diff --git a/include/spdk/bdev.h b/include/spdk/bdev.h
index 45c0611fe..74cab0648 100644
--- a/include/spdk/bdev.h
+++ b/include/spdk/bdev.h
@@ -140,9 +140,6 @@ struct spdk_bdev_fn_table {
 	/** Process the IO. */
 	void (*submit_request)(struct spdk_bdev_io *);
 
-	/** Release buf for read command. */
-	void (*free_request)(struct spdk_bdev_io *);
-
 	/** Check if the block device supports a specific I/O type. */
 	bool (*io_type_supported)(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, enum spdk_bdev_io_type);
 };
diff --git a/lib/bdev/aio/blockdev_aio.c b/lib/bdev/aio/blockdev_aio.c
index a8af11b36..ddfba2597 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/aio/blockdev_aio.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/aio/blockdev_aio.c
@@ -273,10 +273,6 @@ static void blockdev_aio_submit_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 	}
 }
 
-static void blockdev_aio_free_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
-{
-}
-
 static bool
 blockdev_aio_io_type_supported(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, enum spdk_bdev_io_type io_type)
 {
@@ -296,7 +292,6 @@ static struct spdk_bdev_fn_table aio_fn_table = {
 	.destruct		= blockdev_aio_destruct,
 	.check_io		= blockdev_aio_check_io,
 	.submit_request		= blockdev_aio_submit_request,
-	.free_request		= blockdev_aio_free_request,
 	.io_type_supported	= blockdev_aio_io_type_supported,
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index 1e53594cc..14a5aadef 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -404,13 +404,6 @@ spdk_bdev_cleanup_pending_rbuf_io(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
-spdk_bdev_io_free_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
-{
-	bdev_io->bdev->fn_table->free_request(bdev_io);
-	spdk_bdev_put_io(bdev_io);
-}
-
 static void
 __submit_request(spdk_event_t event)
 {
@@ -425,7 +418,7 @@ __submit_request(spdk_event_t event)
 		}
 		bdev->fn_table->submit_request(bdev_io);
 	} else {
-		spdk_bdev_io_free_request(bdev_io);
+		spdk_bdev_put_io(bdev_io);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/malloc/blockdev_malloc.c b/lib/bdev/malloc/blockdev_malloc.c
index fc3549d0a..9ca3d13ff 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/malloc/blockdev_malloc.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/malloc/blockdev_malloc.c
@@ -250,10 +250,6 @@ static void blockdev_malloc_submit_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 	}
 }
 
-static void blockdev_malloc_free_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
-{
-}
-
 static bool
 blockdev_malloc_io_type_supported(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, enum spdk_bdev_io_type io_type)
 {
@@ -274,7 +270,6 @@ static struct spdk_bdev_fn_table malloc_fn_table = {
 	.destruct		= blockdev_malloc_destruct,
 	.check_io		= blockdev_malloc_check_io,
 	.submit_request		= blockdev_malloc_submit_request,
-	.free_request		= blockdev_malloc_free_request,
 	.io_type_supported	= blockdev_malloc_io_type_supported,
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/nvme/blockdev_nvme.c b/lib/bdev/nvme/blockdev_nvme.c
index 4fd862d26..a60c3ccfa 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/nvme/blockdev_nvme.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/nvme/blockdev_nvme.c
@@ -272,10 +272,6 @@ static void blockdev_nvme_submit_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 	}
 }
 
-static void blockdev_nvme_free_request(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
-{
-}
-
 static bool
 blockdev_nvme_io_type_supported(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, enum spdk_bdev_io_type io_type)
 {
@@ -302,7 +298,6 @@ static struct spdk_bdev_fn_table nvmelib_fn_table = {
 	.destruct		= blockdev_nvme_destruct,
 	.check_io		= blockdev_nvme_check_io,
 	.submit_request		= blockdev_nvme_submit_request,
-	.free_request		= blockdev_nvme_free_request,
 	.io_type_supported	= blockdev_nvme_io_type_supported,
 };