diff --git a/src/blockstore/blockstore_impl.cpp b/src/blockstore/blockstore_impl.cpp
index 2b76e595..1715918e 100644
--- a/src/blockstore/blockstore_impl.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore/blockstore_impl.cpp
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void blockstore_impl_t::check_wait(blockstore_op_t *op)
 {
     if (PRIV(op)->wait_for == WAIT_SQE)
     {
-        if (ringloop->sqes_left() < PRIV(op)->wait_detail)
+        if (ringloop->space_left() < PRIV(op)->wait_detail)
         {
             // stop submission if there's still no free space
 #ifdef BLOCKSTORE_DEBUG
diff --git a/src/blockstore/blockstore_internal.h b/src/blockstore/blockstore_internal.h
index 65795be5..f28046e4 100644
--- a/src/blockstore/blockstore_internal.h
+++ b/src/blockstore/blockstore_internal.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #define IS_INSTANT(st) (((st) & BS_ST_TYPE_MASK) == BS_ST_DELETE || ((st) & BS_ST_INSTANT))
 
 #define BS_SUBMIT_CHECK_SQES(n) \
-    if (ringloop->sqes_left() < (n))\
+    if (ringloop->space_left() < (n))\
     {\
         /* Pause until there are more requests available */\
         PRIV(op)->wait_detail = (n);\
diff --git a/src/util/ringloop.cpp b/src/util/ringloop.cpp
index 72810a73..10af62f4 100644
--- a/src/util/ringloop.cpp
+++ b/src/util/ringloop.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ void ring_loop_t::restore(unsigned sqe_tail)
     ring.sq.sqe_tail = sqe_tail;
 }
 
-int ring_loop_t::sqes_left()
+unsigned ring_loop_t::space_left()
 {
     struct io_uring_sq *sq = &ring.sq;
     unsigned int head = io_uring_smp_load_acquire(sq->khead);
diff --git a/src/util/ringloop.h b/src/util/ringloop.h
index e40c9033..c397461f 100644
--- a/src/util/ringloop.h
+++ b/src/util/ringloop.h
@@ -68,11 +68,7 @@ public:
         struct io_uring_cqe *cqe;
         return io_uring_wait_cqe(&ring, &cqe);
     }
-    int sqes_left();
-    inline unsigned space_left()
-    {
-        return free_ring_data_ptr;
-    }
+    unsigned space_left();
     inline bool has_work()
     {
         return loop_again;