diff --git a/include/net/ethernet.h b/include/net/ethernet.h
index f363a7bb55a..713265c77ab 100644
--- a/include/net/ethernet.h
+++ b/include/net/ethernet.h
@@ -722,14 +722,14 @@ static inline int net_eth_get_ptp_port(struct net_if *iface)
 void net_eth_set_ptp_port(struct net_if *iface, int port);
 #endif /* CONFIG_NET_GPTP */
 
-#include <syscalls/ethernet.h>
+/**
+ * @}
+ */
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @}
- */
+#include <syscalls/ethernet.h>
 
 #endif /* ZEPHYR_INCLUDE_NET_ETHERNET_H_ */
diff --git a/include/net/net_core.h b/include/net/net_core.h
index 377bc6fee31..508f11c15b7 100644
--- a/include/net/net_core.h
+++ b/include/net/net_core.h
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 #define ZEPHYR_INCLUDE_NET_NET_CORE_H_
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <logging/log.h>
+#include <sys/__assert.h>
+#include <kernel.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -36,30 +41,22 @@ extern "C" {
 /** @cond INTERNAL_HIDDEN */
 
 /* Network subsystem logging helpers */
-#include <logging/log.h>
-
 #define NET_DBG(fmt, ...) LOG_DBG("(%p): " fmt, k_current_get(), \
 				  ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #define NET_ERR(fmt, ...) LOG_ERR(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #define NET_WARN(fmt, ...) LOG_WRN(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 #define NET_INFO(fmt, ...) LOG_INF(fmt,  ##__VA_ARGS__)
 
-#include <sys/__assert.h>
-
 #define NET_ASSERT(cond) __ASSERT_NO_MSG(cond)
 #define NET_ASSERT_INFO(cond, fmt, ...) __ASSERT(cond, fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
 
 /** @endcond */
 
-#include <kernel.h>
-
 struct net_buf;
 struct net_pkt;
 struct net_context;
 struct net_if;
 
-#include <string.h>
-
 /**
  * @brief Net Verdict
  */
@@ -187,6 +184,7 @@ struct net_stack_info {
 #define NET_STACK_DEFINE_EMBEDDED(name, size) char name[size]
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_INIT_STACKS)
+/* Legacy case: retain containing extern "C" with C++ */
 #include <debug/stack.h>
 
 static inline void net_analyze_stack_get_values(const char *stack,
diff --git a/include/net/net_mgmt.h b/include/net/net_mgmt.h
index 9b5c43ed349..ea18557021b 100644
--- a/include/net/net_mgmt.h
+++ b/include/net/net_mgmt.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/__assert.h>
 #include <net/net_core.h>
+#include <net/net_event.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -72,8 +73,6 @@ struct net_if;
 
 /** @endcond */
 
-#include <net/net_event.h>
-
 
 /**
  * @typedef net_mgmt_request_handler_t
diff --git a/include/net/net_stats.h b/include/net/net_stats.h
index f2326c5840a..0d0bf826150 100644
--- a/include/net/net_stats.h
+++ b/include/net/net_stats.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <zephyr/types.h>
 #include <net/net_core.h>
+#include <net/net_mgmt.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -393,8 +394,6 @@ struct net_stats_ppp {
 #if defined(CONFIG_NET_STATISTICS_USER_API)
 /* Management part definitions */
 
-#include <net/net_mgmt.h>
-
 #define _NET_STATS_LAYER	NET_MGMT_LAYER_L3
 #define _NET_STATS_CODE		0x101
 #define _NET_STATS_BASE		(NET_MGMT_LAYER(_NET_STATS_LAYER) |	\
diff --git a/include/net/socket.h b/include/net/socket.h
index 96e00588239..72a8187015a 100644
--- a/include/net/socket.h
+++ b/include/net/socket.h
@@ -697,6 +697,11 @@ struct addrinfo {
 	struct addrinfo *ai_next;
 };
 
+/* Legacy case: retain containing extern "C" with C++
+ *
+ * This header requires aliases defined within this file, and can't
+ * easily be moved to the top.
+ */
 #include <net/socket_offload.h>
 
 static inline int inet_pton(sa_family_t family, const char *src, void *dst)