diff --git a/examples/multi_process/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/Makefile
index 7f7e68d912..f0a999745a 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/Makefile
@@ -1,18 +1,7 @@
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
-# Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
+subdirs := client_server_mp hotplug_mp simple_mp symmetric_mp
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
+.PHONY: all static shared clean $(subdirs)
+all static shared clean: $(subdirs)
 
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
-
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += client_server_mp
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += simple_mp
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += symmetric_mp
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += hotplug_mp
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extsubdir.mk
+$(subdirs):
+	$(MAKE) -C $@ $(MAKECMDGOALS)
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/Makefile
index fe7a8af605..e8debdfd9a 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/Makefile
@@ -1,16 +1,7 @@
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
-# Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
+subdirs := mp_client mp_server
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
+.PHONY: all static shared clean $(subdirs)
+all static shared clean: $(subdirs)
 
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
-
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += mp_client
-DIRS-$(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX) += mp_server
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extsubdir.mk
+$(subdirs):
+	$(MAKE) -C $@ $(MAKECMDGOALS)
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_client/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_client/Makefile
index 7c447feba3..b723e545b7 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_client/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_client/Makefile
@@ -1,21 +1,43 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
-
-# Default target, can be overridden by command line or environment
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
-
 # binary name
 APP = mp_client
 
 # all source are stored in SRCS-y
 SRCS-y := client.c
 
-CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS) -O3
-CFLAGS += -I$(SRCDIR)/../shared
-CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
+CFLAGS += -I../shared
+
+# Build using pkg-config variables if possible
+ifneq ($(shell pkg-config --exists libdpdk && echo 0),0)
+$(error "no installation of DPDK found")
+endif
+
+all: shared
+.PHONY: shared static
+shared: build/$(APP)-shared
+	ln -sf $(APP)-shared build/$(APP)
+static: build/$(APP)-static
+	ln -sf $(APP)-static build/$(APP)
+
+PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+
+PC_FILE := $(shell $(PKGCONF) --path libdpdk 2>/dev/null)
+CFLAGS += -O3 $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
+
+build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)
+
+build/$(APP)-static: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_STATIC)
+
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extapp.mk
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -f build/$(APP) build/$(APP)-static build/$(APP)-shared
+	test -d build && rmdir -p build || true
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_server/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_server/Makefile
index 50ebf1d7da..f49260a256 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_server/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/client_server_mp/mp_server/Makefile
@@ -1,34 +1,43 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
+# binary name
+APP = mp_server
 
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
+# all source are stored in SRCS-y
+SRCS-y := main.c init.c args.c
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
+CFLAGS += -I../shared
 
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_RTE_EXEC_ENV_LINUX),y)
-$(error This application can only operate in a linux environment, \
-please change the definition of the RTE_TARGET environment variable)
+# Build using pkg-config variables if possible
+ifneq ($(shell pkg-config --exists libdpdk && echo 0),0)
+$(error "no installation of DPDK found")
 endif
 
-# binary name
-APP = mp_server
+all: shared
+.PHONY: shared static
+shared: build/$(APP)-shared
+	ln -sf $(APP)-shared build/$(APP)
+static: build/$(APP)-static
+	ln -sf $(APP)-static build/$(APP)
 
-# all source are stored in SRCS-y
-SRCS-y := main.c init.c args.c
+PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+
+PC_FILE := $(shell $(PKGCONF) --path libdpdk 2>/dev/null)
+CFLAGS += -O3 $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
 
-INC := $(sort $(wildcard *.h))
+build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)
 
-CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
-CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS) -O3
-CFLAGS += -I$(SRCDIR)/../shared
+build/$(APP)-static: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_STATIC)
 
-# for newer gcc, e.g. 4.4, no-strict-aliasing may not be necessary
-# and so the next line can be removed in those cases.
-EXTRA_CFLAGS += -fno-strict-aliasing
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extapp.mk
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -f build/$(APP) build/$(APP)-static build/$(APP)-shared
+	test -d build && rmdir -p build || true
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/hotplug_mp/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/hotplug_mp/Makefile
index 1fd7aa085c..2c023a73d8 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/hotplug_mp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/hotplug_mp/Makefile
@@ -1,14 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
-# Copyright(c) 2018 Intel Corporation
-
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
-
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
+# Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
 
 # binary name
 APP = hotplug_mp
@@ -16,8 +7,35 @@ APP = hotplug_mp
 # all source are stored in SRCS-y
 SRCS-y := main.c commands.c
 
-CFLAGS += -O3
-CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
-CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
+# Build using pkg-config variables if possible
+ifneq ($(shell pkg-config --exists libdpdk && echo 0),0)
+$(error "no installation of DPDK found")
+endif
+
+all: shared
+.PHONY: shared static
+shared: build/$(APP)-shared
+	ln -sf $(APP)-shared build/$(APP)
+static: build/$(APP)-static
+	ln -sf $(APP)-static build/$(APP)
+
+PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+
+PC_FILE := $(shell $(PKGCONF) --path libdpdk 2>/dev/null)
+CFLAGS += -O3 $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
+
+build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)
+
+build/$(APP)-static: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_STATIC)
+
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extapp.mk
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -f build/$(APP) build/$(APP)-static build/$(APP)-shared
+	test -d build && rmdir -p build || true
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/simple_mp/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/simple_mp/Makefile
index f88b499bdc..410f8b5368 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/simple_mp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/simple_mp/Makefile
@@ -1,23 +1,41 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
-
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
-
 # binary name
 APP = simple_mp
 
 # all source are stored in SRCS-y
 SRCS-y := main.c mp_commands.c
 
-CFLAGS += -O3
-CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
-CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
+# Build using pkg-config variables if possible
+ifneq ($(shell pkg-config --exists libdpdk && echo 0),0)
+$(error "no installation of DPDK found")
+endif
+
+all: shared
+.PHONY: shared static
+shared: build/$(APP)-shared
+	ln -sf $(APP)-shared build/$(APP)
+static: build/$(APP)-static
+	ln -sf $(APP)-static build/$(APP)
+
+PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+
+PC_FILE := $(shell $(PKGCONF) --path libdpdk 2>/dev/null)
+CFLAGS += -O3 $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
+
+build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)
+
+build/$(APP)-static: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_STATIC)
+
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extapp.mk
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -f build/$(APP) build/$(APP)-static build/$(APP)-shared
+	test -d build && rmdir -p build || true
diff --git a/examples/multi_process/symmetric_mp/Makefile b/examples/multi_process/symmetric_mp/Makefile
index b7544489bb..df69ecabe7 100644
--- a/examples/multi_process/symmetric_mp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/multi_process/symmetric_mp/Makefile
@@ -1,23 +1,41 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright(c) 2010-2014 Intel Corporation
 
-ifeq ($(RTE_SDK),)
-$(error "Please define RTE_SDK environment variable")
-endif
-
-# Default target, detect a build directory, by looking for a path with a .config
-RTE_TARGET ?= $(notdir $(abspath $(dir $(firstword $(wildcard $(RTE_SDK)/*/.config)))))
-
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.vars.mk
-
 # binary name
 APP = symmetric_mp
 
 # all source are stored in SRCS-y
 SRCS-y := main.c
 
-CFLAGS += -O3
-CFLAGS += $(WERROR_FLAGS)
-CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
+# Build using pkg-config variables if possible
+ifneq ($(shell pkg-config --exists libdpdk && echo 0),0)
+$(error "no installation of DPDK found")
+endif
+
+all: shared
+.PHONY: shared static
+shared: build/$(APP)-shared
+	ln -sf $(APP)-shared build/$(APP)
+static: build/$(APP)-static
+	ln -sf $(APP)-static build/$(APP)
+
+PKGCONF ?= pkg-config
+
+PC_FILE := $(shell $(PKGCONF) --path libdpdk 2>/dev/null)
+CFLAGS += -O3 $(shell $(PKGCONF) --cflags libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
+LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
+
+build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)
+
+build/$(APP)-static: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_STATIC)
+
+build:
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
-include $(RTE_SDK)/mk/rte.extapp.mk
+.PHONY: clean
+clean:
+	rm -f build/$(APP) build/$(APP)-static build/$(APP)-shared
+	test -d build && rmdir -p build || true
