diff --git a/app/test/test_distributor.c b/app/test/test_distributor.c
index ce06436..9e8c06d 100644
--- a/app/test/test_distributor.c
+++ b/app/test/test_distributor.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ sanity_test(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 	/* now set all hash values in all buffers to zero, so all pkts go to the
 	 * one worker thread */
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = 0;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = 0;
 
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, BURST);
 	rte_distributor_flush(d);
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ sanity_test(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 	if (rte_lcore_count() >= 3) {
 		clear_packet_count();
 		for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-			bufs[i]->hash.rss = (i & 1) << 8;
+			bufs[i]->hash.usr = (i & 1) << 8;
 
 		rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, BURST);
 		rte_distributor_flush(d);
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ sanity_test(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 	 * so load gets distributed */
 	clear_packet_count();
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = i;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = i;
 
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, BURST);
 	rte_distributor_flush(d);
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ sanity_test(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 		return -1;
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < BIG_BATCH; i++)
-		many_bufs[i]->hash.rss = i << 2;
+		many_bufs[i]->hash.usr = i << 2;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < BIG_BATCH/BURST; i++) {
 		rte_distributor_process(d, &many_bufs[i*BURST], BURST);
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ sanity_test_with_mbuf_alloc(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 		while (rte_mempool_get_bulk(p, (void *)bufs, BURST) < 0)
 			rte_distributor_process(d, NULL, 0);
 		for (j = 0; j < BURST; j++) {
-			bufs[j]->hash.rss = (i+j) << 1;
+			bufs[j]->hash.usr = (i+j) << 1;
 			rte_mbuf_refcnt_set(bufs[j], 1);
 		}
 
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ sanity_test_with_worker_shutdown(struct rte_distributor *d,
 	/* now set all hash values in all buffers to zero, so all pkts go to the
 	 * one worker thread */
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = 0;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = 0;
 
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, BURST);
 	/* at this point, we will have processed some packets and have a full
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ sanity_test_with_worker_shutdown(struct rte_distributor *d,
 		return -1;
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = 0;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = 0;
 
 	/* get worker zero to quit */
 	zero_quit = 1;
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ test_flush_with_worker_shutdown(struct rte_distributor *d,
 	/* now set all hash values in all buffers to zero, so all pkts go to the
 	 * one worker thread */
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = 0;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = 0;
 
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, BURST);
 	/* at this point, we will have processed some packets and have a full
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ quit_workers(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 	zero_quit = 0;
 	quit = 1;
 	for (i = 0; i < num_workers; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = i << 1;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = i << 1;
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, num_workers);
 
 	rte_mempool_put_bulk(p, (void *)bufs, num_workers);
diff --git a/app/test/test_distributor_perf.c b/app/test/test_distributor_perf.c
index b04864c..48ee344 100644
--- a/app/test/test_distributor_perf.c
+++ b/app/test/test_distributor_perf.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ perf_test(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 	}
 	/* ensure we have different hash value for each pkt */
 	for (i = 0; i < BURST; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = i;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = i;
 
 	start = rte_rdtsc();
 	for (i = 0; i < (1<<ITER_POWER); i++)
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ quit_workers(struct rte_distributor *d, struct rte_mempool *p)
 
 	quit = 1;
 	for (i = 0; i < num_workers; i++)
-		bufs[i]->hash.rss = i << 1;
+		bufs[i]->hash.usr = i << 1;
 	rte_distributor_process(d, bufs, num_workers);
 
 	rte_mempool_put_bulk(p, (void *)bufs, num_workers);
diff --git a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
index 656ee5c..3dfec4a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
+++ b/lib/librte_distributor/rte_distributor.c
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ rte_distributor_process(struct rte_distributor *d,
 			 * use the zero-value to indicate that no packet is
 			 * being processed by a worker.
 			 */
-			new_tag = (next_mb->hash.rss | 1);
+			new_tag = (next_mb->hash.usr | 1);
 
 			uint32_t match = 0;
 			unsigned i;
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
index e8f9bfc..f5f8658 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ struct rte_mbuf {
 			uint16_t id;
 		} fdir;           /**< Filter identifier if FDIR enabled */
 		uint32_t sched;   /**< Hierarchical scheduler */
+		uint32_t usr;	  /**< User defined tags. See @rte_distributor_process */
 	} hash;                   /**< hash information */
 
 	/* second cache line - fields only used in slow path or on TX */
