diff --git a/app/test/test_mp_secondary.c b/app/test/test_mp_secondary.c
index ac15ddbf20..3a655c3400 100644
--- a/app/test/test_mp_secondary.c
+++ b/app/test/test_mp_secondary.c
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ run_secondary_instances(void)
 			(1 << rte_get_master_lcore()));
 
 	ret |= launch_proc(argv1);
+	printf("### Testing rte_mp_disable() reject:\n");
+	if (rte_mp_disable()) {
+		printf("Error: rte_mp_disable() has been accepted\n");
+		ret |= -1;
+	} else {
+		printf("# Checked rte_mp_disable() is refused\n");
+	}
 	ret |= launch_proc(argv2);
 
 	ret |= !(launch_proc(argv3));
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
index 10142683f8..d35b9c0380 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_proc.c
@@ -1236,10 +1236,9 @@ rte_mp_reply(struct rte_mp_msg *msg, const char *peer)
 
 /* Internally, the status of the mp feature is represented as a three-state:
  * - "unknown" as long as no secondary process attached to a primary process
- *   and there was no call to eal_disable_multiprocess yet,
+ *   and there was no call to rte_mp_disable yet,
  * - "enabled" as soon as a secondary process attaches to a primary process,
- * - "disabled" when a primary process successfully called
- *   eal_disable_multiprocess,
+ * - "disabled" when a primary process successfully called rte_mp_disable,
  */
 enum mp_status {
 	MP_STATUS_UNKNOWN,
@@ -1264,7 +1263,7 @@ set_mp_status(enum mp_status status)
 }
 
 bool
-eal_disable_multiprocess(void)
+rte_mp_disable(void)
 {
 	return set_mp_status(MP_STATUS_DISABLED);
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
index ea09a4f3e0..73a055902a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_thread.c
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ rte_thread_register(void)
 		rte_errno = EINVAL;
 		return -1;
 	}
-	if (!eal_disable_multiprocess()) {
+	if (!rte_mp_disable()) {
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Multiprocess in use, registering non-EAL threads is not supported.\n");
 		rte_errno = EINVAL;
 		return -1;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
index 535e008474..a917727e41 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
@@ -733,11 +733,6 @@ void __rte_thread_init(unsigned int lcore_id, rte_cpuset_t *cpuset);
  */
 void __rte_thread_uninit(void);
 
-/**
- * Mark primary process as not supporting multi-process.
- */
-bool eal_disable_multiprocess(void);
-
 /**
  * Instruct primary process that a secondary process wants to attach.
  */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/include/rte_eal.h b/lib/librte_eal/include/rte_eal.h
index 0913d1947c..fc7db2d427 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/include/rte_eal.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/include/rte_eal.h
@@ -151,6 +151,20 @@ int rte_eal_cleanup(void);
  */
 int rte_eal_primary_proc_alive(const char *config_file_path);
 
+/**
+ * Disable multiprocess.
+ *
+ * This function can be called to indicate that multiprocess won't be used for
+ * the rest of the application life.
+ *
+ * @return
+ *   - true if called from a primary process that had no secondary processes
+ *     attached,
+ *   - false, otherwise.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+bool rte_mp_disable(void);
+
 #define RTE_MP_MAX_FD_NUM	8    /* The max amount of fds */
 #define RTE_MP_MAX_NAME_LEN	64   /* The max length of action name */
 #define RTE_MP_MAX_PARAM_LEN	256  /* The max length of param */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map b/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
index 3aeb5b11ab..d17f13f8d3 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/rte_eal_version.map
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_lcore_callback_unregister;
 	rte_lcore_dump;
 	rte_lcore_iterate;
+	rte_mp_disable;
 	rte_thread_register;
 	rte_thread_unregister;
 };
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
index 9fc831fe6f..e50601dd36 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ eal_proc_type_detect(void)
 }
 
 bool
-eal_disable_multiprocess(void)
+rte_mp_disable(void)
 {
 	return true;
 }
