diff --git a/passt.h b/passt.h
index 0fce637..66a819f 100644
--- a/passt.h
+++ b/passt.h
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ enum epoll_type {
  * union epoll_ref - Breakdown of reference for epoll fd bookkeeping
  * @type:	Type of fd (tells us what to do with events)
  * @fd:		File descriptor number (implies < 2^24 total descriptors)
- * @tcp:	TCP-specific reference part (connected sockets)
- * @tcp_listen:	TCP-specific reference part (listening sockets)
+ * @flow:	Index of the flow this fd is linked to
+ * @tcp_listen:	TCP-specific reference part for listening sockets
  * @udp:	UDP-specific reference part
  * @icmp:	ICMP-specific reference part
  * @data:	Data handled by protocol handlers
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ union epoll_ref {
 #define FD_REF_MAX		((int)MAX_FROM_BITS(FD_REF_BITS))
 		int32_t		fd:FD_REF_BITS;
 		union {
-			union tcp_epoll_ref tcp;
+			uint32_t flow;
 			union tcp_listen_epoll_ref tcp_listen;
 			union udp_epoll_ref udp;
 			union icmp_epoll_ref icmp;
diff --git a/tcp.c b/tcp.c
index 69ecc49..d9b6b19 100644
--- a/tcp.c
+++ b/tcp.c
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ static int tcp_epoll_ctl(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_tap_conn *conn)
 {
 	int m = conn->in_epoll ? EPOLL_CTL_MOD : EPOLL_CTL_ADD;
 	union epoll_ref ref = { .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP, .fd = conn->sock,
-				.tcp.index = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
+				.flow = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
 	struct epoll_event ev = { .data.u64 = ref.u64 };
 
 	if (conn->events == CLOSED) {
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ static int tcp_epoll_ctl(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_tap_conn *conn)
 	if (conn->timer != -1) {
 		union epoll_ref ref_t = { .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP_TIMER,
 					  .fd = conn->sock,
-					  .tcp.index = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
+					  .flow = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
 		struct epoll_event ev_t = { .data.u64 = ref_t.u64,
 					    .events = EPOLLIN | EPOLLET };
 
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ static void tcp_timer_ctl(const struct ctx *c, struct tcp_tap_conn *conn)
 	if (conn->timer == -1) {
 		union epoll_ref ref = { .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP_TIMER,
 					.fd = conn->sock,
-					.tcp.index = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
+					.flow = FLOW_IDX(conn) };
 		struct epoll_event ev = { .data.u64 = ref.u64,
 					  .events = EPOLLIN | EPOLLET };
 		int fd;
@@ -2759,7 +2759,7 @@ void tcp_listen_handler(struct ctx *c, union epoll_ref ref,
 void tcp_timer_handler(struct ctx *c, union epoll_ref ref)
 {
 	struct itimerspec check_armed = { { 0 }, { 0 } };
-	struct tcp_tap_conn *conn = CONN(ref.tcp.index);
+	struct tcp_tap_conn *conn = CONN(ref.flow);
 
 	if (c->no_tcp)
 		return;
@@ -2873,7 +2873,7 @@ static void tcp_tap_sock_handler(struct ctx *c, struct tcp_tap_conn *conn,
  */
 void tcp_sock_handler(struct ctx *c, union epoll_ref ref, uint32_t events)
 {
-	union flow *flow = flowtab + ref.tcp.index;
+	union flow *flow = FLOW(ref.flow);
 
 	switch (flow->f.type) {
 	case FLOW_TCP:
diff --git a/tcp_splice.c b/tcp_splice.c
index cd0fc70..081ce9c 100644
--- a/tcp_splice.c
+++ b/tcp_splice.c
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ static int tcp_splice_epoll_ctl(const struct ctx *c,
 {
 	int m = conn->in_epoll ? EPOLL_CTL_MOD : EPOLL_CTL_ADD;
 	union epoll_ref ref[SIDES] = {
-		{ .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP, .fd = conn->s[0], .tcp.index = FLOW_IDX(conn) },
-		{ .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP, .fd = conn->s[1], .tcp.index = FLOW_IDX(conn) }
+		{ .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP, .fd = conn->s[0], .flow = FLOW_IDX(conn) },
+		{ .type = EPOLL_TYPE_TCP, .fd = conn->s[1], .flow = FLOW_IDX(conn) }
 	};
 	struct epoll_event ev[SIDES] = { { .data.u64 = ref[0].u64 },
 					 { .data.u64 = ref[1].u64 } };