvmf_internal.h"
 
 #define SPDK_NVMF_FC_TR_ADDR_LEN 64
diff --git a/module/bdev/crypto/vbdev_crypto.c b/module/bdev/crypto/vbdev_crypto.c
index 3a339051d..b75c0132f 100644
--- a/module/bdev/crypto/vbdev_crypto.c
+++ b/module/bdev/crypto/vbdev_crypto.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #include "spdk/env.h"
 #include "spdk/conf.h"
 #include "spdk/endian.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/bdev_module.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
 
diff --git a/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c b/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
index fa3f94228..e959c8677 100644
--- a/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
+++ b/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include "spdk/bdev.h"
 #include "spdk/conf.h"
 #include "spdk/env.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/json.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk/likely.h"
diff --git a/module/bdev/ocf/vbdev_ocf.c b/module/bdev/ocf/vbdev_ocf.c
index a9564e925..0c3867244 100644
--- a/module/bdev/ocf/vbdev_ocf.c
+++ b/module/bdev/ocf/vbdev_ocf.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 
 #include "spdk/bdev_module.h"
 #include "spdk/conf.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
 #include "spdk/cpuset.h"
diff --git a/module/bdev/ocf/volume.c b/module/bdev/ocf/volume.c
index 27e997512..326c7fd74 100644
--- a/module/bdev/ocf/volume.c
+++ b/module/bdev/ocf/volume.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 
 #include "spdk/bdev_module.h"
 #include "spdk/env.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
 
 #include "data.h"
diff --git a/module/bdev/raid/bdev_raid.c b/module/bdev/raid/bdev_raid.c
index 90c2d8fba..9d8257b33 100644
--- a/module/bdev/raid/bdev_raid.c
+++ b/module/bdev/raid/bdev_raid.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 #include "bdev_raid.h"
 #include "spdk/env.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/conf.h"
 #include "spdk_internal/log.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
diff --git a/module/bdev/raid/raid0.c b/module/bdev/raid/raid0.c
index 21ec8c569..5632c5b7c 100644
--- a/module/bdev/raid/raid0.c
+++ b/module/bdev/raid/raid0.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "bdev_raid.h"
 
 #include "spdk/env.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk/util.h"
 
diff --git a/module/bdev/raid/raid5.c b/module/bdev/raid/raid5.c
index a876381e3..1e287c863 100644
--- a/module/bdev/raid/raid5.c
+++ b/module/bdev/raid/raid5.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "bdev_raid.h"
 
 #include "spdk/env.h"
-#include "spdk/io_channel.h"
+#include "spdk/thread.h"
 #include "spdk/string.h"
 #include "spdk/util.h"