diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/Kconfig b/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/Kconfig
index d00e938a6d1..510fbd898ea 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/Kconfig
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ config SOC_SERIES_MEC15XX
 	select CPU_CORTEX_M_HAS_DWT
 	select CPU_HAS_ARM_MPU
 	select HAS_PM
+	select SOC_EARLY_INIT_HOOK
 
 config SOC_MEC1501_HSZ
 	select HAS_MEC_HAL
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/soc.c b/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/soc.c
index 27fd059c339..df21dde363e 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/soc.c
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec15xx/soc.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static void configure_debug_interface(void)
 #endif /* CONFIG_SOC_MEC1501_DEBUG_WITHOUT_TRACING */
 }
 
-static int soc_init(void)
+void soc_early_init_hook(void)
 {
 	uint32_t isave;
 
@@ -94,8 +94,4 @@ static int soc_init(void)
 	if (!isave) {
 		__enable_irq();
 	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
-
-SYS_INIT(soc_init, PRE_KERNEL_1, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/Kconfig b/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/Kconfig
index c529d83fc31..85f579ec776 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/Kconfig
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ config SOC_SERIES_MEC172X
 	select CPU_HAS_ARM_MPU
 	select HAS_SWO
 	select HAS_PM
+	select SOC_EARLY_INIT_HOOK
 
 if SOC_SERIES_MEC172X
 
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/soc.c b/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/soc.c
index 9de2f7ce552..6b000f957b0 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/soc.c
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec172x/soc.c
@@ -38,12 +38,8 @@ static void configure_debug_interface(void)
 #endif /* CONFIG_SOC_MEC172X_DEBUG_DISABLED */
 }
 
-static int soc_init(void)
+void soc_early_init_hook(void)
 {
 
 	configure_debug_interface();
-
-	return 0;
 }
-
-SYS_INIT(soc_init, PRE_KERNEL_1, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/Kconfig b/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/Kconfig
index 52eb412941a..eeb77525d72 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/Kconfig
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ config SOC_SERIES_MEC174X
 	select HAS_SWO
 	select HAS_MEC5_HAL
 	select HAS_PM
+	select SOC_PREP_HOOK
 
 if SOC_SERIES_MEC174X
 
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/soc.c b/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/soc.c
index 6d7a502b082..f4d0db790d6 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/soc.c
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec174x/soc.c
@@ -10,15 +10,7 @@
 #include <soc.h>
 #include <soc_cmn_init.h>
 
-static int soc_init(void)
+void soc_prep_hook(void)
 {
 	mec5_soc_common_init();
-	return 0;
 }
-
-/* Enabling HW debug and initializing the MEC interrupt aggregator should be done
- * before driver are loaded to not overwrite driver interrupt configuration.
- * Use early initialization category called soon after Zephyr z_cstart and before
- * Zephyr starts making driver initialization calls.
- */
-SYS_INIT(soc_init, EARLY, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/Kconfig b/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/Kconfig
index 1cce7ce0e2b..5670fe72540 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/Kconfig
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ config SOC_SERIES_MEC175X
 	select HAS_SWO
 	select HAS_MEC5_HAL
 	select HAS_PM
+	select SOC_PREP_HOOK
 
 if SOC_SERIES_MEC175X
 
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/soc.c b/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/soc.c
index 6d7a502b082..f4d0db790d6 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/soc.c
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mec175x/soc.c
@@ -10,15 +10,7 @@
 #include <soc.h>
 #include <soc_cmn_init.h>
 
-static int soc_init(void)
+void soc_prep_hook(void)
 {
 	mec5_soc_common_init();
-	return 0;
 }
-
-/* Enabling HW debug and initializing the MEC interrupt aggregator should be done
- * before driver are loaded to not overwrite driver interrupt configuration.
- * Use early initialization category called soon after Zephyr z_cstart and before
- * Zephyr starts making driver initialization calls.
- */
-SYS_INIT(soc_init, EARLY, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/Kconfig b/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/Kconfig
index 0bc04fbed20..d58d267e9cc 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/Kconfig
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ config SOC_SERIES_MECH172X
 	select HAS_SWO
 	select HAS_MEC5_HAL
 	select HAS_PM
+	select SOC_PREP_HOOK
 
 if SOC_SERIES_MECH172X
 
diff --git a/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/soc.c b/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/soc.c
index 6d7a502b082..f4d0db790d6 100644
--- a/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/soc.c
+++ b/soc/microchip/mec/mech172x/soc.c
@@ -10,15 +10,7 @@
 #include <soc.h>
 #include <soc_cmn_init.h>
 
-static int soc_init(void)
+void soc_prep_hook(void)
 {
 	mec5_soc_common_init();
-	return 0;
 }
-
-/* Enabling HW debug and initializing the MEC interrupt aggregator should be done
- * before driver are loaded to not overwrite driver interrupt configuration.
- * Use early initialization category called soon after Zephyr z_cstart and before
- * Zephyr starts making driver initialization calls.
- */
-SYS_INIT(soc_init, EARLY, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);