diff --git a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
index 085a79700d5..e391af09eb8 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
 
 /* states: common uses low bits, arch-specific use high bits */
 
-/* system thread that must not abort */
-#define K_ESSENTIAL (1 << 0)
+/* Not a real thread */
+#define _THREAD_DUMMY (1 << 0)
 
 /* Thread is waiting on an object */
 #define _THREAD_PENDING (1 << 1)
@@ -39,17 +39,17 @@
 /* Thread is suspended */
 #define _THREAD_SUSPENDED (1 << 4)
 
-/* Not a real thread */
-#define _THREAD_DUMMY (1 << 5)
-
 /* end - states */
 
 
 /* execution flags: common uses low bits, arch-specific use high bits */
 
+/* system thread that must not abort */
+#define K_ESSENTIAL (1 << 0)
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING)
 /* thread uses floating point registers */
-#define K_FP_REGS (1 << 0)
+#define K_FP_REGS (1 << 1)
 #endif
 /* end - execution flags */
 
diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index e4ef955c38c..58f2c899200 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ static void _main(void *unused1, void *unused2, void *unused3)
 	main();
 
 	/* Terminate thread normally since it has no more work to do */
-	_main_thread->base.thread_state &= ~K_ESSENTIAL;
+	_main_thread->base.execution_flags &= ~K_ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
 void __weak main(void)
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ static void prepare_multithreading(struct k_thread *dummy_thread)
 
 	_current = dummy_thread;
 
-	dummy_thread->base.thread_state = K_ESSENTIAL;
+	dummy_thread->base.execution_flags = K_ESSENTIAL;
 #endif
 
 	/* _kernel.ready_q is all zeroes */
diff --git a/kernel/thread.c b/kernel/thread.c
index cc9eb17c835..a40b44902f4 100644
--- a/kernel/thread.c
+++ b/kernel/thread.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int k_is_in_isr(void)
  */
 void _thread_essential_set(void)
 {
-	_current->base.thread_state |= K_ESSENTIAL;
+	_current->base.execution_flags |= K_ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void _thread_essential_set(void)
  */
 void _thread_essential_clear(void)
 {
-	_current->base.thread_state &= ~K_ESSENTIAL;
+	_current->base.execution_flags &= ~K_ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void _thread_essential_clear(void)
  */
 int _is_thread_essential(void)
 {
-	return _current->base.thread_state & K_ESSENTIAL;
+	return _current->base.execution_flags & K_ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
 void k_busy_wait(uint32_t usec_to_wait)