diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
index c260d3a8d0e..cafae92c988 100644
--- a/arch/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ config XTENSA
 	select HAS_DTS
 	select USE_SWITCH
 	select USE_SWITCH_SUPPORTED
-	select ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_ARCH
+	imply ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_ARCH
 	help
 	  Xtensa architecture