diff --git a/fs/orangefs/file.c b/fs/orangefs/file.c
index 4eb009e8f19f..399d5288dc1a 100644
--- a/fs/orangefs/file.c
+++ b/fs/orangefs/file.c
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ static ssize_t wait_for_direct_io(enum ORANGEFS_io_type type, struct inode *inod
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	/* synchronous I/O */
-	new_op->upcall.req.io.async_vfs_io = ORANGEFS_VFS_SYNC_IO;
 	new_op->upcall.req.io.readahead_size = readahead_size;
 	new_op->upcall.req.io.io_type = type;
 	new_op->upcall.req.io.refn = orangefs_inode->refn;
diff --git a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-kernel.h b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-kernel.h
index c3b3b22115eb..91cbd53f782c 100644
--- a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-kernel.h
+++ b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-kernel.h
@@ -100,14 +100,6 @@ enum orangefs_vfs_op_states {
 	OP_VFS_STATE_GIVEN_UP = 16,
 };
 
-/*
- * Defines for controlling whether I/O upcalls are for async or sync operations
- */
-enum ORANGEFS_async_io_type {
-	ORANGEFS_VFS_SYNC_IO = 0,
-	ORANGEFS_VFS_ASYNC_IO = 1,
-};
-
 /*
  * An array of client_debug_mask will be built to hold debug keyword/mask
  * values fetched from userspace.
diff --git a/fs/orangefs/upcall.h b/fs/orangefs/upcall.h
index af6dcac180ab..001b20239407 100644
--- a/fs/orangefs/upcall.h
+++ b/fs/orangefs/upcall.h
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
  * client-core and device
  */
 struct orangefs_io_request_s {
-	__s32 async_vfs_io;
+	__s32 __pad1;
 	__s32 buf_index;
 	__s32 count;
-	__s32 __pad1;
+	__s32 __pad2;
 	__s64 offset;
 	struct orangefs_object_kref refn;
 	enum ORANGEFS_io_type io_type;