diff --git a/include/arch/arc/syscall.h b/include/arch/arc/syscall.h
index a9e6c4d0a38..0ad9da1a053 100644
--- a/include/arch/arc/syscall.h
+++ b/include/arch/arc/syscall.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 
 #include <zephyr/types.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CPU_ARCV2
 #include <arch/arc/v2/aux_regs.h>
@@ -172,7 +173,7 @@ static inline u32_t _arch_syscall_invoke0(u32_t call_id)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static inline int _arch_is_user_context(void)
+static inline bool _arch_is_user_context(void)
 {
 	u32_t status;
 
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ static inline int _arch_is_user_context(void)
 			 : "=r"(status)
 			 : [status32] "i" (_ARC_V2_STATUS32));
 
-	return !(status & _ARC_V2_STATUS32_US);
+	return !(status & _ARC_V2_STATUS32_US) ? true : false;
 }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/include/arch/arm/syscall.h b/include/arch/arm/syscall.h
index ebb1f6b2e11..c2409626909 100644
--- a/include/arch/arm/syscall.h
+++ b/include/arch/arm/syscall.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 
 #include <zephyr/types.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -153,19 +154,19 @@ static inline u32_t _arch_syscall_invoke0(u32_t call_id)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static inline int _arch_is_user_context(void)
+static inline bool _arch_is_user_context(void)
 {
 	u32_t value;
 
 	/* check for handler mode */
 	__asm__ volatile("mrs %0, IPSR\n\t" : "=r"(value));
 	if (value) {
-		return 0;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	/* if not handler mode, return mode information */
 	__asm__ volatile("mrs %0, CONTROL\n\t" : "=r"(value));
-	return value & 0x1;
+	return (value & 0x1) ? true : false;
 }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/include/arch/x86/syscall.h b/include/arch/x86/syscall.h
index 6531f98d7e5..3a6f8e28575 100644
--- a/include/arch/x86/syscall.h
+++ b/include/arch/x86/syscall.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 
 #include <zephyr/types.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ static inline u32_t _arch_syscall_invoke0(u32_t call_id)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static inline int _arch_is_user_context(void)
+static inline bool _arch_is_user_context(void)
 {
 	int cs;
 
diff --git a/include/syscall.h b/include/syscall.h
index bcd5f895444..5e42bf07352 100644
--- a/include/syscall.h
+++ b/include/syscall.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include <syscall_list.h>
 #include <arch/syscall.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 #include <zephyr/types.h>
@@ -117,16 +118,16 @@ typedef u32_t (*_k_syscall_handler_t)(u32_t arg1, u32_t arg2, u32_t arg3,
 /**
  * Indicate whether we are currently running in user mode
  *
- * @return nonzero if the CPU is currently running with user permissions
+ * @return true if the CPU is currently running with user permissions
  */
-static inline int _arch_is_user_context(void);
+static inline bool _arch_is_user_context(void);
 
 /**
  * Indicate whether the CPU is currently in user mode
  *
- * @return nonzero if the CPU is currently running with user permissions
+ * @return true if the CPU is currently running with user permissions
  */
-static inline int _is_user_context(void)
+static inline bool _is_user_context(void)
 {
 	return _arch_is_user_context();
 }