diff --git a/lib/eal/common/eal_common_memory.c b/lib/eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
index c2a4c8f9e7..e21fc7cfae 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
+++ b/lib/eal/common/eal_common_memory.c
@@ -1078,18 +1078,11 @@ rte_eal_memory_detach(void)
 int
 rte_eal_memory_init(void)
 {
-	struct rte_mem_config *mcfg = rte_eal_get_configuration()->mem_config;
 	const struct internal_config *internal_conf =
 		eal_get_internal_configuration();
-
 	int retval;
-	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Setting up physically contiguous memory...\n");
-
-	if (!mcfg)
-		return -1;
 
-	/* lock mem hotplug here, to prevent races while we init */
-	rte_mcfg_mem_read_lock();
+	RTE_LOG(DEBUG, EAL, "Setting up physically contiguous memory...\n");
 
 	if (rte_eal_memseg_init() < 0)
 		goto fail;
@@ -1108,7 +1101,6 @@ rte_eal_memory_init(void)
 
 	return 0;
 fail:
-	rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 	return -1;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.c b/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.c
index d3c474d79c..d25bdc98f9 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.c
+++ b/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.c
@@ -1421,18 +1421,20 @@ rte_eal_malloc_heap_init(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-
 	if (register_mp_requests()) {
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Couldn't register malloc multiprocess actions\n");
-		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	/* unlock mem hotplug here. it's safe for primary as no requests can
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int rte_eal_malloc_heap_populate(void)
+{
+	/* mem hotplug is unlocked here. it's safe for primary as no requests can
 	 * even come before primary itself is fully initialized, and secondaries
 	 * do not need to initialize the heap.
 	 */
-	rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 
 	/* secondary process does not need to initialize anything */
 	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
diff --git a/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.h b/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.h
index 3b2fbc0aa0..8f3ab57154 100644
--- a/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.h
+++ b/lib/eal/common/malloc_heap.h
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ malloc_socket_to_heap_id(unsigned int socket_id);
 int
 rte_eal_malloc_heap_init(void);
 
+int
+rte_eal_malloc_heap_populate(void);
+
 void
 rte_eal_malloc_heap_cleanup(void);
 
diff --git a/lib/eal/freebsd/eal.c b/lib/eal/freebsd/eal.c
index 7db4239c51..7daf22e314 100644
--- a/lib/eal/freebsd/eal.c
+++ b/lib/eal/freebsd/eal.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <rte_memory.h>
 #include <rte_launch.h>
 #include <rte_eal.h>
+#include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_per_lcore.h>
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
@@ -754,13 +755,25 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_lock();
+
 	if (rte_eal_memory_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init memory");
 		rte_errno = ENOMEM;
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
+		rte_errno = ENODEV;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+
+	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_populate() < 0) {
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
 		rte_errno = ENODEV;
 		return -1;
diff --git a/lib/eal/linux/eal.c b/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
index c37868b7f0..ae323cd492 100644
--- a/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
+++ b/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <rte_memory.h>
 #include <rte_launch.h>
 #include <rte_eal.h>
+#include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
 #include <rte_service_component.h>
@@ -1193,7 +1194,10 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_lock();
+
 	if (rte_eal_memory_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init memory");
 		rte_errno = ENOMEM;
 		return -1;
@@ -1203,6 +1207,15 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 	eal_hugedirs_unlock();
 
 	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
+		rte_errno = ENODEV;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+
+	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_populate() < 0) {
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
 		rte_errno = ENODEV;
 		return -1;
diff --git a/lib/eal/windows/eal.c b/lib/eal/windows/eal.c
index e7d405b91c..033825c14c 100644
--- a/lib/eal/windows/eal.c
+++ b/lib/eal/windows/eal.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <rte_debug.h>
 #include <rte_bus.h>
 #include <rte_eal.h>
+#include <rte_eal_memconfig.h>
 #include <eal_memcfg.h>
 #include <rte_errno.h>
 #include <rte_lcore.h>
@@ -387,13 +388,25 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_lock();
+
 	if (rte_eal_memory_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init memory");
 		rte_errno = ENOMEM;
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_init() < 0) {
+		rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
+		rte_errno = ENODEV;
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	rte_mcfg_mem_read_unlock();
+
+	if (rte_eal_malloc_heap_populate() < 0) {
 		rte_eal_init_alert("Cannot init malloc heap");
 		rte_errno = ENODEV;
 		return -1;
