diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
index 507a38e..4b2c36b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_service_get_by_id;
 	rte_service_get_by_name;
 	rte_service_get_count;
+	rte_service_get_name;
 	rte_service_lcore_add;
 	rte_service_lcore_count;
 	rte_service_lcore_del;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service.h
index afa6c0bf..e06b075 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_service.h
@@ -61,9 +61,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
 
-/* forward declaration only. Definition in rte_service_private.h */
-struct rte_service_spec;
-
 #define RTE_SERVICE_NAME_MAX 32
 
 /* Capabilities of a service.
@@ -89,40 +86,32 @@ struct rte_service_spec;
  */
 uint32_t rte_service_get_count(void);
 
-
 /**
  * @warning
  * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
  *
- * Return the specification of a service by integer id.
- *
- * This function provides the specification of a service. This can be used by
- * the application to understand what the service represents. The service
- * must not be modified by the application directly, only passed to the various
- * rte_service_* functions.
- *
- * @param id The integer id of the service to retrieve
- * @retval non-zero A valid pointer to the service_spec
- * @retval NULL Invalid *id* provided.
- */
-struct rte_service_spec *rte_service_get_by_id(uint32_t id);
-
-/**
- * @warning
- * @b EXPERIMENTAL: this API may change without prior notice
+ * Return the id of a service by name.
  *
- * Return the specification of a service by name.
+ * This function provides the id of the service using the service name as
+ * lookup key. The service id is to be passed to other functions in the
+ * rte_service_* API.
  *
- * This function provides the specification of a service using the service name
- * as lookup key. This can be used by the application to understand what the
- * service represents. The service must not be modified by the application
- * directly, only passed to the various rte_service_* functions.
+ * Example usage:
+ * @code
+ *      uint32_t service_id;
+ *      int32_t ret = rte_service_get_by_name("service_X", &service_id);
+ *      if (ret) {
+ *              // handle error
+ *      }
+ * @endcode
  *
  * @param name The name of the service to retrieve
- * @retval non-zero A valid pointer to the service_spec
- * @retval NULL Invalid *name* provided.
+ * @param[out] service_id A pointer to a uint32_t, to be filled in with the id.
+ * @retval 0 Success. The service id is provided in *service_id*.
+ * @retval -EINVAL Null *service_id* pointer provided
+ * @retval -ENODEV No such service registered
  */
-struct rte_service_spec *rte_service_get_by_name(const char *name);
+int32_t rte_service_get_by_name(const char *name, uint32_t *service_id);
 
 /**
  * @warning
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
index adcd860..1bfd149 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_service.c
@@ -185,29 +185,21 @@ rte_service_get_count(void)
 	return rte_service_count;
 }
 
-struct rte_service_spec *
-rte_service_get_by_id(uint32_t id)
+int32_t rte_service_get_by_name(const char *name, uint32_t *service_id)
 {
-	struct rte_service_spec *service = NULL;
-	if (id < rte_service_count)
-		service = (struct rte_service_spec *)&rte_services[id];
-
-	return service;
-}
+	if (!service_id)
+		return -EINVAL;
 
-struct rte_service_spec *rte_service_get_by_name(const char *name)
-{
-	struct rte_service_spec *service = NULL;
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < RTE_SERVICE_NUM_MAX; i++) {
 		if (service_valid(i) &&
 				strcmp(name, rte_services[i].spec.name) == 0) {
-			service = (struct rte_service_spec *)&rte_services[i];
-			break;
+			*service_id = i;
+			return 0;
 		}
 	}
 
-	return service;
+	return -ENODEV;
 }
 
 const char *
@@ -407,10 +399,6 @@ rte_service_start_with_defaults(void)
 		rte_service_lcore_start(ids[i]);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-		struct rte_service_spec *s = rte_service_get_by_id(i);
-		if (!s)
-			return -EINVAL;
-
 		/* do 1:1 core mapping here, with each service getting
 		 * assigned a single core by default. Adding multiple services
 		 * should multiplex to a single core, or 1:1 if there are the
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
index a7431da..f7a7352 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_service_get_by_id;
 	rte_service_get_by_name;
 	rte_service_get_count;
+	rte_service_get_name;
 	rte_service_lcore_add;
 	rte_service_lcore_count;
 	rte_service_lcore_del;
diff --git a/test/test/test_service_cores.c b/test/test/test_service_cores.c
index e650b20..5ae7b20 100644
--- a/test/test/test_service_cores.c
+++ b/test/test/test_service_cores.c
@@ -178,9 +178,13 @@ service_get_by_name(void)
 {
 	unregister_all();
 
-	/* ensure with no services registered returns NULL */
-	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME),
-			"Service get by name should return NULL");
+	uint32_t sid;
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-ENODEV,
+			rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME, &sid),
+			"get by name with invalid name should return -ENODEV");
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-EINVAL,
+			rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME, 0x0),
+			"get by name with NULL ptr should return -ENODEV");
 
 	/* register service */
 	struct rte_service_spec service;
@@ -196,16 +200,19 @@ service_get_by_name(void)
 	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_component_register(&service, NULL),
 			"Failed to register valid service");
 
-	/* ensure with dummy services registered returns same ptr as ID */
-	struct rte_service_spec *s_by_id = rte_service_get_by_id(0);
-	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(s_by_id, rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME),
-			"Service get_by_name should equal get_by_id()");
+	/* we unregistered all service, now registering 1, should be id 0 */
+	uint32_t service_id_as_expected = 0;
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME, &sid),
+			"Service get_by_name should return 0 on valid inputs");
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(service_id_as_expected, sid,
+			"Service get_by_name should equal expected id");
 
 	unregister_all();
 
 	/* ensure after unregister, get_by_name returns NULL */
-	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME),
-			"get by name should return NULL after unregister");
+	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(-ENODEV,
+			rte_service_get_by_name(DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME, &sid),
+			"get by name should return -ENODEV after unregister");
 
 	return TEST_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -249,9 +256,8 @@ service_probe_capability(void)
 static int
 service_name(void)
 {
-	struct rte_service_spec *service = rte_service_get_by_id(0);
-
-	int equal = strcmp(service->name, DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME);
+	const char *name = rte_service_get_name(0);
+	int equal = strcmp(name, DUMMY_SERVICE_NAME);
 	TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL(0, equal, "Error: Service name not correct");
 
 	return unregister_all();
