diff --git a/net/utils/net_bufpool.c b/net/utils/net_bufpool.c
index 8e65ced82d..0bf1a231fa 100644
--- a/net/utils/net_bufpool.c
+++ b/net/utils/net_bufpool.c
@@ -61,18 +61,6 @@ struct net_bufnode_s
 void net_bufpool_init(FAR struct net_bufpool_s *pool)
 {
   int i;
-  unsigned int maxalloc;
-
-  if (pool->dynalloc > 0)
-    {
-      maxalloc = pool->u.maxalloc > 0 ? pool->u.maxalloc : INT16_MAX;
-    }
-  else
-    {
-      maxalloc = pool->prealloc;
-    }
-
-  nxsem_init(&pool->u.sem, 0, maxalloc);
 
   sq_init(&pool->freebuffers);
   for (i = 0; i < pool->prealloc; i++)
@@ -107,7 +95,7 @@ FAR void *net_bufpool_timedalloc(FAR struct net_bufpool_s *pool,
   int ret;
   int i;
 
-  ret = net_sem_timedwait_uninterruptible(&pool->u.sem, timeout);
+  ret = net_sem_timedwait_uninterruptible(&pool->sem, timeout);
   if (ret != OK)
     {
       return NULL;
@@ -168,7 +156,7 @@ void net_bufpool_free(FAR struct net_bufpool_s *pool, FAR void *node)
       sq_addlast(&net_bufnode->node, &pool->freebuffers);
     }
 
-  nxsem_post(&pool->u.sem);
+  nxsem_post(&pool->sem);
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -187,7 +175,7 @@ int net_bufpool_test(FAR struct net_bufpool_s *pool)
   int val = 0;
   int ret;
 
-  ret = nxsem_get_value(&pool->u.sem, &val);
+  ret = nxsem_get_value(&pool->sem, &val);
   if (ret >= 0)
     {
       ret = val > 0 ? OK : -ENOSPC;
diff --git a/net/utils/utils.h b/net/utils/utils.h
index fa05c2690c..81080d7947 100644
--- a/net/utils/utils.h
+++ b/net/utils/utils.h
@@ -84,7 +84,10 @@
  *   maxalloc: The number of max allocations, 0 means no limit
  */
 
-#define NET_BUFPOOL_DECLARE(pool,nodesize,prealloc,dynalloc,maxalloc) \
+#define NET_BUFPOOL_MAX(prealloc, dynalloc, maxalloc) \
+  (dynalloc) <= 0 ? (prealloc) : ((maxalloc) > 0 ? (maxalloc) : INT16_MAX)
+
+#define NET_BUFPOOL_DECLARE(pool, nodesize, prealloc, dynalloc, maxalloc) \
   static char pool##_buffer[prealloc][nodesize]; \
   static struct net_bufpool_s pool = \
     { \
@@ -92,9 +95,7 @@
       prealloc, \
       dynalloc, \
       nodesize, \
-      { \
-        maxalloc \
-      } \
+      SEM_INITIALIZER(NET_BUFPOOL_MAX(prealloc, dynalloc, maxalloc)) \
     };
 
 #define NET_BUFPOOL_INIT(p)         net_bufpool_init(&p)
@@ -128,11 +129,7 @@ struct net_bufpool_s
   const int  dynalloc; /* The number per dynamic allocations */
   const int  nodesize; /* The size of each node in the pool */
 
-  union
-  {
-    int16_t  maxalloc; /* The number of max allocations, used before init */
-    sem_t    sem;      /* The semaphore for waiting for free buffers */
-  } u;
+  sem_t      sem;      /* The semaphore for waiting for free buffers */
 
   sq_queue_t freebuffers;
 };