diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index d9f3c2da77d..3bc537f768c 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -4191,6 +4191,7 @@ extern void *k_calloc(size_t nmemb, size_t size);
 /* private - implementation data created as needed, per-type */
 struct _poller {
 	struct k_thread *thread;
+	volatile int is_polling;
 };
 
 /* private - types bit positions */
diff --git a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
index db40c459bc2..463bf7b9aa2 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@
 /* Thread is suspended */
 #define _THREAD_SUSPENDED (1 << 4)
 
-/* Thread is actively looking at events to see if they are ready */
-#define _THREAD_POLLING (1 << 5)
-
 /* Thread is present in the ready queue */
 #define _THREAD_QUEUED (1 << 6)
 
diff --git a/kernel/include/ksched.h b/kernel/include/ksched.h
index 4cfc3af722f..5ce2cf848b0 100644
--- a/kernel/include/ksched.h
+++ b/kernel/include/ksched.h
@@ -107,11 +107,6 @@ static inline int _is_thread_state_set(struct k_thread *thread, u32_t state)
 	return !!(thread->base.thread_state & state);
 }
 
-static inline int _is_thread_polling(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	return _is_thread_state_set(thread, _THREAD_POLLING);
-}
-
 static inline int _is_thread_queued(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 	return _is_thread_state_set(thread, _THREAD_QUEUED);
@@ -153,16 +148,6 @@ static inline void _reset_thread_states(struct k_thread *thread,
 	thread->base.thread_state &= ~states;
 }
 
-static inline void _mark_thread_as_polling(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	_set_thread_states(thread, _THREAD_POLLING);
-}
-
-static inline void _mark_thread_as_not_polling(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	_reset_thread_states(thread, _THREAD_POLLING);
-}
-
 static inline void _mark_thread_as_queued(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 	_set_thread_states(thread, _THREAD_QUEUED);
diff --git a/kernel/poll.c b/kernel/poll.c
index 581fd416f40..512f1bfa237 100644
--- a/kernel/poll.c
+++ b/kernel/poll.c
@@ -41,24 +41,6 @@ void k_poll_event_init(struct k_poll_event *event, u32_t type,
 	event->obj = obj;
 }
 
-/* must be called with interrupts locked */
-static inline void set_polling_state(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	_mark_thread_as_polling(thread);
-}
-
-/* must be called with interrupts locked */
-static inline void clear_polling_state(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	_mark_thread_as_not_polling(thread);
-}
-
-/* must be called with interrupts locked */
-static inline int is_polling(void)
-{
-	return _is_thread_polling(_current);
-}
-
 /* must be called with interrupts locked */
 static inline int is_condition_met(struct k_poll_event *event, u32_t *state)
 {
@@ -199,11 +181,7 @@ int _impl_k_poll(struct k_poll_event *events, int num_events, s32_t timeout)
 	int last_registered = -1, rc;
 	unsigned int key;
 
-	key = irq_lock();
-	set_polling_state(_current);
-	irq_unlock(key);
-
-	struct _poller poller = { .thread = _current };
+	struct _poller poller = { .thread = _current, .is_polling = 1, };
 
 	/* find events whose condition is already fulfilled */
 	for (int ii = 0; ii < num_events; ii++) {
@@ -212,8 +190,8 @@ int _impl_k_poll(struct k_poll_event *events, int num_events, s32_t timeout)
 		key = irq_lock();
 		if (is_condition_met(&events[ii], &state)) {
 			set_event_ready(&events[ii], state);
-			clear_polling_state(_current);
-		} else if (timeout != K_NO_WAIT && is_polling()) {
+			poller.is_polling = 0;
+		} else if (timeout != K_NO_WAIT && poller.is_polling) {
 			rc = register_event(&events[ii], &poller);
 			if (rc == 0) {
 				++last_registered;
@@ -231,13 +209,13 @@ int _impl_k_poll(struct k_poll_event *events, int num_events, s32_t timeout)
 	 * condition is met, either when looping through the events here or
 	 * because one of the events registered has had its state changed.
 	 */
-	if (!is_polling()) {
+	if (!poller.is_polling) {
 		clear_event_registrations(events, last_registered, key);
 		irq_unlock(key);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	clear_polling_state(_current);
+	poller.is_polling = 0;
 
 	if (timeout == K_NO_WAIT) {
 		irq_unlock(key);
@@ -349,7 +327,7 @@ static int signal_poll_event(struct k_poll_event *event, u32_t state)
 
 	__ASSERT(event->poller->thread, "poller should have a thread\n");
 
-	clear_polling_state(thread);
+	event->poller->is_polling = 0;
 
 	if (!_is_thread_pending(thread)) {
 		goto ready_event;