diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_config.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_config.c
index 56d09dda7..33e5a076a 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_config.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_config.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ static struct rte_config rte_config = {
 };
 
 /* platform-specific runtime dir */
-static char runtime_dir[PATH_MAX];
+static char runtime_dir[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 
 /* internal configuration */
 static struct internal_config internal_config;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_fbarray.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_fbarray.c
index d974f3dab..c21b8ec66 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_fbarray.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_fbarray.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ get_used_mask(void *data, unsigned int elt_sz, unsigned int len)
 static int
 resize_and_map(int fd, void *addr, size_t len)
 {
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	char path[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	void *map_addr;
 
 	if (eal_file_truncate(fd, len)) {
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ rte_fbarray_init(struct rte_fbarray *arr, const char *name, unsigned int len,
 		unsigned int elt_sz)
 {
 	size_t page_sz, mmap_len;
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	char path[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	struct used_mask *msk;
 	struct mem_area *ma = NULL;
 	void *data = NULL;
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ rte_fbarray_attach(struct rte_fbarray *arr)
 {
 	struct mem_area *ma = NULL, *tmp = NULL;
 	size_t page_sz, mmap_len;
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	char path[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	void *data = NULL;
 	int fd = -1;
 
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ rte_fbarray_destroy(struct rte_fbarray *arr)
 	struct mem_area *tmp = NULL;
 	size_t mmap_len;
 	int fd, ret;
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
+	char path[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	const struct internal_config *internal_conf =
 		eal_get_internal_configuration();
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
index 3612ad441..bad389903 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_options.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ TAILQ_HEAD(shared_driver_list, shared_driver);
 struct shared_driver {
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(shared_driver) next;
 
-	char    name[PATH_MAX];
+	char    name[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	void*   lib_handle;
 };
 
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ eal_plugin_add(const char *path)
 		return -1;
 	}
 	memset(solib, 0, sizeof(*solib));
-	strlcpy(solib->name, path, PATH_MAX);
+	strlcpy(solib->name, path, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&solib_list, solib, next);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ eal_plugindir_init(const char *path)
 {
 	DIR *d = NULL;
 	struct dirent *dent = NULL;
-	char sopath[PATH_MAX];
+	char sopath[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 
 	if (path == NULL || *path == '\0')
 		return 0;
@@ -430,16 +430,16 @@ verify_perms(const char *dirpath)
 
 	/* if not root, check down one level first */
 	if (strcmp(dirpath, "/") != 0) {
-		static __thread char last_dir_checked[PATH_MAX];
-		char copy[PATH_MAX];
+		static __thread char last_dir_checked[RTE_PATH_MAX];
+		char copy[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 		const char *dir;
 
-		strlcpy(copy, dirpath, PATH_MAX);
+		strlcpy(copy, dirpath, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 		dir = dirname(copy);
-		if (strncmp(dir, last_dir_checked, PATH_MAX) != 0) {
+		if (strncmp(dir, last_dir_checked, RTE_PATH_MAX) != 0) {
 			if (verify_perms(dir) != 0)
 				return -1;
-			strlcpy(last_dir_checked, dir, PATH_MAX);
+			strlcpy(last_dir_checked, dir, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -477,8 +477,8 @@ eal_dlopen(const char *pathname)
 				pathname, strerror(errno));
 		goto out;
 	}
-	if (strnlen(realp, PATH_MAX) == PATH_MAX) {
-		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Error, driver path greater than PATH_MAX\n");
+	if (strnlen(realp, RTE_PATH_MAX) == RTE_PATH_MAX) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL, "Error, driver path greater than RTE_PATH_MAX\n");
 		goto out;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_trace_utils.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_trace_utils.c
index d541a5ea9..6b81fdeec 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_trace_utils.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_trace_utils.c
@@ -369,11 +369,11 @@ trace_mkdir(void)
 static int
 trace_meta_save(struct trace *trace)
 {
-	char file_name[PATH_MAX];
+	char file_name[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	FILE *f;
 	int rc;
 
-	rc = snprintf(file_name, PATH_MAX, "%s/metadata", trace->dir);
+	rc = snprintf(file_name, RTE_PATH_MAX, "%s/metadata", trace->dir);
 	if (rc < 0)
 		return rc;
 
@@ -400,11 +400,12 @@ static int
 trace_mem_save(struct trace *trace, struct __rte_trace_header *hdr,
 		uint32_t cnt)
 {
-	char file_name[PATH_MAX];
+	char file_name[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	FILE *f;
 	int rc;
 
-	rc = snprintf(file_name, PATH_MAX, "%s/channel0_%d", trace->dir, cnt);
+	rc = snprintf(file_name, RTE_PATH_MAX, "%s/channel0_%d",
+		trace->dir, cnt);
 	if (rc < 0)
 		return rc;
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_filesystem.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_filesystem.h
index 5d21f07c2..d28a9b23d 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_filesystem.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_filesystem.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ eal_get_hugefile_prefix(void);
 static inline const char *
 eal_runtime_config_path(void)
 {
-	static char buffer[PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
+	static char buffer[RTE_PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
 
 	snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s", rte_eal_get_runtime_dir(),
 			RUNTIME_CONFIG_FNAME);
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ eal_runtime_config_path(void)
 static inline const char *
 eal_mp_socket_path(void)
 {
-	static char buffer[PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
+	static char buffer[RTE_PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
 
 	snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s", rte_eal_get_runtime_dir(),
 			MP_SOCKET_FNAME);
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ eal_get_fbarray_path(char *buffer, size_t buflen, const char *name) {
 static inline const char *
 eal_hugepage_info_path(void)
 {
-	static char buffer[PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
+	static char buffer[RTE_PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
 
 	snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s", rte_eal_get_runtime_dir(),
 			HUGEPAGE_INFO_FNAME);
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ eal_hugepage_info_path(void)
 static inline const char *
 eal_hugepage_data_path(void)
 {
-	static char buffer[PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
+	static char buffer[RTE_PATH_MAX]; /* static so auto-zeroed */
 
 	snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s/%s", rte_eal_get_runtime_dir(),
 			HUGEPAGE_DATA_FNAME);
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_hugepages.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_hugepages.h
index 1b560d337..02b324ed1 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_hugepages.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_hugepages.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 
-#define MAX_HUGEPAGE_PATH PATH_MAX
+#define MAX_HUGEPAGE_PATH RTE_PATH_MAX
 
 /**
  * Structure used to store information about hugepages that we mapped
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_internal_cfg.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_internal_cfg.h
index 51dbe86e2..c8ea3b8fc 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_internal_cfg.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_internal_cfg.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
  */
 struct hugepage_info {
 	uint64_t hugepage_sz;   /**< size of a huge page */
-	char hugedir[PATH_MAX];    /**< dir where hugetlbfs is mounted */
+	char hugedir[RTE_PATH_MAX];    /**< dir where hugetlbfs is mounted */
 	uint32_t num_pages[RTE_MAX_NUMA_NODES];
 	/**< number of hugepages of that size on each socket */
 	int lock_descriptor;    /**< file descriptor for hugepage dir */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_trace.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_trace.h
index 06751eb23..ab915eb10 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_trace.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_trace.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ struct trace_arg {
 };
 
 struct trace {
-	char dir[PATH_MAX];
+	char dir[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 	int dir_offset;
 	int register_errno;
 	bool status;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/include/rte_os.h b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/include/rte_os.h
index eeb750cd8..b37d59b5e 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/include/rte_os.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/include/rte_os.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #include <pthread_np.h>
 
+#define RTE_PATH_MAX PATH_MAX
+
 typedef cpuset_t rte_cpuset_t;
 #define RTE_CPU_AND(dst, src1, src2) do \
 { \
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/include/rte_os.h b/lib/librte_eal/linux/include/rte_os.h
index 218d4fa86..af7d052d9 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/include/rte_os.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/include/rte_os.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #include <sched.h>
 
+#define RTE_PATH_MAX PATH_MAX
+
 typedef cpu_set_t rte_cpuset_t;
 #define RTE_CPU_AND(dst, src1, src2) CPU_AND(dst, src1, src2)
 #define RTE_CPU_OR(dst, src1, src2) CPU_OR(dst, src1, src2)
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/dirent.h b/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/dirent.h
index 869a59837..3a9a694f4 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/dirent.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/dirent.h
@@ -28,11 +28,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-/* Maximum length of file name */
-#if !defined(PATH_MAX)
-#   define PATH_MAX MAX_PATH
-#endif
-
 /* File type flags for d_type */
 #define DT_UNKNOWN 0
 #define DT_REG S_IFREG
@@ -67,7 +62,7 @@ struct _wdirent {
 	int d_type;
 
 	/* File name */
-	wchar_t d_name[PATH_MAX];
+	wchar_t d_name[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 };
 typedef struct _wdirent _wdirent;
 
@@ -113,7 +108,7 @@ struct dirent {
 	int d_type;
 
 	/* File name */
-	char d_name[PATH_MAX];
+	char d_name[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 };
 typedef struct dirent dirent;
 
@@ -388,12 +383,12 @@ opendir(const char *dirname)
 	/* Allocate memory for DIR structure */
 	dirp = (DIR *)malloc(sizeof(struct DIR));
 	if (dirp) {
-		wchar_t wname[PATH_MAX];
+		wchar_t wname[RTE_PATH_MAX];
 		size_t n;
 
 		/* Convert directory name to wide-character string */
-		error = dirent_mbstowcs_s(&n, wname, PATH_MAX,
-			dirname, PATH_MAX);
+		error = dirent_mbstowcs_s(&n, wname, RTE_PATH_MAX,
+			dirname, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 		if (!error) {
 
 			/* Open directory stream using wide-character name */
@@ -457,7 +452,7 @@ readdir(DIR *dirp)
 
 		/* Attempt to convert file name to multi-byte string */
 		error = dirent_wcstombs_s(&n, dirp->ent.d_name,
-			PATH_MAX, datap->cFileName, PATH_MAX);
+			RTE_PATH_MAX, datap->cFileName, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 
 		/*
 		 * If the file name cannot be represented by a multi-byte
@@ -472,8 +467,8 @@ readdir(DIR *dirp)
 		 */
 		if (error  &&  datap->cAlternateFileName[0] != '\0') {
 			error = dirent_wcstombs_s(
-				&n, dirp->ent.d_name, PATH_MAX,
-				datap->cAlternateFileName, PATH_MAX);
+				&n, dirp->ent.d_name, RTE_PATH_MAX,
+				datap->cAlternateFileName, RTE_PATH_MAX);
 		}
 
 		if (!error) {
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/rte_os.h b/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/rte_os.h
index 7ef38ff06..edca11bd2 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/rte_os.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/include/rte_os.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+#define RTE_PATH_MAX _MAX_PATH
+
 /* limits.h replacement, value as in <windows.h> */
 #ifndef PATH_MAX
 #define PATH_MAX _MAX_PATH
