diff --git a/app/test/test_memzone.c b/app/test/test_memzone.c
index 9fe465e62..7501b63c5 100644
--- a/app/test/test_memzone.c
+++ b/app/test/test_memzone.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_malloc.h>
 #include "../../lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_elem.h"
+#include "../../lib/librte_eal/common/eal_memcfg.h"
 
 #include "test.h"
 
diff --git a/app/test/test_tailq.c b/app/test/test_tailq.c
index a4ecea2d8..7c9b69fdb 100644
--- a/app/test/test_tailq.c
+++ b/app/test/test_tailq.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <rte_eal.h>
 #include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "test.h"
 
diff --git a/drivers/bus/pci/linux/pci_vfio.c b/drivers/bus/pci/linux/pci_vfio.c
index ebf6ccd3c..1ceb1c07b 100644
--- a/drivers/bus/pci/linux/pci_vfio.c
+++ b/drivers/bus/pci/linux/pci_vfio.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <rte_eal.h>
 #include <rte_bus.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_acl/rte_acl.c b/lib/librte_acl/rte_acl.c
index 82f3376a5..3f5437c69 100644
--- a/lib/librte_acl/rte_acl.c
+++ b/lib/librte_acl/rte_acl.c
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_acl.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
+
 #include "acl.h"
 
 TAILQ_HEAD(rte_acl_list, rte_tailq_entry);
diff --git a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
index 7e2892554..39ac5a9f9 100644
--- a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
+++ b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_pause.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_distributor_private.h"
 #include "rte_distributor.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor_v20.c b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor_v20.c
index beec9c051..1c3fa8634 100644
--- a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor_v20.c
+++ b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor_v20.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_pause.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_distributor_v20.h"
 #include "rte_distributor_private.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memory.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
index c398e6f0b..209206334 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
 #include "eal_private.h"
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "malloc_heap.h"
 
 /*
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memzone.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memzone.c
index 521ad7ca1..ef6c909cb 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memzone.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_memzone.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "malloc_heap.h"
 #include "malloc_elem.h"
 #include "eal_private.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 
 static inline const struct rte_memzone *
 memzone_lookup_thread_unsafe(const char *name)
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_tailqs.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_tailqs.c
index ca2a7d32a..b65819b07 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_tailqs.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_tailqs.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <rte_debug.h>
 
 #include "eal_private.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 
 TAILQ_HEAD(rte_tailq_elem_head, rte_tailq_elem);
 /* local tailq list */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_memcfg.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_memcfg.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..75891e6cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_memcfg.h
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#ifndef EAL_MEMCFG_H
+#define EAL_MEMCFG_H
+
+#include <rte_config.h>
+#include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
+#include <rte_malloc_heap.h>
+#include <rte_memory.h>
+#include <rte_memzone.h>
+#include <rte_pause.h>
+#include <rte_rwlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
+
+/**
+ * the structure for the memory configuration for the RTE.
+ * Used by the rte_config structure. It is separated out, as for multi-process
+ * support, the memory details should be shared across instances
+ */
+struct rte_mem_config {
+	volatile uint32_t magic;   /**< Magic number - Sanity check. */
+
+	/* memory topology */
+	uint32_t nchannel;    /**< Number of channels (0 if unknown). */
+	uint32_t nrank;       /**< Number of ranks (0 if unknown). */
+
+	/**
+	 * current lock nest order
+	 *  - qlock->mlock (ring/hash/lpm)
+	 *  - mplock->qlock->mlock (mempool)
+	 * Notice:
+	 *  *ALWAYS* obtain qlock first if having to obtain both qlock and mlock
+	 */
+	rte_rwlock_t mlock;   /**< only used by memzone LIB for thread-safe. */
+	rte_rwlock_t qlock;   /**< used for tailq operation for thread safe. */
+	rte_rwlock_t mplock;  /**< only used by mempool LIB for thread-safe. */
+
+	rte_rwlock_t memory_hotplug_lock;
+	/**< indicates whether memory hotplug request is in progress. */
+
+	/* memory segments and zones */
+	struct rte_fbarray memzones; /**< Memzone descriptors. */
+
+	struct rte_memseg_list memsegs[RTE_MAX_MEMSEG_LISTS];
+	/**< list of dynamic arrays holding memsegs */
+
+	struct rte_tailq_head tailq_head[RTE_MAX_TAILQ];
+	/**< Tailqs for objects */
+
+	/* Heaps of Malloc */
+	struct malloc_heap malloc_heaps[RTE_MAX_HEAPS];
+
+	/* next socket ID for external malloc heap */
+	int next_socket_id;
+
+	/* address of mem_config in primary process. used to map shared config
+	 * into exact same address the primary process maps it.
+	 */
+	uint64_t mem_cfg_addr;
+
+	/* legacy mem and single file segments options are shared */
+	uint32_t legacy_mem;
+	uint32_t single_file_segments;
+
+	/* keeps the more restricted dma mask */
+	uint8_t dma_maskbits;
+} __attribute__((packed));
+
+static inline void
+rte_eal_mcfg_wait_complete(struct rte_mem_config *mcfg)
+{
+	/* wait until shared mem_config finish initialising */
+	while (mcfg->magic != RTE_MAGIC)
+		rte_pause();
+}
+
+#endif // EAL_MEMCFG_H
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal_memconfig.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal_memconfig.h
index d0bd5836b..776d30dc0 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal_memconfig.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_eal_memconfig.h
@@ -5,13 +5,12 @@
 #ifndef _RTE_EAL_MEMCONFIG_H_
 #define _RTE_EAL_MEMCONFIG_H_
 
-#include <rte_config.h>
-#include <rte_tailq.h>
-#include <rte_memory.h>
-#include <rte_memzone.h>
-#include <rte_malloc_heap.h>
-#include <rte_rwlock.h>
-#include <rte_pause.h>
+/**
+ * @file
+ *
+ * This API allows access to EAL shared memory configuration through an API.
+ */
+
 #include <rte_fbarray.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
@@ -38,68 +37,6 @@ struct rte_memseg_list {
 	struct rte_fbarray memseg_arr;
 };
 
-/**
- * the structure for the memory configuration for the RTE.
- * Used by the rte_config structure. It is separated out, as for multi-process
- * support, the memory details should be shared across instances
- */
-struct rte_mem_config {
-	volatile uint32_t magic;   /**< Magic number - Sanity check. */
-
-	/* memory topology */
-	uint32_t nchannel;    /**< Number of channels (0 if unknown). */
-	uint32_t nrank;       /**< Number of ranks (0 if unknown). */
-
-	/**
-	 * current lock nest order
-	 *  - qlock->mlock (ring/hash/lpm)
-	 *  - mplock->qlock->mlock (mempool)
-	 * Notice:
-	 *  *ALWAYS* obtain qlock first if having to obtain both qlock and mlock
-	 */
-	rte_rwlock_t mlock;   /**< only used by memzone LIB for thread-safe. */
-	rte_rwlock_t qlock;   /**< used for tailq operation for thread safe. */
-	rte_rwlock_t mplock;  /**< only used by mempool LIB for thread-safe. */
-
-	rte_rwlock_t memory_hotplug_lock;
-	/**< indicates whether memory hotplug request is in progress. */
-
-	/* memory segments and zones */
-	struct rte_fbarray memzones; /**< Memzone descriptors. */
-
-	struct rte_memseg_list memsegs[RTE_MAX_MEMSEG_LISTS];
-	/**< list of dynamic arrays holding memsegs */
-
-	struct rte_tailq_head tailq_head[RTE_MAX_TAILQ]; /**< Tailqs for objects */
-
-	/* Heaps of Malloc */
-	struct malloc_heap malloc_heaps[RTE_MAX_HEAPS];
-
-	/* next socket ID for external malloc heap */
-	int next_socket_id;
-
-	/* address of mem_config in primary process. used to map shared config into
-	 * exact same address the primary process maps it.
-	 */
-	uint64_t mem_cfg_addr;
-
-	/* legacy mem and single file segments options are shared */
-	uint32_t legacy_mem;
-	uint32_t single_file_segments;
-
-	/* keeps the more restricted dma mask */
-	uint8_t dma_maskbits;
-} __attribute__((__packed__));
-
-
-inline static void
-rte_eal_mcfg_wait_complete(struct rte_mem_config* mcfg)
-{
-	/* wait until shared mem_config finish initialising */
-	while(mcfg->magic != RTE_MAGIC)
-		rte_pause();
-}
-
 /**
  * Lock the internal EAL shared memory configuration for shared access.
  */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_heap.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_heap.c
index 0298ec1ca..bd84fcf70 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_heap.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_heap.c
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
 #include <rte_memcpy.h>
+#include <rte_memzone.h>
 #include <rte_atomic.h>
 #include <rte_fbarray.h>
 
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "malloc_elem.h"
 #include "malloc_heap.h"
 #include "malloc_mp.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_mp.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_mp.c
index b470565e0..17b803d59 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_mp.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/malloc_mp.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 
 #include "malloc_elem.h"
 #include "malloc_mp.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_malloc.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_malloc.c
index 4d83bf518..0dc900403 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_malloc.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/rte_malloc.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "malloc_elem.h"
 #include "malloc_heap.h"
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 
 
 /* Free the memory space back to heap */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal/eal_memory.c b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal/eal_memory.c
index 4b092e1f2..9b9a0577a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal/eal_memory.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal/eal_memory.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "eal_private.h"
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 
 #define EAL_PAGE_SIZE (sysconf(_SC_PAGESIZE))
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal.c
index 161399619..ac2db049b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
 #include "eal_hugepages.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "eal_options.h"
 #include "eal_vfio.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memalloc.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memalloc.c
index 1e9ebb86d..b178ed3ea 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memalloc.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memalloc.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "eal_private.h"
 
 const int anonymous_hugepages_supported =
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memory.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memory.c
index 416dad898..da355f5ea 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memory.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_memory.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 
 #include "eal_private.h"
 #include "eal_memalloc.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "eal_internal_cfg.h"
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
 #include "eal_hugepages.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_vfio.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_vfio.c
index 36f0d1ca7..cdad4535e 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_vfio.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal/eal_vfio.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <rte_vfio.h>
 
 #include "eal_filesystem.h"
+#include "eal_memcfg.h"
 #include "eal_vfio.h"
 #include "eal_private.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_efd/rte_efd.c b/lib/librte_efd/rte_efd.c
index 71f067df6..ac58ae8ef 100644
--- a/lib/librte_efd/rte_efd.c
+++ b/lib/librte_efd/rte_efd.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <rte_ring.h>
 #include <rte_jhash.h>
 #include <rte_hash_crc.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_efd.h"
 #if defined(RTE_ARCH_X86)
diff --git a/lib/librte_hash/rte_cuckoo_hash.c b/lib/librte_hash/rte_cuckoo_hash.c
index ffe649411..fe44b77f6 100644
--- a/lib/librte_hash/rte_cuckoo_hash.c
+++ b/lib/librte_hash/rte_cuckoo_hash.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <rte_ring.h>
 #include <rte_compat.h>
 #include <rte_vect.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_hash.h"
 #include "rte_cuckoo_hash.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_hash/rte_fbk_hash.c b/lib/librte_hash/rte_fbk_hash.c
index 54a8596ab..f4f4f5e22 100644
--- a/lib/librte_hash/rte_fbk_hash.c
+++ b/lib/librte_hash/rte_fbk_hash.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <rte_cpuflags.h>
 #include <rte_log.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_fbk_hash.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm.c b/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm.c
index bb1c5b197..94327450d 100644
--- a/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm.c
+++ b/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_rwlock.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_lpm.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm6.c b/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm6.c
index 5fabfa3d4..7bb154f9c 100644
--- a/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm6.c
+++ b/lib/librte_lpm/rte_lpm6.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <rte_hash.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <rte_jhash.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_lpm6.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_member/rte_member.c b/lib/librte_member/rte_member.c
index 70322d86a..997f08d80 100644
--- a/lib/librte_member/rte_member.c
+++ b/lib/librte_member/rte_member.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <rte_memory.h>
 #include <rte_malloc.h>
 #include <rte_errno.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_member.h"
 #include "rte_member_ht.h"
diff --git a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
index c98233828..18269a6d0 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
+++ b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_mempool.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_reorder/rte_reorder.c b/lib/librte_reorder/rte_reorder.c
index c505a4810..8848bd544 100644
--- a/lib/librte_reorder/rte_reorder.c
+++ b/lib/librte_reorder/rte_reorder.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_malloc.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_reorder.h"
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_ring/rte_ring.c b/lib/librte_ring/rte_ring.c
index 8d0744153..d23e66fa2 100644
--- a/lib/librte_ring/rte_ring.c
+++ b/lib/librte_ring/rte_ring.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_string_fns.h>
 #include <rte_spinlock.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
 
 #include "rte_ring.h"
 
