diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_cpuflags.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_cpuflags.c
index 6fd360c..07c1e7b 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_cpuflags.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_cpuflags.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
  *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
  *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
+#define RTE_INSTANTIATE_CPU_FEATURES 1
 #include <rte_cpuflags.h>
 
 /*
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ rte_cpu_check_supported(void)
 			fprintf(stderr,
 			        "ERROR: This system does not support \"%s\".\n"
 			        "Please check that RTE_MACHINE is set correctly.\n",
-			        cpu_feature_table[compile_time_flags[i]].name);
+			        rte_cpu_feature_table[compile_time_flags[i]].name);
 			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/ppc_64/rte_cpuflags.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/ppc_64/rte_cpuflags.h
index df45047..3dfa6d2 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/ppc_64/rte_cpuflags.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/ppc_64/rte_cpuflags.h
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "generic/rte_cpuflags.h"
-
 /* Symbolic values for the entries in the auxiliary table */
 #define AT_HWCAP  16
 #define AT_HWCAP2 26
@@ -96,7 +94,10 @@ enum rte_cpu_flag_t {
 	RTE_CPUFLAG_NUMFLAGS,/**< This should always be the last! */
 };
 
-static const struct feature_entry cpu_feature_table[] = {
+#include "generic/rte_cpuflags.h"
+
+#ifdef RTE_INSTANTIATE_CPU_FEATURES
+const struct feature_entry rte_cpu_feature_table[] = {
 	FEAT_DEF(PPC_LE, 0x00000001, 0, REG_HWCAP,  0)
 	FEAT_DEF(TRUE_LE, 0x00000001, 0, REG_HWCAP,  1)
 	FEAT_DEF(PSERIES_PERFMON_COMPAT, 0x00000001, 0, REG_HWCAP,  6)
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ static const struct feature_entry cpu_feature_table[] = {
 	FEAT_DEF(HTM, 0x00000001, 0, REG_HWCAP2,  30)
 	FEAT_DEF(ARCH_2_07, 0x00000001, 0, REG_HWCAP2,  31)
 };
+#endif
 
 /*
  * Read AUXV software register and get cpu features for Power
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ rte_cpu_get_flag_enabled(enum rte_cpu_flag_t feature)
 		/* Flag does not match anything in the feature tables */
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	feat = &cpu_feature_table[feature];
+	feat = &rte_cpu_feature_table[feature];
 
 	if (!feat->leaf)
 		/* This entry in the table wasn't filled out! */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/x86/rte_cpuflags.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/x86/rte_cpuflags.h
index dd56553..a4a8d19 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/x86/rte_cpuflags.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/arch/x86/rte_cpuflags.h
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#include "generic/rte_cpuflags.h"
-
 enum rte_cpu_flag_t {
 	/* (EAX 01h) ECX features*/
 	RTE_CPUFLAG_SSE3 = 0,               /**< SSE3 */
@@ -157,7 +155,10 @@ enum cpu_register_t {
 	RTE_REG_EDX,
 };
 
-static const struct feature_entry cpu_feature_table[] = {
+#include "generic/rte_cpuflags.h"
+
+#ifdef RTE_INSTANTIATE_CPU_FEATURES
+const struct feature_entry rte_cpu_feature_table[] = {
 	FEAT_DEF(SSE3, 0x00000001, 0, RTE_REG_ECX,  0)
 	FEAT_DEF(PCLMULQDQ, 0x00000001, 0, RTE_REG_ECX,  1)
 	FEAT_DEF(DTES64, 0x00000001, 0, RTE_REG_ECX,  2)
@@ -250,6 +251,7 @@ static const struct feature_entry cpu_feature_table[] = {
 
 	FEAT_DEF(INVTSC, 0x80000007, 0, RTE_REG_EDX,  8)
 };
+#endif
 
 static inline void
 rte_cpu_get_features(uint32_t leaf, uint32_t subleaf, cpuid_registers_t out)
@@ -285,7 +287,7 @@ rte_cpu_get_flag_enabled(enum rte_cpu_flag_t feature)
 		/* Flag does not match anything in the feature tables */
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	feat = &cpu_feature_table[feature];
+	feat = &rte_cpu_feature_table[feature];
 
 	if (!feat->leaf)
 		/* This entry in the table wasn't filled out! */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/generic/rte_cpuflags.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/generic/rte_cpuflags.h
index a04e021..760539f 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/generic/rte_cpuflags.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/generic/rte_cpuflags.h
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@
  * Architecture specific API to determine available CPU features at runtime.
  */
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -75,7 +79,7 @@ struct feature_entry {
 /**
  * An array that holds feature entries
  */
-static const struct feature_entry cpu_feature_table[];
+extern const struct feature_entry rte_cpu_feature_table[];
 
 /**
  * Execute CPUID instruction and get contents of a specific register
@@ -107,4 +111,8 @@ rte_cpu_get_flag_enabled(enum rte_cpu_flag_t feature);
 void
 rte_cpu_check_supported(void);
 
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
 #endif /* _RTE_CPUFLAGS_H_ */