diff --git a/cmake/modules/arch.cmake b/cmake/modules/arch.cmake
index bd6d6cab87f..806b5c12b58 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/arch.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/arch.cmake
@@ -26,8 +26,10 @@
 include_guard(GLOBAL)
 
 # 'ARCH_ROOT' is a prioritized list of directories where archs may be
-# found. It always includes ${ZEPHYR_BASE} at the lowest priority.
-list(APPEND ARCH_ROOT ${ZEPHYR_BASE})
+# found. It always includes ${ZEPHYR_BASE} at the lowest priority (except for unittesting).
+if(NOT unittest IN_LIST Zephyr_FIND_COMPONENTS)
+  list(APPEND ARCH_ROOT ${ZEPHYR_BASE})
+endif()
 
 cmake_path(GET BOARD_DIR PARENT_PATH board_arch_dir)
 cmake_path(GET board_arch_dir FILENAME ARCH)
diff --git a/cmake/modules/boards.cmake b/cmake/modules/boards.cmake
index 5032b579f55..371b6e479dc 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/boards.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/boards.cmake
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ include(extensions)
 zephyr_check_cache(BOARD REQUIRED)
 
 # 'BOARD_ROOT' is a prioritized list of directories where boards may
-# be found. It always includes ${ZEPHYR_BASE} at the lowest priority.
-list(APPEND BOARD_ROOT ${ZEPHYR_BASE})
+# be found. It always includes ${ZEPHYR_BASE} at the lowest priority (except for unittesting).
+if(NOT unittest IN_LIST Zephyr_FIND_COMPONENTS)
+  list(APPEND BOARD_ROOT ${ZEPHYR_BASE})
+endif()
 
 string(FIND "${BOARD}" "@" REVISION_SEPARATOR_INDEX)
 if(NOT (REVISION_SEPARATOR_INDEX EQUAL -1))
diff --git a/cmake/modules/root.cmake b/cmake/modules/root.cmake
index 3800d812645..24ff3884cef 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/root.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/root.cmake
@@ -32,3 +32,10 @@ zephyr_file(APPLICATION_ROOT SOC_ROOT)
 
 # Convert paths to absolute, relative from APPLICATION_SOURCE_DIR
 zephyr_file(APPLICATION_ROOT ARCH_ROOT)
+
+if(unittest IN_LIST Zephyr_FIND_COMPONENTS)
+  # Zephyr used in unittest mode, use dedicated unittest root.
+  set(BOARD_ROOT ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/subsys/testsuite)
+  set(ARCH_ROOT  ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/subsys/testsuite)
+  set(SOC_ROOT   ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/subsys/testsuite)
+endif()
diff --git a/cmake/modules/unittest.cmake b/cmake/modules/unittest.cmake
index c2d97cebbb4..1b33478c2e2 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/unittest.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/unittest.cmake
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)
 
 enable_language(C CXX ASM)
 
+include(root)
+include(boards)
+include(arch)
+include(configuration_files)
+include(kconfig)
+
 # Parameters:
 #   SOURCES: list of source files, default main.c
 #   INCLUDE: list of additional include paths relative to ZEPHYR_BASE
@@ -55,6 +61,7 @@ endif(M64_MODE)
 endif()
 
 target_compile_options(testbinary PRIVATE
+  -imacros ${AUTOCONF_H}
   -Wall
   -I ${KOBJ_GEN_DIR}
   ${EXTRA_CPPFLAGS_AS_LIST}
@@ -89,7 +96,6 @@ if(LIBS)
 endif()
 
 if(CONFIG_ZTEST_NEW_API)
-  add_definitions( -DCONFIG_ZTEST_NEW_API=y )
   target_sources(testbinary PRIVATE
       ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/subsys/testsuite/ztest/src/ztest_new.c
       ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/subsys/testsuite/ztest/src/ztest_mock.c
@@ -115,7 +121,7 @@ if(VALGRIND_PROGRAM)
   set(VALGRIND_FLAGS
     --leak-check=full
     --error-exitcode=1
- 	--log-file=valgrind.log
+    --log-file=valgrind.log
     )
 endif()
 
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/CMakeLists.txt b/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b2efdb2bee7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+
+# Intentionally left empty
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/Kconfig b/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c2fdd2e2744
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/arch/unit_testing/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+# Current the use of X86 is for consistency with old testsuite/ztest which
+# defined CONFIG_X86 manually. To consider, is NATIVE_POSIX a better choice?
+config X86
+	bool
+	default y
+	help
+	  The unit_testing architecture identifies itself as X86 for basic
+	  ztest and kernel support.
+
+if CONSOLE
+
+config NATIVE_POSIX_CONSOLE
+	bool
+	default y
+	select CONSOLE_HAS_DRIVER
+	help
+	  The unit testing architecture is expected to always have access to a
+	  standard terminal for printing.
+
+endif # CONSOLE
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.board b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.board
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..88c43c26dc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.board
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+
+config BOARD_UNIT_TESTING
+	bool "Unit testing board"
+	help
+	  Board for unit testing
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.defconfig b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.defconfig
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b2efdb2bee7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+
+# Intentionally left empty
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/unit_testing_defconfig b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/unit_testing_defconfig
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8880d9c9896
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/boards/unit_testing/unit_testing/unit_testing_defconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+
+CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC=1000000
+CONFIG_CONSOLE=y
+CONFIG_ZTEST=y
+CONFIG_ZTEST_MOCKING=y
+
+# unit testing only build a fraction of code, and hence assert may fail linking.
+# Disable default for board. A unit test can still enable asserts.
+CONFIG_ASSERT=n
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/soc/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.soc b/subsys/testsuite/soc/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.soc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..38c319fc513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/soc/unit_testing/unit_testing/Kconfig.soc
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2022 Nordic Semiconductor
+
+config SOC_UNIT_TESTING
+	bool "Unit testing SoC"
+	help
+	  SoC for unit testing
diff --git a/subsys/testsuite/ztest/include/zephyr/ztest.h b/subsys/testsuite/ztest/include/zephyr/ztest.h
index 77038ae3fe0..7178bff1338 100644
--- a/subsys/testsuite/ztest/include/zephyr/ztest.h
+++ b/subsys/testsuite/ztest/include/zephyr/ztest.h
@@ -29,20 +29,8 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifndef KERNEL
-#define CONFIG_STDOUT_CONSOLE 1
-#define CONFIG_ZTEST_ASSERT_VERBOSE 1
-#define CONFIG_ZTEST_MOCKING
-#define CONFIG_NUM_COOP_PRIORITIES 16
-#define CONFIG_COOP_ENABLED 1
-#define CONFIG_PREEMPT_ENABLED 1
-#define CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS 1
-#define CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_TICKS_PER_SEC 100
-#define CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC 10000000
-#define CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_MAX_TIMEOUT_DAYS 365
 #define ARCH_STACK_PTR_ALIGN 8
 /* FIXME: Properly integrate with Zephyr's arch specific code */
-#define CONFIG_X86 1
-#define CONFIG_PRINTK 1
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif