diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.c b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.c
index 1696c600fd5..9e0a7c6fcf2 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.c
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.c
@@ -1075,11 +1075,10 @@ static int cc2520_init(struct device *dev)
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
-	k_thread_spawn(cc2520->cc2520_rx_stack,
-		       CONFIG_IEEE802154_CC2520_RX_STACK_SIZE,
-		       (k_thread_entry_t)cc2520_rx,
-		       dev, NULL, NULL,
-		       K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
+	k_thread_create(&cc2520->cc2520_rx_thread, cc2520->cc2520_rx_stack,
+			CONFIG_IEEE802154_CC2520_RX_STACK_SIZE,
+			(k_thread_entry_t)cc2520_rx,
+			dev, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
 
 	SYS_LOG_INF("CC2520 initialized");
 
diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.h b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.h
index 755f9dcc805..ec4332636c2 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.h
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_cc2520.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ struct cc2520_context {
 	atomic_t tx;
 	/************RX************/
 	char __stack cc2520_rx_stack[CONFIG_IEEE802154_CC2520_RX_STACK_SIZE];
+	struct k_thread cc2520_rx_thread;
 	struct k_sem rx_lock;
 #ifdef CONFIG_IEEE802154_CC2520_CRYPTO
 	struct k_sem access_lock;
diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.c b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.c
index 7ab2eca4406..f03455bad4c 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.c
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.c
@@ -1405,11 +1405,10 @@ static int mcr20a_init(struct device *dev)
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
-	k_thread_spawn(mcr20a->mcr20a_rx_stack,
-		       CONFIG_IEEE802154_MCR20A_RX_STACK_SIZE,
-		       (k_thread_entry_t)mcr20a_thread_main,
-		       dev, NULL, NULL,
-		       K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
+	k_thread_create(&mcr20a->mcr20a_rx_thread, mcr20a->mcr20a_rx_stack,
+			CONFIG_IEEE802154_MCR20A_RX_STACK_SIZE,
+			(k_thread_entry_t)mcr20a_thread_main,
+			dev, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.h b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.h
index 2fd96b8f5fc..01c822ccc20 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.h
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_mcr20a.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct mcr20a_context {
 	atomic_t seq_retval;
 	/************RX************/
 	char __stack mcr20a_rx_stack[CONFIG_IEEE802154_MCR20A_RX_STACK_SIZE];
+	struct k_thread mcr20a_rx_thread;
 	u8_t lqi;
 };
 
diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.c b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.c
index 993b9b8ae06..f44d7d0b811 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.c
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.c
@@ -335,11 +335,10 @@ static int nrf5_init(struct device *dev)
 
 	nrf5_radio_cfg->irq_config_func(dev);
 
-	k_thread_spawn(nrf5_radio->rx_stack,
-		       CONFIG_IEEE802154_NRF5_RX_STACK_SIZE,
-		       nrf5_rx_thread,
-		       dev, NULL, NULL,
-		       K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
+	k_thread_create(&nrf5_radio->rx_thread, nrf5_radio->rx_stack,
+			CONFIG_IEEE802154_NRF5_RX_STACK_SIZE,
+			nrf5_rx_thread, dev, NULL, NULL,
+			K_PRIO_COOP(2), 0, 0);
 
 	SYS_LOG_INF("nRF5 802154 radio initialized");
 
diff --git a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.h b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.h
index 8a0a17a5268..1f0fd9dbeb6 100644
--- a/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.h
+++ b/drivers/ieee802154/ieee802154_nrf5.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ struct nrf5_802154_data {
 	u8_t mac[8];
 	/* RX thread stack. */
 	char __stack rx_stack[CONFIG_IEEE802154_NRF5_RX_STACK_SIZE];
+	/* RX thread control block */
+	struct k_thread rx_thread;
 
 	/* CCA complete sempahore. Unlocked when CCA is complete. */
 	struct k_sem cca_wait;