diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
index b336f54..507a38e 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_eal_hotplug_add;
 	rte_eal_hotplug_remove;
 	rte_service_component_register;
+	rte_service_component_unregister;
 	rte_service_dump;
 	rte_service_get_by_id;
 	rte_service_get_by_name;
@@ -232,6 +233,5 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_service_runstate_set;
 	rte_service_set_stats_enable;
 	rte_service_start_with_defaults;
-	rte_service_unregister;
 
 } DPDK_17.08;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service_component.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service_component.h
index 6ef3ee4..af632c6 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service_component.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service_component.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ int32_t rte_service_component_register(const struct rte_service_spec *spec,
  * @warning
  * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
  *
- * Unregister a service.
+ * Unregister a service component.
  *
  * The service being removed must be stopped before calling this function.
  *
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ int32_t rte_service_component_register(const struct rte_service_spec *spec,
  * @retval -EBUSY The service is currently running, stop the service before
  *          calling unregister. No action has been taken.
  */
-int32_t rte_service_unregister(struct rte_service_spec *service);
+int32_t rte_service_component_unregister(uint32_t id);
 
 /**
  * @warning
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
index ac1c90c..adcd860 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
@@ -260,35 +260,22 @@ rte_service_component_register(const struct rte_service_spec *spec,
 }
 
 int32_t
-rte_service_unregister(struct rte_service_spec *spec)
+rte_service_component_unregister(uint32_t id)
 {
-	struct rte_service_spec_impl *s = NULL;
-	struct rte_service_spec_impl *spec_impl =
-		(struct rte_service_spec_impl *)spec;
-
 	uint32_t i;
-	uint32_t service_id;
-	for (i = 0; i < RTE_SERVICE_NUM_MAX; i++) {
-		if (&rte_services[i] == spec_impl) {
-			s = spec_impl;
-			service_id = i;
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (!s)
-		return -EINVAL;
+	struct rte_service_spec_impl *s;
+	SERVICE_VALID_GET_OR_ERR_RET(id, s, -EINVAL);
 
 	rte_service_count--;
 	rte_smp_wmb();
 
 	s->internal_flags &= ~(SERVICE_F_REGISTERED);
 
+	/* clear the run-bit in all cores */
 	for (i = 0; i < RTE_MAX_LCORE; i++)
-		lcore_states[i].service_mask &= ~(UINT64_C(1) << service_id);
+		lcore_states[i].service_mask &= ~(UINT64_C(1) << id);
 
-	memset(&rte_services[service_id], 0,
-			sizeof(struct rte_service_spec_impl));
+	memset(&rte_services[id], 0, sizeof(struct rte_service_spec_impl));
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
index b2b2235..a7431da 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_eal_hotplug_add;
 	rte_eal_hotplug_remove;
 	rte_service_component_register;
+	rte_service_component_unregister;
 	rte_service_dump;
 	rte_service_get_by_id;
 	rte_service_get_by_name;
@@ -237,6 +238,5 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_service_runstate_set;
 	rte_service_set_stats_enable;
 	rte_service_start_with_defaults;
-	rte_service_unregister;
 
 } DPDK_17.08;
diff --git a/test/test/test_service_cores.c b/test/test/test_service_cores.c
index d52fe49..e650b20 100644
--- a/test/test/test_service_cores.c
+++ b/test/test/test_service_cores.c
@@ -131,17 +131,13 @@ static int
 unregister_all(void)
 {
 	uint32_t i;
-	struct rte_service_spec *dead = (struct rte_service_spec *)0xdead;
 
-	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-EINVAL, rte_service_unregister(0),
-			"Unregistered NULL pointer");
-	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-EINVAL, rte_service_unregister(dead),
-			"Unregistered invalid pointer");
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-EINVAL, rte_service_component_unregister(1000),
+			"Unregistered invalid service id");
 
 	uint32_t c = rte_service_get_count();
 	for (i = 0; i < c; i++) {
-		struct rte_service_spec *s = rte_service_get_by_id(i);
-		TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_unregister(s),
+		TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_component_unregister(i),
 				"Error unregistering a valid service");
 	}
 
