diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
index d395fc1676..bf3da4340f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
@@ -885,11 +885,11 @@ static uint32_t
 virtio_user_handle_ctrl_msg_split(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, struct vring *vring,
 			    uint16_t idx_hdr)
 {
-	struct virtio_net_ctrl_hdr *hdr;
 	virtio_net_ctrl_ack status = ~0;
-	uint16_t i, idx_data, idx_status;
+	uint16_t i, idx_data;
 	uint32_t n_descs = 0;
 	int dlen[CVQ_MAX_DATA_DESCS], nb_dlen = 0;
+	struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *ctrl;
 
 	/* locate desc for header, data, and status */
 	idx_data = vring->desc[idx_hdr].next;
@@ -902,34 +902,33 @@ virtio_user_handle_ctrl_msg_split(struct virtio_user_dev *dev, struct vring *vri
 		n_descs++;
 	}
 
-	/* locate desc for status */
-	idx_status = i;
 	n_descs++;
 
-	hdr = (void *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_hdr].addr;
-	if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
-	    hdr->cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_VQ_PAIRS_SET) {
-		uint16_t queues;
+	/* Access control command via VA from CVQ */
+	ctrl = (struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *)dev->hw.cvq->hdr_mz->addr;
+	if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
+	    ctrl->hdr.cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_VQ_PAIRS_SET) {
+		uint16_t *queues;
 
-		queues = *(uint16_t *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_data].addr;
-		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, queues);
-	} else if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ && hdr->cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_RSS_CONFIG) {
+		queues = (uint16_t *)ctrl->data;
+		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, *queues);
+	} else if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
+		   ctrl->hdr.cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_RSS_CONFIG) {
 		struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *rss;
 
-		rss = (struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_data].addr;
+		rss = (struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *)ctrl->data;
 		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, rss->max_tx_vq);
-	} else if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_RX  ||
-		   hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MAC ||
-		   hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_VLAN) {
+	} else if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_RX  ||
+		   ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MAC ||
+		   ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_VLAN) {
 		status = 0;
 	}
 
 	if (!status && dev->scvq)
-		status = virtio_send_command(&dev->scvq->cq,
-				(struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *)hdr, dlen, nb_dlen);
+		status = virtio_send_command(&dev->scvq->cq, ctrl, dlen, nb_dlen);
 
 	/* Update status */
-	*(virtio_net_ctrl_ack *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_status].addr = status;
+	ctrl->status = status;
 
 	return n_descs;
 }
@@ -948,7 +947,7 @@ virtio_user_handle_ctrl_msg_packed(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 				   struct vring_packed *vring,
 				   uint16_t idx_hdr)
 {
-	struct virtio_net_ctrl_hdr *hdr;
+	struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *ctrl;
 	virtio_net_ctrl_ack status = ~0;
 	uint16_t idx_data, idx_status;
 	/* initialize to one, header is first */
@@ -971,32 +970,31 @@ virtio_user_handle_ctrl_msg_packed(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 		n_descs++;
 	}
 
-	hdr = (void *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_hdr].addr;
-	if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
-	    hdr->cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_VQ_PAIRS_SET) {
-		uint16_t queues;
+	/* Access control command via VA from CVQ */
+	ctrl = (struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *)dev->hw.cvq->hdr_mz->addr;
+	if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
+	    ctrl->hdr.cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_VQ_PAIRS_SET) {
+		uint16_t *queues;
 
-		queues = *(uint16_t *)(uintptr_t)
-				vring->desc[idx_data].addr;
-		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, queues);
-	} else if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ && hdr->cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_RSS_CONFIG) {
+		queues = (uint16_t *)ctrl->data;
+		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, *queues);
+	} else if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ &&
+		   ctrl->hdr.cmd == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MQ_RSS_CONFIG) {
 		struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *rss;
 
-		rss = (struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *)(uintptr_t)vring->desc[idx_data].addr;
+		rss = (struct virtio_net_ctrl_rss *)ctrl->data;
 		status = virtio_user_handle_mq(dev, rss->max_tx_vq);
-	} else if (hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_RX  ||
-		   hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MAC ||
-		   hdr->class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_VLAN) {
+	} else if (ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_RX  ||
+		   ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_MAC ||
+		   ctrl->hdr.class == VIRTIO_NET_CTRL_VLAN) {
 		status = 0;
 	}
 
 	if (!status && dev->scvq)
-		status = virtio_send_command(&dev->scvq->cq,
-				(struct virtio_pmd_ctrl *)hdr, dlen, nb_dlen);
+		status = virtio_send_command(&dev->scvq->cq, ctrl, dlen, nb_dlen);
 
 	/* Update status */
-	*(virtio_net_ctrl_ack *)(uintptr_t)
-		vring->desc[idx_status].addr = status;
+	ctrl->status = status;
 
 	/* Update used descriptor */
 	vring->desc[idx_hdr].id = vring->desc[idx_status].id;
