diff --git a/drivers/event/dpaa2/dpaa2_eventdev_selftest.c b/drivers/event/dpaa2/dpaa2_eventdev_selftest.c
index cd7311a94..bbbd20951 100644
--- a/drivers/event/dpaa2/dpaa2_eventdev_selftest.c
+++ b/drivers/event/dpaa2/dpaa2_eventdev_selftest.c
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ wait_workers_to_join(int lcore, const rte_atomic32_t *count)
 	RTE_SET_USED(count);
 
 	print_cycles = cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
-	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(lcore) != FINISHED) {
+	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(lcore) != WAIT) {
 		uint64_t new_cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
 
 		if (new_cycles - print_cycles > rte_get_timer_hz()) {
diff --git a/drivers/event/octeontx/ssovf_evdev_selftest.c b/drivers/event/octeontx/ssovf_evdev_selftest.c
index 528f99dd8..d7b0d2211 100644
--- a/drivers/event/octeontx/ssovf_evdev_selftest.c
+++ b/drivers/event/octeontx/ssovf_evdev_selftest.c
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ wait_workers_to_join(int lcore, const rte_atomic32_t *count)
 	RTE_SET_USED(count);
 
 	print_cycles = cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
-	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(lcore) != FINISHED) {
+	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(lcore) != WAIT) {
 		uint64_t new_cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
 
 		if (new_cycles - print_cycles > rte_get_timer_hz()) {
diff --git a/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev_selftest.c b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev_selftest.c
index e4bfb3a0f..7847a8645 100644
--- a/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev_selftest.c
+++ b/drivers/event/sw/sw_evdev_selftest.c
@@ -3138,8 +3138,8 @@ worker_loopback(struct test *t, uint8_t disable_implicit_release)
 	rte_eal_remote_launch(worker_loopback_worker_fn, t, w_lcore);
 
 	print_cycles = cycles = rte_get_timer_cycles();
-	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(p_lcore) != FINISHED ||
-			rte_eal_get_lcore_state(w_lcore) != FINISHED) {
+	while (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(p_lcore) != WAIT ||
+			rte_eal_get_lcore_state(w_lcore) != WAIT) {
 
 		rte_service_run_iter_on_app_lcore(t->service_id, 1);
 
diff --git a/examples/l2fwd-keepalive/main.c b/examples/l2fwd-keepalive/main.c
index e4c2b2793..dd777c46a 100644
--- a/examples/l2fwd-keepalive/main.c
+++ b/examples/l2fwd-keepalive/main.c
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ dead_core(__rte_unused void *ptr_data, const int id_core)
 	if (terminate_signal_received)
 		return;
 	printf("Dead core %i - restarting..\n", id_core);
-	if (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(id_core) == FINISHED) {
+	if (rte_eal_get_lcore_state(id_core) == WAIT) {
 		rte_eal_wait_lcore(id_core);
 		rte_eal_remote_launch(l2fwd_launch_one_lcore, NULL, id_core);
 	} else {
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_launch.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_launch.c
index 34f854ad8..78fd94026 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_launch.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_launch.c
@@ -26,14 +26,11 @@ rte_eal_wait_lcore(unsigned worker_id)
 	if (lcore_config[worker_id].state == WAIT)
 		return 0;
 
-	while (lcore_config[worker_id].state != WAIT &&
-	       lcore_config[worker_id].state != FINISHED)
+	while (lcore_config[worker_id].state != WAIT)
 		rte_pause();
 
 	rte_rmb();
 
-	/* we are in finished state, go to wait state */
-	lcore_config[worker_id].state = WAIT;
 	return lcore_config[worker_id].ret;
 }
 
@@ -62,7 +59,7 @@ rte_eal_mp_remote_launch(int (*f)(void *), void *arg,
 
 	if (call_main == CALL_MAIN) {
 		lcore_config[main_lcore].ret = f(arg);
-		lcore_config[main_lcore].state = FINISHED;
+		lcore_config[main_lcore].state = WAIT;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
index 17b8f3996..6d6f1e2fd 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/freebsd/eal_thread.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
 		lcore_config[lcore_id].f = NULL;
 		lcore_config[lcore_id].arg = NULL;
 		rte_wmb();
-		lcore_config[lcore_id].state = FINISHED;
+		lcore_config[lcore_id].state = WAIT;
 	}
 
 	/* never reached */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
index a0a009104..7b9463df3 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linux/eal_thread.c
@@ -141,13 +141,7 @@ eal_thread_loop(__rte_unused void *arg)
 		lcore_config[lcore_id].arg = NULL;
 		rte_wmb();
 
-		/* when a service core returns, it should go directly to WAIT
-		 * state, because the application will not lcore_wait() for it.
-		 */
-		if (lcore_config[lcore_id].core_role == ROLE_SERVICE)
-			lcore_config[lcore_id].state = WAIT;
-		else
-			lcore_config[lcore_id].state = FINISHED;
+		lcore_config[lcore_id].state = WAIT;
 	}
 
 	/* never reached */
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
index 7a9277c51..35d059a30 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/windows/eal_thread.c
@@ -125,13 +125,7 @@ eal_thread_loop(void *arg __rte_unused)
 		lcore_config[lcore_id].arg = NULL;
 		rte_wmb();
 
-		/* when a service core returns, it should go directly to WAIT
-		 * state, because the application will not lcore_wait() for it.
-		 */
-		if (lcore_config[lcore_id].core_role == ROLE_SERVICE)
-			lcore_config[lcore_id].state = WAIT;
-		else
-			lcore_config[lcore_id].state = FINISHED;
+		lcore_config[lcore_id].state = WAIT;
 	}
 }
 
