diff --git a/arch/xtensa/core/irq_offload.c b/arch/xtensa/core/irq_offload.c
index 6aefcf75f70..c06987a5e7f 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/core/irq_offload.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/core/irq_offload.c
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 #include <arch/xtensa/arch.h>
 #include <xtensa_api.h>
 
+#ifndef CONFIG_BOARD_QEMU_XTENSA
+/* qemu_xtensa has no soc definitions */
+#include <soc.h>
+#endif
+
 /*
  * Xtensa core should support software interrupt in order to allow using
  * irq_offload feature
diff --git a/include/arch/xtensa/xtensa_irq.h b/include/arch/xtensa/xtensa_irq.h
index 51975f1ff5f..bed19534d90 100644
--- a/include/arch/xtensa/xtensa_irq.h
+++ b/include/arch/xtensa/xtensa_irq.h
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MULTI_LEVEL_INTERRUPTS
 
+/* for _soc_irq_*() */
+#include <soc.h>
+
 #define CONFIG_NUM_IRQS (XCHAL_NUM_INTERRUPTS +\
 			(CONFIG_NUM_2ND_LEVEL_AGGREGATORS +\
 			CONFIG_NUM_3RD_LEVEL_AGGREGATORS) *\