diff --git a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
index c82fc61a5eb..4de35ab3563 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ struct _thread_base {
 	int prio;
 
 	/* scheduler lock count */
-	atomic_t sched_locked;
+	volatile uint32_t sched_locked;
 
 	/* data returned by APIs */
 	void *swap_data;
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ typedef struct k_thread _thread_t;
 
 struct _ready_q {
 
-	/* next thread to run if known, NULL otherwise */
+	/* always contains next thread to run: cannot be NULL */
 	struct k_thread *cache;
 
 	/* bitmap of priorities that contain at least one ready thread */
diff --git a/kernel/include/ksched.h b/kernel/include/ksched.h
index 7cfc08de54a..222ad2a70d5 100644
--- a/kernel/include/ksched.h
+++ b/kernel/include/ksched.h
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static inline int _is_coop(struct k_thread *thread)
 static inline int _is_preempt(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_ENABLED
-	return !_is_coop(thread) && !atomic_get(&thread->base.sched_locked);
+	return !_is_coop(thread) && !thread->base.sched_locked;
 #else
 	return 0;
 #endif
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ static inline void _sched_lock(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_ENABLED
 	__ASSERT(!_is_in_isr(), "");
 
-	atomic_inc(&_current->base.sched_locked);
+	++_current->base.sched_locked;
 
 	K_DEBUG("scheduler locked (%p:%d)\n",
 		_current, _current->base.sched_locked);
@@ -258,12 +258,12 @@ static inline void _sched_lock(void)
  * It is incumbent upon the caller to ensure that the reschedule occurs
  * sometime after the scheduler is unlocked.
  */
-static inline void _sched_unlock_no_reschedule(void)
+static ALWAYS_INLINE void _sched_unlock_no_reschedule(void)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_ENABLED
 	__ASSERT(!_is_in_isr(), "");
 
-	atomic_dec(&_current->base.sched_locked);
+	--_current->base.sched_locked;
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/kernel/sched.c b/kernel/sched.c
index c6674c01316..96f90e58a46 100644
--- a/kernel/sched.c
+++ b/kernel/sched.c
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void k_sched_lock(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_PREEMPT_ENABLED
 	__ASSERT(!_is_in_isr(), "");
 
-	atomic_inc(&_current->base.sched_locked);
+	++_current->base.sched_locked;
 
 	K_DEBUG("scheduler locked (%p:%d)\n",
 		_current, _current->base.sched_locked);
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void k_sched_unlock(void)
 
 	int key = irq_lock();
 
-	atomic_dec(&_current->base.sched_locked);
+	--_current->base.sched_locked;
 
 	K_DEBUG("scheduler unlocked (%p:%d)\n",
 		_current, _current->base.sched_locked);