diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.c b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.c
index 220eb2f..e41b153 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.c
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #include <rte_eal.h>
 #include <rte_per_lcore.h>
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
-#include <rte_atomic.h>
 #include <rte_branch_prediction.h>
 #include <rte_mempool.h>
 #include <rte_mbuf.h>
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
index f8e492e..86270a7 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include <rte_config.h>
 #include <rte_mempool.h>
 #include <rte_memory.h>
-#include <rte_atomic.h>
 #include <rte_prefetch.h>
 #include <rte_branch_prediction.h>
 #include <rte_byteorder.h>
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ rte_pktmbuf_priv_flags(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 static inline uint16_t
 rte_mbuf_refcnt_read(const struct rte_mbuf *m)
 {
-	return (uint16_t)(rte_atomic16_read(&m->refcnt_atomic));
+	return __atomic_load_n(&m->refcnt, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -378,14 +377,15 @@ rte_mbuf_refcnt_read(const struct rte_mbuf *m)
 static inline void
 rte_mbuf_refcnt_set(struct rte_mbuf *m, uint16_t new_value)
 {
-	rte_atomic16_set(&m->refcnt_atomic, (int16_t)new_value);
+	__atomic_store_n(&m->refcnt, new_value, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
 }
 
 /* internal */
 static inline uint16_t
 __rte_mbuf_refcnt_update(struct rte_mbuf *m, int16_t value)
 {
-	return (uint16_t)(rte_atomic16_add_return(&m->refcnt_atomic, value));
+	return (uint16_t)(__atomic_add_fetch((int16_t *)&m->refcnt, value,
+					__ATOMIC_ACQ_REL));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ rte_mbuf_refcnt_set(struct rte_mbuf *m, uint16_t new_value)
 static inline uint16_t
 rte_mbuf_ext_refcnt_read(const struct rte_mbuf_ext_shared_info *shinfo)
 {
-	return (uint16_t)(rte_atomic16_read(&shinfo->refcnt_atomic));
+	return __atomic_load_n(&shinfo->refcnt, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ static inline void
 rte_mbuf_ext_refcnt_set(struct rte_mbuf_ext_shared_info *shinfo,
 	uint16_t new_value)
 {
-	rte_atomic16_set(&shinfo->refcnt_atomic, (int16_t)new_value);
+	__atomic_store_n(&shinfo->refcnt, new_value, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -505,7 +505,8 @@ rte_mbuf_ext_refcnt_update(struct rte_mbuf_ext_shared_info *shinfo,
 		return (uint16_t)value;
 	}
 
-	return (uint16_t)rte_atomic16_add_return(&shinfo->refcnt_atomic, value);
+	return (uint16_t)(__atomic_add_fetch((int16_t *)&shinfo->refcnt, value,
+						__ATOMIC_ACQ_REL));
 }
 
 /** Mbuf prefetch */
@@ -1304,8 +1305,8 @@ static inline int __rte_pktmbuf_pinned_extbuf_decref(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 	 * Direct usage of add primitive to avoid
 	 * duplication of comparing with one.
 	 */
-	if (likely(rte_atomic16_add_return
-			(&shinfo->refcnt_atomic, -1)))
+	if (likely(__atomic_add_fetch((int *)&shinfo->refcnt, -1,
+					__ATOMIC_ACQ_REL)))
 		return 1;
 
 	/* Reinitialize counter before mbuf freeing. */
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_core.h b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_core.h
index b9a59c8..12cc38a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_core.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_core.h
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <rte_compat.h>
-#include <generic/rte_atomic.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -493,12 +492,8 @@ struct rte_mbuf {
 	 * or non-atomic) is controlled by the CONFIG_RTE_MBUF_REFCNT_ATOMIC
 	 * config option.
 	 */
-	RTE_STD_C11
-	union {
-		rte_atomic16_t refcnt_atomic; /**< Atomically accessed refcnt */
-		/** Non-atomically accessed refcnt */
-		uint16_t refcnt;
-	};
+	uint16_t refcnt;
+
 	uint16_t nb_segs;         /**< Number of segments. */
 
 	/** Input port (16 bits to support more than 256 virtual ports).
@@ -676,7 +671,7 @@ typedef void (*rte_mbuf_extbuf_free_callback_t)(void *addr, void *opaque);
 struct rte_mbuf_ext_shared_info {
 	rte_mbuf_extbuf_free_callback_t free_cb; /**< Free callback function */
 	void *fcb_opaque;                        /**< Free callback argument */
-	rte_atomic16_t refcnt_atomic;        /**< Atomically accessed refcnt */
+	uint16_t refcnt;                     /**< Atomically accessed refcnt */
 };
 
 /**< Maximum number of nb_segs allowed. */
