diff --git a/doc/guides/porting/arch.rst b/doc/guides/porting/arch.rst
index 6002c00dbd7..a2915061287 100644
--- a/doc/guides/porting/arch.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/porting/arch.rst
@@ -412,6 +412,10 @@ expected to be implemented as part of an architecture port.
 
 * Atomic operators.
 
+  * If instructions do exist for a given architecture, the implementation is
+    configured using the :option:`CONFIG_ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_ARCH` Kconfig
+    option.
+
   * If instructions do not exist for a given architecture,
     a generic version that wraps :c:func:`irq_lock` or :c:func:`irq_unlock`
     around non-atomic operations exists. It is configured using the
diff --git a/include/sys/atomic.h b/include/sys/atomic.h
index 774e5042afd..249d0cb924f 100644
--- a/include/sys/atomic.h
+++ b/include/sys/atomic.h
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ typedef atomic_ptr_t atomic_ptr_val_t;
 # ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA
 /* Not all Xtensa toolchains support GCC-style atomic intrinsics */
 # include <arch/xtensa/atomic_xtensa.h>
-# endif
+# else
+/* Other arch specific implementation */
+# include <sys/atomic_arch.h>
+# endif /* CONFIG_XTENSA */
 #else
 /* Default.  See this file for the Doxygen reference: */
 #include <sys/atomic_builtin.h>
diff --git a/include/sys/atomic_arch.h b/include/sys/atomic_arch.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fad339bf933
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/sys/atomic_arch.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021 Demant A/S
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+#ifndef ZEPHYR_INCLUDE_SYS_ATOMIC_ARCH_H_
+#define ZEPHYR_INCLUDE_SYS_ATOMIC_ARCH_H_
+
+/* Included from <atomic.h> */
+
+/* Arch specific atomic primitives */
+
+extern bool atomic_cas(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t old_value,
+			 atomic_val_t new_value);
+
+extern bool atomic_ptr_cas(atomic_ptr_t *target, void *old_value,
+			      void *new_value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_add(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_sub(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_inc(atomic_t *target);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_dec(atomic_t *target);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_get(const atomic_t *target);
+
+extern void *atomic_ptr_get(const atomic_ptr_t *target);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_set(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern void *atomic_ptr_set(atomic_ptr_t *target, void *value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_clear(atomic_t *target);
+
+extern void *atomic_ptr_clear(atomic_ptr_t *target);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_or(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_xor(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_and(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+extern atomic_val_t atomic_nand(atomic_t *target, atomic_val_t value);
+
+
+#endif /* ZEPHYR_INCLUDE_SYS_ATOMIC_ARCH_H_ */