diff --git a/soc/arm/microchip_mec/mec1501/Kconfig.soc b/soc/arm/microchip_mec/mec1501/Kconfig.soc
index 2fc22833ff8..51db7329f98 100644
--- a/soc/arm/microchip_mec/mec1501/Kconfig.soc
+++ b/soc/arm/microchip_mec/mec1501/Kconfig.soc
@@ -85,3 +85,13 @@ choice
 		  JTAG port in SWD mode and SWV as tracing method.
 		  UART2 cannot be used. ADC00-03 can be used.
 endchoice
+
+# GPIO initialization depends on SOC initialization, which happen at
+# CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, so GPIO_INIT_PRIORITY needs to be
+# higher than that.
+if GPIO
+
+config GPIO_INIT_PRIORITY
+	default 41
+
+endif # GPIO