diff --git a/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx.c
index 343dabc64..1ee5cbb50 100644
--- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_rxtx.c
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ static inline void enic_free_wq_bufs(struct vnic_wq *wq, u16 completed_index)
 	pool = ((struct rte_mbuf *)buf->mb)->pool;
 	for (i = 0; i < nb_to_free; i++) {
 		buf = &wq->bufs[tail_idx];
-		m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg((struct rte_mbuf *)(buf->mb));
+		m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg((struct rte_mbuf *)(buf->mb));
 		buf->mb = NULL;
 
 		if (unlikely(m == NULL)) {
diff --git a/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx.c
index 144e5e6b1..c9bb04a0e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx.c
@@ -434,12 +434,12 @@ static inline void tx_free_bulk_mbuf(struct rte_mbuf **txep, int num)
 	if (unlikely(num == 0))
 		return;
 
-	m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0]);
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0]);
 	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		free[0] = m;
 		nb_free = 1;
 		for (i = 1; i < num; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
 			if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 				if (likely(m->pool == free[0]->pool))
 					free[nb_free++] = m;
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ static inline void tx_free_bulk_mbuf(struct rte_mbuf **txep, int num)
 		rte_mempool_put_bulk(free[0]->pool, (void **)free, nb_free);
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < num; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
 			if (m != NULL)
 				rte_mempool_put(m->pool, m);
 			txep[i] = NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx_vec.c b/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx_vec.c
index 27f3e43ff..825e3c125 100644
--- a/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx_vec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/fm10k/fm10k_rxtx_vec.c
@@ -754,12 +754,12 @@ fm10k_tx_free_bufs(struct fm10k_tx_queue *txq)
 	 * next_dd - (rs_thresh-1)
 	 */
 	txep = &txq->sw_ring[txq->next_dd - (n - 1)];
-	m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0]);
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0]);
 	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		free[0] = m;
 		nb_free = 1;
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
 			if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 				if (likely(m->pool == free[0]->pool))
 					free[nb_free++] = m;
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ fm10k_tx_free_bufs(struct fm10k_tx_queue *txq)
 		rte_mempool_put_bulk(free[0]->pool, (void **)free, nb_free);
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i]);
 			if (m != NULL)
 				rte_mempool_put(m->pool, m);
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx_vec_common.h b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx_vec_common.h
index 374555896..76031fe2c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx_vec_common.h
+++ b/drivers/net/i40e/i40e_rxtx_vec_common.h
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ i40e_tx_free_bufs(struct i40e_tx_queue *txq)
 	  * tx_next_dd - (tx_rs_thresh-1)
 	  */
 	txep = &txq->sw_ring[txq->tx_next_dd - (n - 1)];
-	m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0].mbuf);
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0].mbuf);
 	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		free[0] = m;
 		nb_free = 1;
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
 			if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 				if (likely(m->pool == free[0]->pool)) {
 					free[nb_free++] = m;
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ i40e_tx_free_bufs(struct i40e_tx_queue *txq)
 		rte_mempool_put_bulk(free[0]->pool, (void **)free, nb_free);
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
 			if (m != NULL)
 				rte_mempool_put(m->pool, m);
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
index 52e5c9737..879e215f6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ ixgbe_tx_free_bufs(struct ixgbe_tx_queue *txq)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < txq->tx_rs_thresh; ++i, ++txep) {
 		/* free buffers one at a time */
-		m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep->mbuf);
+		m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep->mbuf);
 		txep->mbuf = NULL;
 
 		if (unlikely(m == NULL))
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx_vec_common.h b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx_vec_common.h
index a3473b985..a83afe520 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx_vec_common.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/ixgbe_rxtx_vec_common.h
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ ixgbe_tx_free_bufs(struct ixgbe_tx_queue *txq)
 	 * tx_next_dd - (tx_rs_thresh-1)
 	 */
 	txep = &txq->sw_ring_v[txq->tx_next_dd - (n - 1)];
-	m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0].mbuf);
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[0].mbuf);
 	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		free[0] = m;
 		nb_free = 1;
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
 			if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 				if (likely(m->pool == free[0]->pool))
 					free[nb_free++] = m;
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ ixgbe_tx_free_bufs(struct ixgbe_tx_queue *txq)
 		rte_mempool_put_bulk(free[0]->pool, (void **)free, nb_free);
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < n; i++) {
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(txep[i].mbuf);
 			if (m != NULL)
 				rte_mempool_put(m->pool, m);
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.h
index b08f85948..f531c5428 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.h
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@ virtio_xmit_cleanup(struct virtqueue *vq)
 	desc_idx = (uint16_t)(vq->vq_used_cons_idx &
 		   ((vq->vq_nentries >> 1) - 1));
 	m = (struct rte_mbuf *)vq->vq_descx[desc_idx++].cookie;
-	m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
 	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		free[0] = m;
 		nb_free = 1;
 		for (i = 1; i < VIRTIO_TX_FREE_NR; i++) {
 			m = (struct rte_mbuf *)vq->vq_descx[desc_idx++].cookie;
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
 			if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 				if (likely(m->pool == free[0]->pool))
 					free[nb_free++] = m;
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ virtio_xmit_cleanup(struct virtqueue *vq)
 	} else {
 		for (i = 1; i < VIRTIO_TX_FREE_NR; i++) {
 			m = (struct rte_mbuf *)vq->vq_descx[desc_idx++].cookie;
-			m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
+			m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
 			if (m != NULL)
 				rte_mempool_put(m->pool, m);
 		}
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
index fd5d32a2c..e15378567 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf.h
@@ -1220,8 +1220,23 @@ static inline void rte_pktmbuf_detach(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 		__rte_mbuf_raw_free(md);
 }
 
-static inline struct rte_mbuf* __attribute__((always_inline))
-__rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
+/**
+ * Decrease reference counter and unlink a mbuf segment
+ *
+ * This function does the same than a free, except that it does not
+ * return the segment to its pool.
+ * It decreases the reference counter, and if it reaches 0, it is
+ * detached from its parent for an indirect mbuf.
+ *
+ * @param m
+ *   The mbuf to be unlinked
+ * @return
+ *   - (m) if it is the last reference. It can be recycled or freed.
+ *   - (NULL) if the mbuf still has remaining references on it.
+ */
+__attribute__((always_inline))
+static inline struct rte_mbuf *
+rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 {
 	__rte_mbuf_sanity_check(m, 0);
 
@@ -1234,6 +1249,14 @@ __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+/* deprecated, replaced by rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg() */
+__rte_deprecated
+static inline struct rte_mbuf *
+__rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
+{
+	return rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
+}
+
 /**
  * Free a segment of a packet mbuf into its original mempool.
  *
@@ -1246,7 +1269,8 @@ __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 static inline void __attribute__((always_inline))
 rte_pktmbuf_free_seg(struct rte_mbuf *m)
 {
-	if (likely(NULL != (m = __rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m)))) {
+	m = rte_pktmbuf_prefree_seg(m);
+	if (likely(m != NULL)) {
 		m->next = NULL;
 		__rte_mbuf_raw_free(m);
 	}
