diff --git a/arch/x86/core/ia32.cmake b/arch/x86/core/ia32.cmake
index 419edb8e56a..99b57ef4a6c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/core/ia32.cmake
+++ b/arch/x86/core/ia32.cmake
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ zephyr_library_sources(
   ia32/swap.S
   ia32/thread.c
   ia32/spec_ctrl.c
+  ia32/prep_c.c
   )
 
 zephyr_library_sources_ifdef(CONFIG_IRQ_OFFLOAD		ia32/irq_offload.c)
diff --git a/arch/x86/core/ia32/crt0.S b/arch/x86/core/ia32/crt0.S
index 8535587f5f8..fb65654e184 100644
--- a/arch/x86/core/ia32/crt0.S
+++ b/arch/x86/core/ia32/crt0.S
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 	GTEXT(z_x86_enable_paging)
 
 	/* externs */
-	GTEXT(z_cstart)
+	GTEXT(z_x86_prep_c)
 
 	GDATA(_idt_base_address)
 	GDATA(_interrupt_stack)
@@ -308,10 +308,8 @@ __csSet:
 	outb %al, $0xA1		/* set i8259 slave mask (IRQs 8-15) */
 #endif
 
-	/* Jump to C portion of kernel initialization and never return */
-
-	jmp	z_cstart
-
+	/* call C portion of kernel initialization and never return */
+	call	z_x86_prep_c
 
 _x86_bss_zero:
 	/* ECX = size, EDI = starting address */
diff --git a/arch/x86/core/ia32/prep_c.c b/arch/x86/core/ia32/prep_c.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b63c2778cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/x86/core/ia32/prep_c.c
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2019 Intel Corporation
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#include <kernel_structs.h>
+
+FUNC_NORETURN void z_x86_prep_c(void)
+{
+	_kernel.nested = 0;
+	_kernel.irq_stack = Z_THREAD_STACK_BUFFER(_interrupt_stack) +
+				CONFIG_ISR_STACK_SIZE;
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_VERY_EARLY_CONSOLE
+	z_x86_early_serial_init();
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_MMU
+	z_x86_paging_init();
+#endif
+#if CONFIG_X86_STACK_PROTECTION
+	z_x86_mmu_set_flags(&z_x86_kernel_pdpt, _interrupt_stack, MMU_PAGE_SIZE,
+			    MMU_ENTRY_READ, MMU_PTE_RW_MASK, true);
+#endif
+
+	z_cstart();
+}
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/ia32/kernel_arch_func.h b/arch/x86/include/ia32/kernel_arch_func.h
index b49d2adff74..574c441fdb9 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/ia32/kernel_arch_func.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/ia32/kernel_arch_func.h
@@ -43,20 +43,7 @@ void z_x86_paging_init(void);
  */
 static inline void kernel_arch_init(void)
 {
-	_kernel.nested = 0;
-	_kernel.irq_stack = Z_THREAD_STACK_BUFFER(_interrupt_stack) +
-				CONFIG_ISR_STACK_SIZE;
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_VERY_EARLY_CONSOLE
-	z_x86_early_serial_init();
-#endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_MMU
-	z_x86_paging_init();
-#endif
-#if CONFIG_X86_STACK_PROTECTION
-	z_x86_mmu_set_flags(&z_x86_kernel_pdpt, _interrupt_stack, MMU_PAGE_SIZE,
-			    MMU_ENTRY_READ, MMU_PTE_RW_MASK, true);
-#endif
+	/* No-op on this arch */
 }
 
 /**