diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6c44e41c810..d8f2801d011 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -876,6 +876,13 @@ foreach(zephyr_lib ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY})
   add_dependencies(${zephyr_lib} zephyr_generated_headers)
 endforeach()
 
+if(CONFIG_LLEXT)
+  set(WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY} kernel)
+else()
+  set(WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY})
+  set(NO_WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS kernel)
+endif()
+
 get_property(OUTPUT_FORMAT        GLOBAL PROPERTY PROPERTY_OUTPUT_FORMAT)
 
 if (CONFIG_CODE_DATA_RELOCATION)
diff --git a/cmake/linker/arcmwdt/target.cmake b/cmake/linker/arcmwdt/target.cmake
index 067c2dc286e..f2247ba4540 100644
--- a/cmake/linker/arcmwdt/target.cmake
+++ b/cmake/linker/arcmwdt/target.cmake
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ function(toolchain_ld_link_elf)
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX}--entry=__start
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX}--Map=${TOOLCHAIN_LD_LINK_ELF_OUTPUT_MAP}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX}--whole-archive
-    ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY}
+    ${WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX}--no-whole-archive
-    kernel
+    ${NO_WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${OFFSETS_LIB}>
     ${LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}
     -L${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}
diff --git a/cmake/linker/ld/target.cmake b/cmake/linker/ld/target.cmake
index b57f8902044..2d60e8ea63d 100644
--- a/cmake/linker/ld/target.cmake
+++ b/cmake/linker/ld/target.cmake
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ function(toolchain_ld_link_elf)
 
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},-Map=${TOOLCHAIN_LD_LINK_ELF_OUTPUT_MAP}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--whole-archive
-    ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY}
+    ${WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--no-whole-archive
-    kernel
+    ${NO_WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${OFFSETS_LIB}>
     ${LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}
     -L${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}
diff --git a/cmake/linker/lld/target.cmake b/cmake/linker/lld/target.cmake
index f71a217e5be..5deab047100 100644
--- a/cmake/linker/lld/target.cmake
+++ b/cmake/linker/lld/target.cmake
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ function(toolchain_ld_link_elf)
 
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},-Map=${TOOLCHAIN_LD_LINK_ELF_OUTPUT_MAP}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--whole-archive
-    ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY}
+    ${WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--no-whole-archive
-    kernel
+    ${NO_WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${OFFSETS_LIB}>
     ${LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}
     -L${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}
diff --git a/cmake/linker/xt-ld/target.cmake b/cmake/linker/xt-ld/target.cmake
index 426bced0a61..20209107ff7 100644
--- a/cmake/linker/xt-ld/target.cmake
+++ b/cmake/linker/xt-ld/target.cmake
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ function(toolchain_ld_link_elf)
 
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},-Map=${TOOLCHAIN_LD_LINK_ELF_OUTPUT_MAP}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--whole-archive
-    ${ZEPHYR_LIBS_PROPERTY}
+    ${WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     ${LINKERFLAGPREFIX},--no-whole-archive
-    kernel
+    ${NO_WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LIBS}
     $<TARGET_OBJECTS:${OFFSETS_LIB}>
     ${LIB_INCLUDE_DIR}
     -L${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}
diff --git a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 6d40e13d09d..1883b45a138 100644
--- a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 # kernel is a normal CMake library and not a zephyr_library because it
-# should not be --whole-archive'd
+# should usually not be --whole-archive'd
 
 zephyr_syscall_header(
   ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/include/zephyr/device.h