diff --git a/include/pm/pm.h b/include/pm/pm.h
index 5ace3e626c1..e4bdf73747e 100644
--- a/include/pm/pm.h
+++ b/include/pm/pm.h
@@ -69,14 +69,15 @@ struct pm_notifier {
  * @brief Force usage of given power state.
  *
  * This function overrides decision made by PM policy forcing
- * usage of given power state immediately.
+ * usage of given power state upon next entry of the idle thread.
  *
  * @note This function can only run in thread context
  *
+ * @param cpu CPU index.
  * @param info Power state which should be used in the ongoing
  *	suspend operation.
  */
-void pm_power_state_force(struct pm_state_info info);
+bool pm_power_state_force(uint8_t cpu, struct pm_state_info info);
 
 /**
  * @brief Register a power management notifier
diff --git a/samples/boards/nrf/system_off/src/main.c b/samples/boards/nrf/system_off/src/main.c
index a73f946700a..684f35faa44 100644
--- a/samples/boards/nrf/system_off/src/main.c
+++ b/samples/boards/nrf/system_off/src/main.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void main(void)
 	 * controlled delay.  Here we need to override that, then
 	 * force entry to deep sleep on any delay.
 	 */
-	pm_power_state_force((struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
+	pm_power_state_force(0u, (struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
 
 	printk("ERROR: System off failed\n");
 	while (true) {
diff --git a/samples/boards/stm32/power_mgmt/stm32wb_ble/src/main.c b/samples/boards/stm32/power_mgmt/stm32wb_ble/src/main.c
index 1e1fd57ffc7..911c65b08bd 100644
--- a/samples/boards/stm32/power_mgmt/stm32wb_ble/src/main.c
+++ b/samples/boards/stm32/power_mgmt/stm32wb_ble/src/main.c
@@ -118,5 +118,5 @@ void main(void)
 
 	printk("Device shutdown\n");
 
-	pm_power_state_force((struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
+	pm_power_state_force(0u, (struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
 }
diff --git a/samples/boards/ti/cc13x2_cc26x2/system_off/src/main.c b/samples/boards/ti/cc13x2_cc26x2/system_off/src/main.c
index 72c8fb8b99e..0c3bdf270fe 100644
--- a/samples/boards/ti/cc13x2_cc26x2/system_off/src/main.c
+++ b/samples/boards/ti/cc13x2_cc26x2/system_off/src/main.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ void main(void)
 	/*
 	 * Force the SOFT_OFF state.
 	 */
-	pm_power_state_force((struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
+	pm_power_state_force(0u, (struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_SOFT_OFF, 0, 0});
 
 	printk("ERROR: System off failed\n");
 	while (true) {
diff --git a/subsys/pm/power.c b/subsys/pm/power.c
index 54e75a61442..3e23deb464a 100644
--- a/subsys/pm/power.c
+++ b/subsys/pm/power.c
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ LOG_MODULE_REGISTER(pm, CONFIG_PM_LOG_LEVEL);
 static bool post_ops_done = true;
 static sys_slist_t pm_notifiers = SYS_SLIST_STATIC_INIT(&pm_notifiers);
 static struct pm_state_info z_power_states[CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS];
+/* bitmask to check if a power state was forced. */
+static ATOMIC_DEFINE(z_power_states_forced, CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS);
 #ifdef CONFIG_PM_DEVICE
 static atomic_t z_cpus_active = ATOMIC_INIT(CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS);
 #endif
@@ -239,43 +241,24 @@ void pm_system_resume(void)
 		pm_state_notify(false);
 		z_power_states[id] = (struct pm_state_info){PM_STATE_ACTIVE,
 			0, 0};
+		atomic_clear_bit(z_power_states_forced, id);
 	}
 }
 
-void pm_power_state_force(struct pm_state_info info)
+bool pm_power_state_force(uint8_t cpu, struct pm_state_info info)
 {
-	uint8_t id = _current_cpu->id;
+	bool ret = false;
 
 	__ASSERT(info.state < PM_STATES_LEN,
 		 "Invalid power state %d!", info.state);
 
-	if (info.state == PM_STATE_ACTIVE) {
-		return;
+
+	if (!atomic_test_and_set_bit(z_power_states_forced, cpu)) {
+		z_power_states[cpu] = info;
+		ret = true;
 	}
 
-	(void)arch_irq_lock();
-	z_power_states[id] = info;
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_PM_DEVICE
-	if (z_power_states[id].state != PM_STATE_RUNTIME_IDLE) {
-		(void)atomic_sub(&z_cpus_active, 1);
-	}
-#endif
-
-	post_ops_done = false;
-	pm_state_notify(true);
-
-	k_sched_lock();
-	pm_start_timer();
-	/* Enter power state */
-	pm_state_set(info);
-	pm_stop_timer();
-
-	pm_system_resume();
-#ifdef CONFIG_PM_DEVICE
-	(void)atomic_add(&z_cpus_active, 1);
-#endif
-	k_sched_unlock();
+	return ret;
 }
 
 bool pm_system_suspend(int32_t ticks)
@@ -283,11 +266,16 @@ bool pm_system_suspend(int32_t ticks)
 	uint8_t id = _current_cpu->id;
 
 	SYS_PORT_TRACING_FUNC_ENTER(pm, system_suspend, ticks);
-	z_power_states[id] = pm_policy_next_state(id, ticks);
+
+	if (!atomic_test_and_set_bit(z_power_states_forced, id)) {
+		z_power_states[id] = pm_policy_next_state(id, ticks);
+	}
+
 	if (z_power_states[id].state == PM_STATE_ACTIVE) {
 		LOG_DBG("No PM operations done.");
 		SYS_PORT_TRACING_FUNC_EXIT(pm, system_suspend, ticks,
 				   z_power_states[id].state);
+		atomic_clear_bit(z_power_states_forced, id);
 		return false;
 	}
 	post_ops_done = false;
@@ -320,6 +308,7 @@ bool pm_system_suspend(int32_t ticks)
 			(void)atomic_add(&z_cpus_active, 1);
 			SYS_PORT_TRACING_FUNC_EXIT(pm, system_suspend, ticks,
 				_handle_device_abort(z_power_states[id]));
+			atomic_clear_bit(z_power_states_forced, id);
 			return false;
 		}
 	}