diff --git a/examples/vhost/main.c b/examples/vhost/main.c
index 2b1bf02..fa36913 100644
--- a/examples/vhost/main.c
+++ b/examples/vhost/main.c
@@ -79,25 +79,6 @@
 	+ RTE_PKTMBUF_HEADROOM)
 #define MBUF_CACHE_SIZE_ZCP 0
 
-/*
- * RX and TX Prefetch, Host, and Write-back threshold values should be
- * carefully set for optimal performance. Consult the network
- * controller's datasheet and supporting DPDK documentation for guidance
- * on how these parameters should be set.
- */
-#define RX_PTHRESH 8 /* Default values of RX prefetch threshold reg. */
-#define RX_HTHRESH 8 /* Default values of RX host threshold reg. */
-#define RX_WTHRESH 4 /* Default values of RX write-back threshold reg. */
-
-/*
- * These default values are optimized for use with the Intel(R) 82599 10 GbE
- * Controller and the DPDK ixgbe PMD. Consider using other values for other
- * network controllers and/or network drivers.
- */
-#define TX_PTHRESH 36 /* Default values of TX prefetch threshold reg. */
-#define TX_HTHRESH 0  /* Default values of TX host threshold reg. */
-#define TX_WTHRESH 0  /* Default values of TX write-back threshold reg. */
-
 #define MAX_PKT_BURST 32 		/* Max burst size for RX/TX */
 #define BURST_TX_DRAIN_US 100 	/* TX drain every ~100us */
 
@@ -217,32 +198,6 @@ static uint32_t burst_rx_retry_num = BURST_RX_RETRIES;
 /* Character device basename. Can be set by user. */
 static char dev_basename[MAX_BASENAME_SZ] = "vhost-net";
 
-
-/* Default configuration for rx and tx thresholds etc. */
-static struct rte_eth_rxconf rx_conf_default = {
-	.rx_thresh = {
-		.pthresh = RX_PTHRESH,
-		.hthresh = RX_HTHRESH,
-		.wthresh = RX_WTHRESH,
-	},
-	.rx_drop_en = 1,
-};
-
-/*
- * These default values are optimized for use with the Intel(R) 82599 10 GbE
- * Controller and the DPDK ixgbe/igb PMD. Consider using other values for other
- * network controllers and/or network drivers.
- */
-static struct rte_eth_txconf tx_conf_default = {
-	.tx_thresh = {
-		.pthresh = TX_PTHRESH,
-		.hthresh = TX_HTHRESH,
-		.wthresh = TX_WTHRESH,
-	},
-	.tx_free_thresh = 0, /* Use PMD default values */
-	.tx_rs_thresh = 0, /* Use PMD default values */
-};
-
 /* empty vmdq configuration structure. Filled in programatically */
 static struct rte_eth_conf vmdq_conf_default = {
 	.rxmode = {
@@ -410,7 +365,9 @@ port_init(uint8_t port)
 {
 	struct rte_eth_dev_info dev_info;
 	struct rte_eth_conf port_conf;
-	uint16_t rx_rings, tx_rings;
+	struct rte_eth_rxconf *rxconf;
+	struct rte_eth_txconf *txconf;
+	int16_t rx_rings, tx_rings;
 	uint16_t rx_ring_size, tx_ring_size;
 	int retval;
 	uint16_t q;
@@ -418,6 +375,21 @@ port_init(uint8_t port)
 	/* The max pool number from dev_info will be used to validate the pool number specified in cmd line */
 	rte_eth_dev_info_get (port, &dev_info);
 
+	rxconf = &dev_info.default_rxconf;
+	txconf = &dev_info.default_txconf;
+	rxconf->rx_drop_en = 1;
+
+	/*
+	 * Zero copy defers queue RX/TX start to the time when guest
+	 * finishes its startup and packet buffers from that guest are
+	 * available.
+	 */
+	if (zero_copy) {
+		rxconf->rx_deferred_start = 1;
+		rxconf->rx_drop_en = 0;
+		txconf->tx_deferred_start = 1;
+	}
+
 	/*configure the number of supported virtio devices based on VMDQ limits */
 	num_devices = dev_info.max_vmdq_pools;
 
@@ -460,14 +432,16 @@ port_init(uint8_t port)
 	/* Setup the queues. */
 	for (q = 0; q < rx_rings; q ++) {
 		retval = rte_eth_rx_queue_setup(port, q, rx_ring_size,
-						rte_eth_dev_socket_id(port), &rx_conf_default,
+						rte_eth_dev_socket_id(port),
+						rxconf,
 						vpool_array[q].pool);
 		if (retval < 0)
 			return retval;
 	}
 	for (q = 0; q < tx_rings; q ++) {
 		retval = rte_eth_tx_queue_setup(port, q, tx_ring_size,
-						rte_eth_dev_socket_id(port), &tx_conf_default);
+						rte_eth_dev_socket_id(port),
+						txconf);
 		if (retval < 0)
 			return retval;
 	}
@@ -2920,14 +2894,6 @@ MAIN(int argc, char *argv[])
 		char pool_name[RTE_MEMPOOL_NAMESIZE];
 		char ring_name[RTE_MEMPOOL_NAMESIZE];
 
-		/*
-		 * Zero copy defers queue RX/TX start to the time when guest
-		 * finishes its startup and packet buffers from that guest are
-		 * available.
-		 */
-		rx_conf_default.rx_deferred_start = (uint8_t)zero_copy;
-		rx_conf_default.rx_drop_en = 0;
-		tx_conf_default.tx_deferred_start = (uint8_t)zero_copy;
 		nb_mbuf = num_rx_descriptor
 			+ num_switching_cores * MBUF_CACHE_SIZE_ZCP
 			+ num_switching_cores * MAX_PKT_BURST;
