diff --git a/drivers/timer/Kconfig.nrf_rtc b/drivers/timer/Kconfig.nrf_rtc
index fc26e3982ab..d9df59049bf 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/Kconfig.nrf_rtc
+++ b/drivers/timer/Kconfig.nrf_rtc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ config NRF_RTC_TIMER_LOCK_ZERO_LATENCY_IRQS
 	# hidden option
 	bool
 	depends on ZERO_LATENCY_IRQS
-	default y
+	default y if !BT_LL_SW_SPLIT
 	help
 	  Enable use of __disable_irq() to disable Zero Latency IRQs to prevent
 	  higher priority contexts (including ZLIs) that might preempt the