diff --git a/drivers/counter/maxim_ds3231.c b/drivers/counter/maxim_ds3231.c
index 038d6ad6265..b13892e5c42 100644
--- a/drivers/counter/maxim_ds3231.c
+++ b/drivers/counter/maxim_ds3231.c
@@ -71,14 +71,12 @@ struct gpios {
 struct ds3231_config {
 	/* Common structure first because generic API expects this here. */
 	struct counter_config_info generic;
-	const char *bus_name;
+	struct i2c_dt_spec bus;
 	struct gpios isw_gpios;
-	uint16_t addr;
 };
 
 struct ds3231_data {
 	const struct device *ds3231;
-	const struct device *i2c;
 	const struct device *isw;
 	struct register_map registers;
 
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ static int sc_ctrl(const struct device *dev,
 			offsetof(struct register_map, ctrl),
 			ctrl,
 		};
-		rc = i2c_write(data->i2c, buf, sizeof(buf), cfg->addr);
+		rc = i2c_write_dt(&cfg->bus, buf, sizeof(buf));
 		if (rc >= 0) {
 			rp->ctrl = ctrl;
 			rc = ctrl;
@@ -206,9 +204,8 @@ static inline int rsc_stat(const struct device *dev,
 	uint8_t addr = offsetof(struct register_map, ctrl_stat);
 	int rc;
 
-	rc = i2c_write_read(data->i2c, cfg->addr,
-			    &addr, sizeof(addr),
-			    &rp->ctrl_stat, sizeof(rp->ctrl_stat));
+	rc = i2c_write_read_dt(&cfg->bus, &addr, sizeof(addr), &rp->ctrl_stat,
+			       sizeof(rp->ctrl_stat));
 	if (rc >= 0) {
 		uint8_t stat = rp->ctrl_stat & ~clear;
 
@@ -217,7 +214,7 @@ static inline int rsc_stat(const struct device *dev,
 				addr,
 				stat | (ign & ~(set | clear)),
 			};
-			rc = i2c_write(data->i2c, buf, sizeof(buf), cfg->addr);
+			rc = i2c_write_dt(&cfg->bus, buf, sizeof(buf));
 		}
 		if (rc >= 0) {
 			rc = rp->ctrl_stat;
@@ -455,9 +452,8 @@ static int update_registers(const struct device *dev)
 	uint8_t addr = 0;
 
 	data->syncclock_base = maxim_ds3231_read_syncclock(dev);
-	rc = i2c_write_read(data->i2c, cfg->addr,
-			    &addr, sizeof(addr),
-			    &data->registers, sizeof(data->registers));
+	rc = i2c_write_read_dt(&cfg->bus, &addr, sizeof(addr), &data->registers,
+			       sizeof(data->registers));
 	syncclock = maxim_ds3231_read_syncclock(dev);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		return rc;
@@ -493,9 +489,7 @@ int maxim_ds3231_get_alarm(const struct device *dev,
 	/* Update alarm structure */
 	uint8_t *rbp = &data->registers.sec + addr;
 
-	rv = i2c_write_read(data->i2c, cfg->addr,
-			    &addr, sizeof(addr),
-			    rbp, len);
+	rv = i2c_write_read_dt(&cfg->bus, &addr, sizeof(addr), rbp, len);
 
 	if (rv < 0) {
 		LOG_DBG("get_config at %02x failed: %d\n", addr, rv);
@@ -584,7 +578,7 @@ static int set_alarm(const struct device *dev,
 	 */
 	rc = rsc_stat(dev, 0U, (MAXIM_DS3231_ALARM1 << id));
 	if (rc >= 0) {
-		rc = i2c_write(data->i2c, buf, len + 1, cfg->addr);
+		rc = i2c_write_dt(&cfg->bus, buf, len + 1);
 	}
 	if ((rc >= 0)
 	    && (cp->handler != NULL)) {
@@ -754,9 +748,8 @@ static int read_time(const struct device *dev,
 	const struct ds3231_config *cfg = dev->config;
 	uint8_t addr = 0;
 
-	int rc = i2c_write_read(data->i2c, cfg->addr,
-				&addr, sizeof(addr),
-				&data->registers, 7);
+	int rc = i2c_write_read_dt(&cfg->bus, &addr, sizeof(addr),
+				   &data->registers, 7);
 
 	if (rc >= 0) {
 		*time = decode_rtc(data);
@@ -922,7 +915,7 @@ static void sync_finish_write(const struct device *dev)
 	*bp++ = val;
 
 	uint32_t syncclock = maxim_ds3231_read_syncclock(dev);
-	int rc = i2c_write(data->i2c, buf, bp - buf, cfg->addr);
+	int rc = i2c_write_dt(&cfg->bus, buf, bp - buf);
 
 	if (rc >= 0) {
 		data->syncpoint.rtc.tv_sec = when;
@@ -1119,20 +1112,18 @@ static int ds3231_init(const struct device *dev)
 {
 	struct ds3231_data *data = dev->data;
 	const struct ds3231_config *cfg = dev->config;
-	const struct device *i2c = device_get_binding(cfg->bus_name);
 	int rc;
 
 	/* Initialize and take the lock */
 	k_sem_init(&data->lock, 0, 1);
 
 	data->ds3231 = dev;
-	if (i2c == NULL) {
-		LOG_WRN("Failed to get I2C %s", cfg->bus_name);
-		rc = -EINVAL;
+	if (!device_is_ready(cfg->bus.bus)) {
+		LOG_ERR("I2C device not ready");
+		rc = -ENODEV;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	data->i2c = i2c;
 	rc = update_registers(dev);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		LOG_WRN("Failed to fetch registers: %d", rc);
@@ -1299,7 +1290,7 @@ static const struct ds3231_config ds3231_0_config = {
 		.flags = COUNTER_CONFIG_INFO_COUNT_UP,
 		.channels = 2,
 	},
-	.bus_name = DT_INST_BUS_LABEL(0),
+	.bus = I2C_DT_SPEC_INST_GET(0),
 	/* Driver does not currently use 32k GPIO. */
 #if DT_INST_NODE_HAS_PROP(0, isw_gpios)
 	.isw_gpios = {
@@ -1308,7 +1299,6 @@ static const struct ds3231_config ds3231_0_config = {
 		DT_INST_GPIO_FLAGS(0, isw_gpios),
 	},
 #endif
-	.addr = DT_INST_REG_ADDR(0),
 };
 
 static struct ds3231_data ds3231_0_data;