diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index 593e03f7f1d..cfed8b54ec2 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ static void prepare_multithreading(struct k_thread *dummy_thread)
 	_current = dummy_thread;
 
 	dummy_thread->base.user_options = K_ESSENTIAL;
+	dummy_thread->base.thread_state = _THREAD_DUMMY;
 #endif
 
 	/* _kernel.ready_q is all zeroes */