diff --git a/lib/distributor/distributor_private.h b/lib/distributor/distributor_private.h
index 2f29343..dfeb9b5 100644
--- a/lib/distributor/distributor_private.h
+++ b/lib/distributor/distributor_private.h
@@ -113,12 +113,12 @@ enum rte_distributor_match_function {
  * There is a separate cacheline for returns in the burst API.
  */
 struct rte_distributor_buffer {
-	volatile int64_t bufptr64[RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE]
+	volatile RTE_ATOMIC(int64_t) bufptr64[RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE]
 		__rte_cache_aligned; /* <= outgoing to worker */
 
 	int64_t pad1 __rte_cache_aligned;    /* <= one cache line  */
 
-	volatile int64_t retptr64[RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE]
+	volatile RTE_ATOMIC(int64_t) retptr64[RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE]
 		__rte_cache_aligned; /* <= incoming from worker */
 
 	int64_t pad2 __rte_cache_aligned;    /* <= one cache line  */
diff --git a/lib/distributor/rte_distributor.c b/lib/distributor/rte_distributor.c
index 5ca80dd..2ecb95c 100644
--- a/lib/distributor/rte_distributor.c
+++ b/lib/distributor/rte_distributor.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 	struct rte_distributor_buffer *buf = &(d->bufs[worker_id]);
 	unsigned int i;
 
-	volatile int64_t *retptr64;
+	volatile RTE_ATOMIC(int64_t) *retptr64;
 
 	if (unlikely(d->alg_type == RTE_DIST_ALG_SINGLE)) {
 		rte_distributor_request_pkt_single(d->d_single,
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 	/* Spin while handshake bits are set (scheduler clears it).
 	 * Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag.
 	 */
-	while (unlikely(__atomic_load_n(retptr64, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+	while (unlikely(rte_atomic_load_explicit(retptr64, rte_memory_order_acquire)
 			& (RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF))) {
 		rte_pause();
 		uint64_t t = rte_rdtsc()+100;
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@
 	 * line is ready for processing
 	 * Sync with distributor to release retptrs
 	 */
-	__atomic_store_n(retptr64, *retptr64 | RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF,
-			__ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+	rte_atomic_store_explicit(retptr64, *retptr64 | RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF,
+			rte_memory_order_release);
 }
 
 int
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
 	 * RETURN_BUF is set when distributor must retrieve in-flight packets
 	 * Sync with distributor to acquire bufptrs
 	 */
-	if (__atomic_load_n(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+	if (rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), rte_memory_order_acquire)
 		& (RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF))
 		return -1;
 
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@
 	 * on the next cacheline while we're working.
 	 * Sync with distributor on GET_BUF flag. Release bufptrs.
 	 */
-	__atomic_store_n(&(buf->bufptr64[0]),
-		buf->bufptr64[0] | RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF, __ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+	rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]),
+		buf->bufptr64[0] | RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF, rte_memory_order_release);
 
 	return count;
 }
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@
 	/* Spin while handshake bits are set (scheduler clears it).
 	 * Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag.
 	 */
-	while (unlikely(__atomic_load_n(&(buf->retptr64[0]), __ATOMIC_RELAXED)
+	while (unlikely(rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(buf->retptr64[0]), rte_memory_order_relaxed)
 			& (RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF))) {
 		rte_pause();
 		uint64_t t = rte_rdtsc()+100;
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
 	}
 
 	/* Sync with distributor to acquire retptrs */
-	__atomic_thread_fence(__ATOMIC_ACQUIRE);
+	__atomic_thread_fence(rte_memory_order_acquire);
 	for (i = 0; i < RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE; i++)
 		/* Switch off the return bit first */
 		buf->retptr64[i] = 0;
@@ -200,15 +200,15 @@
 	 * we won't read any mbufs from there even if GET_BUF is set.
 	 * This allows distributor to retrieve in-flight already sent packets.
 	 */
-	__atomic_fetch_or(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF,
-		__ATOMIC_ACQ_REL);
+	rte_atomic_fetch_or_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF,
+		rte_memory_order_acq_rel);
 
 	/* set the RETURN_BUF on retptr64 even if we got no returns.
 	 * Sync with distributor on RETURN_BUF flag. Release retptrs.
 	 * Notify distributor that we don't request more packets any more.
 	 */
-	__atomic_store_n(&(buf->retptr64[0]),
-		buf->retptr64[0] | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF, __ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+	rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(buf->retptr64[0]),
+		buf->retptr64[0] | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF, rte_memory_order_release);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@
 	 * to worker which does not require new packets.
 	 * They must be retrieved and assigned to another worker.
 	 */
-	if (!(__atomic_load_n(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+	if (!(rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), rte_memory_order_acquire)
 		& RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF))
 		for (i = 0; i < RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE; i++)
 			if (buf->bufptr64[i] & RTE_DISTRIB_VALID_BUF)
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@
 	 *     with new packets if worker will make a new request.
 	 * - clear RETURN_BUF to unlock reads on worker side.
 	 */
-	__atomic_store_n(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF,
-		__ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+	rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]), RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF,
+		rte_memory_order_release);
 
 	/* Collect backlog packets from worker */
 	for (i = 0; i < d->backlog[wkr].count; i++)
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	/* Sync on GET_BUF flag. Acquire retptrs. */
-	if (__atomic_load_n(&(buf->retptr64[0]), __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+	if (rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(buf->retptr64[0]), rte_memory_order_acquire)
 		& (RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF | RTE_DISTRIB_RETURN_BUF)) {
 		for (i = 0; i < RTE_DIST_BURST_SIZE; i++) {
 			if (buf->retptr64[i] & RTE_DISTRIB_VALID_BUF) {
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
 		/* Clear for the worker to populate with more returns.
 		 * Sync with distributor on GET_BUF flag. Release retptrs.
 		 */
-		__atomic_store_n(&(buf->retptr64[0]), 0, __ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+		rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(buf->retptr64[0]), 0, rte_memory_order_release);
 	}
 	return count;
 }
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@
 		return 0;
 
 	/* Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag */
-	while (!(__atomic_load_n(&(d->bufs[wkr].bufptr64[0]), __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+	while (!(rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(d->bufs[wkr].bufptr64[0]), rte_memory_order_acquire)
 		& RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF)) {
 		handle_returns(d, wkr);
 		if (unlikely(!d->active[wkr]))
@@ -430,8 +430,8 @@
 	/* Clear the GET bit.
 	 * Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag. Release bufptrs.
 	 */
-	__atomic_store_n(&(buf->bufptr64[0]),
-		buf->bufptr64[0] & ~RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF, __ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+	rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(buf->bufptr64[0]),
+		buf->bufptr64[0] & ~RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF, rte_memory_order_release);
 	return  buf->count;
 
 }
@@ -463,8 +463,8 @@
 		/* Flush out all non-full cache-lines to workers. */
 		for (wid = 0 ; wid < d->num_workers; wid++) {
 			/* Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag. */
-			if (__atomic_load_n(&(d->bufs[wid].bufptr64[0]),
-				__ATOMIC_ACQUIRE) & RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF) {
+			if (rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(d->bufs[wid].bufptr64[0]),
+				rte_memory_order_acquire) & RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF) {
 				d->bufs[wid].count = 0;
 				release(d, wid);
 				handle_returns(d, wid);
@@ -598,8 +598,8 @@
 	/* Flush out all non-full cache-lines to workers. */
 	for (wid = 0 ; wid < d->num_workers; wid++)
 		/* Sync with worker on GET_BUF flag. */
-		if ((__atomic_load_n(&(d->bufs[wid].bufptr64[0]),
-			__ATOMIC_ACQUIRE) & RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF)) {
+		if ((rte_atomic_load_explicit(&(d->bufs[wid].bufptr64[0]),
+			rte_memory_order_acquire) & RTE_DISTRIB_GET_BUF)) {
 			d->bufs[wid].count = 0;
 			release(d, wid);
 		}
@@ -700,8 +700,8 @@
 	/* throw away returns, so workers can exit */
 	for (wkr = 0; wkr < d->num_workers; wkr++)
 		/* Sync with worker. Release retptrs. */
-		__atomic_store_n(&(d->bufs[wkr].retptr64[0]), 0,
-				__ATOMIC_RELEASE);
+		rte_atomic_store_explicit(&(d->bufs[wkr].retptr64[0]), 0,
+				rte_memory_order_release);
 
 	d->returns.start = d->returns.count = 0;
 }
