diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
index d8c59ab308..0a582a6844 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ struct virtio_user_backend_ops {
 	int (*set_features)(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, uint64_t features);
 	int (*get_protocol_features)(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, uint64_t *features);
 	int (*set_protocol_features)(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, uint64_t features);
+	int (*set_memory_table)(struct virtio_user_dev *dev);
 	int (*send_request)(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 			    enum vhost_user_request req,
 			    void *arg);
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_kernel.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_kernel.c
index f44df8ef1f..2d30f572b6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_kernel.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_kernel.c
@@ -148,17 +148,6 @@ vhost_kernel_set_features(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, uint64_t features)
 	return vhost_kernel_ioctl(dev->vhostfds[0], VHOST_SET_FEATURES, &features);
 }
 
-static uint64_t vhost_req_user_to_kernel[] = {
-	[VHOST_USER_RESET_OWNER] = VHOST_RESET_OWNER,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_CALL] = VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_NUM] = VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_BASE] = VHOST_SET_VRING_BASE,
-	[VHOST_USER_GET_VRING_BASE] = VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ADDR] = VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_KICK] = VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE] = VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE,
-};
-
 static int
 add_memseg_list(const struct rte_memseg_list *msl, void *arg)
 {
@@ -193,16 +182,17 @@ add_memseg_list(const struct rte_memseg_list *msl, void *arg)
  * have much more memory regions. Below function will treat each
  * contiguous memory space reserved by DPDK as one region.
  */
-static struct vhost_memory_kernel *
-prepare_vhost_memory_kernel(void)
+static int
+vhost_kernel_set_memory_table(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
 	struct vhost_memory_kernel *vm;
+	int ret;
 
 	vm = malloc(sizeof(struct vhost_memory_kernel) +
 			max_regions *
 			sizeof(struct vhost_memory_region));
 	if (!vm)
-		return NULL;
+		goto err;
 
 	vm->nregions = 0;
 	vm->padding = 0;
@@ -211,14 +201,34 @@ prepare_vhost_memory_kernel(void)
 	 * The memory lock has already been taken by memory subsystem
 	 * or virtio_user_start_device().
 	 */
-	if (rte_memseg_list_walk_thread_unsafe(add_memseg_list, vm) < 0) {
-		free(vm);
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	ret = rte_memseg_list_walk_thread_unsafe(add_memseg_list, vm);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto err_free;
+
+	ret = vhost_kernel_ioctl(dev->vhostfds[0], VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, vm);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto err_free;
 
-	return vm;
+	free(vm);
+
+	return 0;
+err_free:
+	free(vm);
+err:
+	PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Failed to set memory table");
+	return -1;
 }
 
+static uint64_t vhost_req_user_to_kernel[] = {
+	[VHOST_USER_RESET_OWNER] = VHOST_RESET_OWNER,
+	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_CALL] = VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL,
+	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_NUM] = VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM,
+	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_BASE] = VHOST_SET_VRING_BASE,
+	[VHOST_USER_GET_VRING_BASE] = VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE,
+	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ADDR] = VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR,
+	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_KICK] = VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK,
+};
+
 static int
 vhost_kernel_send_request(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 		   enum vhost_user_request req,
@@ -227,7 +237,6 @@ vhost_kernel_send_request(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 	int ret = -1;
 	unsigned int i;
 	uint64_t req_kernel;
-	struct vhost_memory_kernel *vm = NULL;
 	int vhostfd;
 	unsigned int queue_sel;
 
@@ -235,13 +244,6 @@ vhost_kernel_send_request(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 
 	req_kernel = vhost_req_user_to_kernel[req];
 
-	if (req_kernel == VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE) {
-		vm = prepare_vhost_memory_kernel();
-		if (!vm)
-			return -1;
-		arg = (void *)vm;
-	}
-
 	switch (req_kernel) {
 	case VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM:
 	case VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR:
@@ -271,9 +273,6 @@ vhost_kernel_send_request(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 		ret = ioctl(vhostfd, req_kernel, arg);
 	}
 
-	if (vm)
-		free(vm);
-
 	if (ret < 0)
 		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "%s failed: %s",
 			    vhost_msg_strings[req], strerror(errno));
@@ -403,6 +402,7 @@ struct virtio_user_backend_ops virtio_ops_kernel = {
 	.set_owner = vhost_kernel_set_owner,
 	.get_features = vhost_kernel_get_features,
 	.set_features = vhost_kernel_set_features,
+	.set_memory_table = vhost_kernel_set_memory_table,
 	.send_request = vhost_kernel_send_request,
 	.enable_qp = vhost_kernel_enable_queue_pair
 };
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
index 5e89b1d72d..57f6337750 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_user.c
@@ -125,6 +125,29 @@ vhost_user_read(int fd, struct vhost_user_msg *msg)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static int
+vhost_user_check_reply_ack(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, struct vhost_user_msg *msg)
+{
+	enum vhost_user_request req = msg->request;
+	int ret;
+
+	if (!(msg->flags & VHOST_USER_NEED_REPLY_MASK))
+		return 0;
+
+	ret = vhost_user_read(dev->vhostfd, msg);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Failed to read reply-ack");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (req != msg->request) {
+		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Unexpected reply-ack request type (%d)", msg->request);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return msg->payload.u64 ? -1 : 0;
+}
+
 static int
 vhost_user_set_owner(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
@@ -336,25 +359,47 @@ update_memory_region(const struct rte_memseg_list *msl __rte_unused,
 }
 
 static int
-prepare_vhost_memory_user(struct vhost_user_msg *msg, int fds[])
+vhost_user_set_memory_table(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
 	struct walk_arg wa;
+	int fds[VHOST_MEMORY_MAX_NREGIONS];
+	int ret, fd_num;
+	struct vhost_user_msg msg = {
+		.request = VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE,
+		.flags = VHOST_USER_VERSION,
+	};
+
+	if (dev->protocol_features & (1ULL << VHOST_USER_PROTOCOL_F_REPLY_ACK))
+		msg.flags |= VHOST_USER_NEED_REPLY_MASK;
 
 	wa.region_nr = 0;
-	wa.vm = &msg->payload.memory;
+	wa.vm = &msg.payload.memory;
 	wa.fds = fds;
 
 	/*
 	 * The memory lock has already been taken by memory subsystem
 	 * or virtio_user_start_device().
 	 */
-	if (rte_memseg_walk_thread_unsafe(update_memory_region, &wa) < 0)
-		return -1;
+	ret = rte_memseg_walk_thread_unsafe(update_memory_region, &wa);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto err;
 
-	msg->payload.memory.nregions = wa.region_nr;
-	msg->payload.memory.padding = 0;
+	fd_num = wa.region_nr;
+	msg.payload.memory.nregions = wa.region_nr;
+	msg.payload.memory.padding = 0;
 
-	return 0;
+	msg.size = sizeof(msg.payload.memory.nregions);
+	msg.size += sizeof(msg.payload.memory.padding);
+	msg.size += fd_num * sizeof(struct vhost_memory_region);
+
+	ret = vhost_user_write(dev->vhostfd, &msg, fds, fd_num);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto err;
+
+	return vhost_user_check_reply_ack(dev, &msg);
+err:
+	PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR, "Failed to set memory table");
+	return -1;
 }
 
 static struct vhost_user_msg m;
@@ -367,7 +412,6 @@ const char * const vhost_msg_strings[] = {
 	[VHOST_USER_GET_VRING_BASE] = "VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE",
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ADDR] = "VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR",
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_KICK] = "VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK",
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE] = "VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE",
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ENABLE] = "VHOST_SET_VRING_ENABLE",
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_STATUS] = "VHOST_SET_STATUS",
 	[VHOST_USER_GET_STATUS] = "VHOST_GET_STATUS",
@@ -426,18 +470,6 @@ vhost_user_sock(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 	case VHOST_USER_RESET_OWNER:
 		break;
 
-	case VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE:
-		if (prepare_vhost_memory_user(&msg, fds) < 0)
-			return -1;
-		fd_num = msg.payload.memory.nregions;
-		msg.size = sizeof(m.payload.memory.nregions);
-		msg.size += sizeof(m.payload.memory.padding);
-		msg.size += fd_num * sizeof(struct vhost_memory_region);
-
-		if (has_reply_ack)
-			msg.flags |= VHOST_USER_NEED_REPLY_MASK;
-		break;
-
 	case VHOST_USER_SET_LOG_FD:
 		fds[fd_num++] = *((int *)arg);
 		break;
@@ -636,6 +668,7 @@ struct virtio_user_backend_ops virtio_ops_user = {
 	.set_features = vhost_user_set_features,
 	.get_protocol_features = vhost_user_get_protocol_features,
 	.set_protocol_features = vhost_user_set_protocol_features,
+	.set_memory_table = vhost_user_set_memory_table,
 	.send_request = vhost_user_sock,
 	.enable_qp = vhost_user_enable_queue_pair
 };
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_vdpa.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_vdpa.c
index c0a9b5b767..3059ec545d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_vdpa.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/vhost_vdpa.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define VHOST_SET_FEATURES _IOW(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x00, __u64)
 #define VHOST_SET_OWNER _IO(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x01)
 #define VHOST_RESET_OWNER _IO(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x02)
-#define VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE _IOW(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x03, void *)
 #define VHOST_SET_LOG_BASE _IOW(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x04, __u64)
 #define VHOST_SET_LOG_FD _IOW(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x07, int)
 #define VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM _IOW(VHOST_VIRTIO, 0x10, struct vhost_vring_state)
@@ -44,7 +43,6 @@ static uint64_t vhost_req_user_to_vdpa[] = {
 	[VHOST_USER_GET_VRING_BASE] = VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE,
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ADDR] = VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR,
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_KICK] = VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK,
-	[VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE] = VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE,
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_STATUS] = VHOST_VDPA_SET_STATUS,
 	[VHOST_USER_GET_STATUS] = VHOST_VDPA_GET_STATUS,
 	[VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ENABLE] = VHOST_VDPA_SET_VRING_ENABLE,
@@ -202,7 +200,7 @@ vhost_vdpa_map(const struct rte_memseg_list *msl, const struct rte_memseg *ms,
 }
 
 static int
-vhost_vdpa_dma_map_all(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
+vhost_vdpa_set_memory_table(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
 	vhost_vdpa_dma_unmap(dev, NULL, 0, SIZE_MAX);
 
@@ -248,9 +246,6 @@ vhost_vdpa_send_request(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 
 	req_vdpa = vhost_req_user_to_vdpa[req];
 
-	if (req_vdpa == VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE)
-		return vhost_vdpa_dma_map_all(dev);
-
 	switch (req_vdpa) {
 	case VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM:
 	case VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR:
@@ -331,6 +326,7 @@ struct virtio_user_backend_ops virtio_ops_vdpa = {
 	.set_owner = vhost_vdpa_set_owner,
 	.get_features = vhost_vdpa_get_features,
 	.set_features = vhost_vdpa_set_features,
+	.set_memory_table = vhost_vdpa_set_memory_table,
 	.send_request = vhost_vdpa_send_request,
 	.enable_qp = vhost_vdpa_enable_queue_pair,
 	.dma_map = vhost_vdpa_dma_map,
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
index 6bb61b3e89..ae976be158 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ virtio_user_start_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 		goto error;
 
 	/* Step 2: share memory regions */
-	ret = dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE, NULL);
+	ret = dev->ops->set_memory_table(dev);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto error;
 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ virtio_user_mem_event_cb(enum rte_mem_event type __rte_unused,
 		dev->ops->enable_qp(dev, i, 0);
 
 	/* Step 2: update memory regions */
-	dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE, NULL);
+	dev->ops->set_memory_table(dev);
 
 	/* Step 3: resume the active queues */
 	for (i = 0; i < dev->queue_pairs; i++)
