diff --git a/soc/nordic/nrf53/nrf53_cpunet_mgmt.c b/soc/nordic/nrf53/nrf53_cpunet_mgmt.c
index f7d2b54f3d6..9c869a2ecc0 100644
--- a/soc/nordic/nrf53/nrf53_cpunet_mgmt.c
+++ b/soc/nordic/nrf53/nrf53_cpunet_mgmt.c
@@ -15,14 +15,41 @@
 #include <zephyr/sys/__assert.h>
 #include <zephyr/sys/notify.h>
 #include <zephyr/sys/onoff.h>
+#include <soc_secure.h>
 
 #include <hal/nrf_reset.h>
 #include <hal/nrf_spu.h>
 
 static struct onoff_manager cpunet_mgr;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340
+
+#define GPIOS_PSEL_BY_IDX(node_id, prop, idx) \
+	NRF_DT_GPIOS_TO_PSEL_BY_IDX(node_id, prop, idx),
+#define ALL_GPIOS_IN_NODE(node_id) \
+	DT_FOREACH_PROP_ELEM(node_id, gpios, GPIOS_PSEL_BY_IDX)
+#define ALL_GPIOS_IN_FORWARDER(node_id) \
+	DT_FOREACH_CHILD(node_id, ALL_GPIOS_IN_NODE)
+
+static void assign_pins(nrf_gpio_pin_sel_t sel)
+{
+	static const uint8_t forwarded_psels[] = {
+		DT_FOREACH_STATUS_OKAY(nordic_nrf_gpio_forwarder, ALL_GPIOS_IN_FORWARDER)
+	};
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(forwarded_psels); i++) {
+		soc_secure_gpio_pin_mcu_select(forwarded_psels[i], sel);
+	}
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340 */
+
 static void onoff_start(struct onoff_manager *mgr, onoff_notify_fn notify)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340
+	/* Forward assigned pins to the network core. */
+	assign_pins(NRF_GPIO_PIN_SEL_NETWORK);
+#endif
+
 	nrf_reset_network_force_off(NRF_RESET, false);
 
 	notify(mgr, 0);
@@ -32,6 +59,11 @@ static void onoff_stop(struct onoff_manager *mgr, onoff_notify_fn notify)
 {
 	nrf_reset_network_force_off(NRF_RESET, true);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340
+	/* Assign pins back to app core. */
+	assign_pins(NRF_GPIO_PIN_SEL_APP);
+#endif
+
 	notify(mgr, 0);
 }
 
diff --git a/soc/nordic/nrf53/soc.c b/soc/nordic/nrf53/soc.c
index cbdb8e04fe0..c9fb9adc4f4 100644
--- a/soc/nordic/nrf53/soc.c
+++ b/soc/nordic/nrf53/soc.c
@@ -47,15 +47,6 @@
 #define RTC1_PRETICK_SELECTED_CC_MASK   BIT_MASK(CONFIG_NRF_RTC_TIMER_USER_CHAN_COUNT + 1U)
 #define RTC0_PRETICK_SELECTED_CC_MASK	BIT_MASK(NRF_RTC_CC_COUNT_MAX)
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340)
-#define GPIOS_PSEL_BY_IDX(node_id, prop, idx) \
-	NRF_DT_GPIOS_TO_PSEL_BY_IDX(node_id, prop, idx),
-#define ALL_GPIOS_IN_NODE(node_id) \
-	DT_FOREACH_PROP_ELEM(node_id, gpios, GPIOS_PSEL_BY_IDX)
-#define ALL_GPIOS_IN_FORWARDER(node_id) \
-	DT_FOREACH_CHILD(node_id, ALL_GPIOS_IN_NODE)
-#endif
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_SOC_NRF5340_CPUAPP
 #define LFXO_NODE DT_NODELABEL(lfxo)
 #define HFXO_NODE DT_NODELABEL(hfxo)
@@ -562,17 +553,6 @@ static int nordicsemi_nrf53_init(void)
 	nrf_regulators_vreg_enable_set(NRF_REGULATORS, NRF_REGULATORS_VREG_HIGH, true);
 #endif
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_SOC_NRF_GPIO_FORWARDER_FOR_NRF5340)
-	static const uint8_t forwarded_psels[] = {
-		DT_FOREACH_STATUS_OKAY(nordic_nrf_gpio_forwarder, ALL_GPIOS_IN_FORWARDER)
-	};
-
-	for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(forwarded_psels); i++) {
-		soc_secure_gpio_pin_mcu_select(forwarded_psels[i], NRF_GPIO_PIN_SEL_NETWORK);
-	}
-
-#endif
-
 	return 0;
 }