diff --git a/drivers/net/tap/tap_flow.c b/drivers/net/tap/tap_flow.c
index a9a55e439e..efe66fe059 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tap/tap_flow.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tap/tap_flow.c
@@ -1682,7 +1682,7 @@ int tap_flow_implicit_create(struct pmd_internals *pmd,
 	struct rte_flow_item *items = implicit_rte_flows[idx].items;
 	struct rte_flow_attr *attr = &implicit_rte_flows[idx].attr;
 	struct rte_flow_item_eth eth_local = { .type = 0 };
-	uint16_t if_index = pmd->remote_if_index;
+	unsigned int if_index = pmd->remote_if_index;
 	struct rte_flow *remote_flow = NULL;
 	struct nlmsg *msg = NULL;
 	int err = 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.c b/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.c
index b478b5951e..a3aae3c814 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct qdisc {
 
 struct list_args {
 	int nlsk_fd;
-	uint16_t ifindex;
+	unsigned int ifindex;
 	void *custom_arg;
 };
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ struct qdisc_custom_arg {
  *   Overrides the default netlink flags for this msg with those specified.
  */
 void
-tc_init_msg(struct nlmsg *msg, uint16_t ifindex, uint16_t type, uint16_t flags)
+tc_init_msg(struct nlmsg *msg, unsigned int ifindex, uint16_t type, uint16_t flags)
 {
 	struct nlmsghdr *n = &msg->nh;
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ tc_init_msg(struct nlmsg *msg, uint16_t ifindex, uint16_t type, uint16_t flags)
  *   0 on success, -1 otherwise with errno set.
  */
 static int
-qdisc_del(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex, struct qdisc *qinfo)
+qdisc_del(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex, struct qdisc *qinfo)
 {
 	struct nlmsg msg;
 	int fd = 0;
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ qdisc_del(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex, struct qdisc *qinfo)
  *   0 on success, -1 otherwise with errno set.
  */
 int
-qdisc_add_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
+qdisc_add_multiq(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex)
 {
 	struct tc_multiq_qopt opt = {0};
 	struct nlmsg msg;
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ qdisc_add_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
  *   0 on success, -1 otherwise with errno set.
  */
 int
-qdisc_add_ingress(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
+qdisc_add_ingress(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex)
 {
 	struct nlmsg msg;
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ qdisc_del_cb(struct nlmsghdr *nh, void *arg)
  *   0 on success, -1 otherwise with errno set.
  */
 static int
-qdisc_iterate(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex,
+qdisc_iterate(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex,
 	      int (*callback)(struct nlmsghdr *, void *), void *arg)
 {
 	struct nlmsg msg;
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ qdisc_iterate(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex,
  *   0 on success, -1 otherwise with errno set.
  */
 int
-qdisc_flush(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
+qdisc_flush(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex)
 {
 	return qdisc_iterate(nlsk_fd, ifindex, qdisc_del_cb, NULL);
 }
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ qdisc_flush(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
  *   Return -1 otherwise.
  */
 int
-qdisc_create_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
+qdisc_create_multiq(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ qdisc_create_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
  *   Return -1 otherwise.
  */
 int
-qdisc_create_ingress(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex)
+qdisc_create_ingress(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.h b/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.h
index 8cedea8462..a64cb29d6f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.h
+++ b/drivers/net/tap/tap_tcmsgs.h
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@
 
 #define MULTIQ_MAJOR_HANDLE (1 << 16)
 
-void tc_init_msg(struct nlmsg *msg, uint16_t ifindex, uint16_t type,
+void tc_init_msg(struct nlmsg *msg, unsigned int ifindex, uint16_t type,
 		 uint16_t flags);
-int qdisc_list(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int qdisc_flush(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int qdisc_create_ingress(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int qdisc_create_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int qdisc_add_ingress(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int qdisc_add_multiq(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
-int filter_list_ingress(int nlsk_fd, uint16_t ifindex);
+int qdisc_list(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int qdisc_flush(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int qdisc_create_ingress(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int qdisc_create_multiq(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int qdisc_add_ingress(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int qdisc_add_multiq(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
+int filter_list_ingress(int nlsk_fd, unsigned int ifindex);
 
 #endif /* _TAP_TCMSGS_H_ */
