diff --git a/drivers/bus/ifpga/ifpga_bus.c b/drivers/bus/ifpga/ifpga_bus.c
index b324872ee..0e17ea9a3 100644
--- a/drivers/bus/ifpga/ifpga_bus.c
+++ b/drivers/bus/ifpga/ifpga_bus.c
@@ -363,7 +363,6 @@ static int
 ifpga_unplug(struct rte_device *dev)
 {
 	struct rte_afu_device *afu_dev = NULL;
-	struct rte_devargs *devargs = NULL;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (dev == NULL)
@@ -373,15 +372,13 @@ ifpga_unplug(struct rte_device *dev)
 	if (!afu_dev)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	devargs = dev->devargs;
-
 	ret = ifpga_remove_driver(afu_dev);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&ifpga_afu_dev_list, afu_dev, next);
 
-	rte_devargs_remove(devargs->bus->name, devargs->name);
+	rte_devargs_remove(dev->devargs);
 	free(afu_dev);
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/drivers/bus/vdev/vdev.c b/drivers/bus/vdev/vdev.c
index 69dee89a8..390c2ce70 100644
--- a/drivers/bus/vdev/vdev.c
+++ b/drivers/bus/vdev/vdev.c
@@ -248,7 +248,6 @@ int
 rte_vdev_init(const char *name, const char *args)
 {
 	struct rte_vdev_device *dev;
-	struct rte_devargs *devargs;
 	int ret;
 
 	rte_spinlock_recursive_lock(&vdev_device_list_lock);
@@ -259,9 +258,8 @@ rte_vdev_init(const char *name, const char *args)
 			if (ret > 0)
 				VDEV_LOG(ERR, "no driver found for %s", name);
 			/* If fails, remove it from vdev list */
-			devargs = dev->device.devargs;
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&vdev_device_list, dev, next);
-			rte_devargs_remove(devargs->bus->name, devargs->name);
+			rte_devargs_remove(dev->device.devargs);
 			free(dev);
 		}
 	}
@@ -289,7 +287,6 @@ int
 rte_vdev_uninit(const char *name)
 {
 	struct rte_vdev_device *dev;
-	struct rte_devargs *devargs;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (name == NULL)
@@ -308,8 +305,7 @@ rte_vdev_uninit(const char *name)
 		goto unlock;
 
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&vdev_device_list, dev, next);
-	devargs = dev->device.devargs;
-	rte_devargs_remove(devargs->bus->name, devargs->name);
+	rte_devargs_remove(dev->device.devargs);
 	free(dev);
 
 unlock:
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_dev.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_dev.c
index 678dbcac7..e81ff4258 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_dev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_dev.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ int __rte_experimental rte_eal_hotplug_add(const char *busname, const char *devn
 	return 0;
 
 err_devarg:
-	if (rte_devargs_remove(busname, devname)) {
+	if (rte_devargs_remove(da)) {
 		free(da->args);
 		free(da);
 	}
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ rte_eal_hotplug_remove(const char *busname, const char *devname)
 	if (ret)
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Driver cannot detach the device (%s)\n",
 			dev->name);
-	rte_devargs_remove(busname, devname);
+	rte_devargs_remove(dev->devargs);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
index f63d2c663..2f2bb4d90 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_devargs.c
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ rte_devargs_insert(struct rte_devargs *da)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = rte_devargs_remove(da->bus->name, da->name);
+	ret = rte_devargs_remove(da);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&devargs_list, da, next);
@@ -312,14 +312,14 @@ rte_devargs_add(enum rte_devtype devtype, const char *devargs_str)
 }
 
 int __rte_experimental
-rte_devargs_remove(const char *busname, const char *devname)
+rte_devargs_remove(struct rte_devargs *devargs)
 {
 	struct rte_devargs *d;
 	void *tmp;
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(d, &devargs_list, next, tmp) {
-		if (strcmp(d->bus->name, busname) == 0 &&
-		    strcmp(d->name, devname) == 0) {
+		if (strcmp(d->bus->name, devargs->bus->name) == 0 &&
+		    strcmp(d->name, devargs->name) == 0) {
 			TAILQ_REMOVE(&devargs_list, d, next);
 			free(d->args);
 			free(d);
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
index 0eef6e9c4..b1f121f83 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_devargs.h
@@ -176,11 +176,8 @@ int rte_devargs_add(enum rte_devtype devtype, const char *devargs_str);
  * Its resources are freed.
  * If the devargs cannot be found, nothing happens.
  *
- * @param busname
- *   bus name of the devargs to remove.
- *
- * @param devname
- *   device name of the devargs to remove.
+ * @param devargs
+ *   The instance or a copy of devargs to remove.
  *
  * @return
  *   0 on success.
@@ -188,8 +185,7 @@ int rte_devargs_add(enum rte_devtype devtype, const char *devargs_str);
  *   >0 if the devargs was not within the user device list.
  */
 __rte_experimental
-int rte_devargs_remove(const char *busname,
-		       const char *devname);
+int rte_devargs_remove(struct rte_devargs *devargs);
 
 /**
  * Count the number of user devices of a specified type
