diff --git a/kernel/include/ksched.h b/kernel/include/ksched.h
index a72072a3417..ec19e99c722 100644
--- a/kernel/include/ksched.h
+++ b/kernel/include/ksched.h
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ struct k_thread *_find_first_thread_to_unpend(_wait_q_t *wait_q,
 void idle(void *a, void *b, void *c);
 void z_time_slice(int ticks);
 
+static inline void _pend_curr_unlocked(_wait_q_t *wait_q, s32_t timeout)
+{
+	(void) _pend_curr_irqlock(_arch_irq_lock(), wait_q, timeout);
+}
+
+static inline void _reschedule_unlocked(void)
+{
+	(void) _reschedule_irqlock(_arch_irq_lock());
+}
+
 /* find which one is the next thread to run */
 /* must be called with interrupts locked */
 #ifdef CONFIG_SMP
diff --git a/kernel/include/kswap.h b/kernel/include/kswap.h
index ab2eda30213..4d7b8a5b82e 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kswap.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kswap.h
@@ -103,6 +103,14 @@ static inline int _Swap(struct k_spinlock *lock, k_spinlock_key_t key)
 	return do_swap(key.key, lock, 1);
 }
 
+static inline void _Swap_unlocked(void)
+{
+	struct k_spinlock lock = {};
+	k_spinlock_key_t key = k_spin_lock(&lock);
+
+	(void) _Swap(&lock, key);
+}
+
 #else /* !CONFIG_USE_SWITCH */
 
 extern int __swap(unsigned int key);
@@ -137,6 +145,11 @@ static ALWAYS_INLINE int _Swap(struct k_spinlock *lock, k_spinlock_key_t key)
 	return _Swap_irqlock(key.key);
 }
 
+static inline void _Swap_unlocked(void)
+{
+	(void) _Swap_irqlock(_arch_irq_lock());
+}
+
 #endif
 
 #endif /* ZEPHYR_KERNEL_INCLUDE_KSWAP_H_ */
diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index 14a77fe529e..b2eff58d396 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -390,8 +390,7 @@ static void switch_to_main_thread(void)
 	 * current fake thread is not on a wait queue or ready queue, so it
 	 * will never be rescheduled in.
 	 */
-
-	(void)_Swap_irqlock(irq_lock());
+	_Swap_unlocked();
 #endif
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_MULTITHREADING */
diff --git a/kernel/mempool.c b/kernel/mempool.c
index 9279540e6b6..3d9326d90a9 100644
--- a/kernel/mempool.c
+++ b/kernel/mempool.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ int k_mem_pool_alloc(struct k_mem_pool *p, struct k_mem_block *block,
 			return ret;
 		}
 
-		(void)_pend_curr_irqlock(irq_lock(), &p->wait_q, timeout);
+		_pend_curr_unlocked(&p->wait_q, timeout);
 
 		if (timeout != K_FOREVER) {
 			timeout = end - z_tick_get();
diff --git a/kernel/sched.c b/kernel/sched.c
index e52f1ece8e3..31ccc56ad4d 100644
--- a/kernel/sched.c
+++ b/kernel/sched.c
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ void _thread_priority_set(struct k_thread *thread, int prio)
 	sys_trace_thread_priority_set(thread);
 
 	if (need_sched) {
-		_reschedule_irqlock(irq_lock());
+		_reschedule_unlocked();
 	}
 }
 
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ void k_sched_unlock(void)
 	K_DEBUG("scheduler unlocked (%p:%d)\n",
 		_current, _current->base.sched_locked);
 
-	_reschedule_irqlock(irq_lock());
+	_reschedule_unlocked();
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -859,13 +859,7 @@ void _impl_k_yield(void)
 		}
 	}
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_SMP
-	(void)_Swap_irqlock(irq_lock());
-#else
-	if (_get_next_ready_thread() != _current) {
-		(void)_Swap_irqlock(irq_lock());
-	}
-#endif
+	_Swap_unlocked();
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_USERSPACE
diff --git a/kernel/smp.c b/kernel/smp.c
index 85aa46b73c3..d0778f7a158 100644
--- a/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/kernel/smp.c
@@ -84,9 +84,8 @@ static void smp_init_top(int key, void *arg)
 	};
 
 	_arch_curr_cpu()->current = &dummy_thread;
-	unsigned int k = irq_lock();
 	smp_timer_init();
-	(void)_Swap(k);
+	_Swap_unlocked();
 
 	CODE_UNREACHABLE;
 }
diff --git a/tests/kernel/fatal/src/main.c b/tests/kernel/fatal/src/main.c
index 0ff73e49bed..5092f0553b4 100644
--- a/tests/kernel/fatal/src/main.c
+++ b/tests/kernel/fatal/src/main.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void stack_thread2(void)
 	/* Test that stack overflow check due to swap works */
 	blow_up_stack();
 	TC_PRINT("swapping...\n");
-	_Swap_irqlock(irq_lock());
+	_Swap_unlocked();
 	TC_ERROR("should never see this\n");
 	rv = TC_FAIL;
 	irq_unlock(key);