diff --git a/include/shell/shell.h b/include/shell/shell.h
index afe9dfc2d54..c2883777976 100644
--- a/include/shell/shell.h
+++ b/include/shell/shell.h
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ struct shell_transport {
  * @brief Shell statistics structure.
  */
 struct shell_stats {
-	u32_t log_lost_cnt; /*!< Lost log counter.*/
+	atomic_t log_lost_cnt; /*!< Lost log counter.*/
 };
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SHELL_STATS
diff --git a/subsys/shell/shell_log_backend.c b/subsys/shell/shell_log_backend.c
index 9e8ba9358dc..1805c844827 100644
--- a/subsys/shell/shell_log_backend.c
+++ b/subsys/shell/shell_log_backend.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static void flush_expired_messages(const struct shell *shell)
 			log_msg_put(msg.msg);
 
 			if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SHELL_STATS)) {
-				shell->stats->log_lost_cnt++;
+				atomic_inc(&shell->stats->log_lost_cnt);
 			}
 		} else {
 			break;