diff --git a/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h b/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
index d91b109d0de..0d30088af8a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <asm_inline.h>
 #include <exception.h>
 #include <kernel_arch_thread.h>
+#include <misc/util.h>
 
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 #include <kernel.h>
diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index caed55edd93..25c82aee51b 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -658,13 +658,13 @@ extern void k_thread_foreach(k_thread_user_cb_t user_cb, void *user_data);
  * @brief system thread that must not abort
  * @req K-THREAD-000
  * */
-#define K_ESSENTIAL (1 << 0)
+#define K_ESSENTIAL (BIT(0))
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING)
 /**
  * @brief thread uses floating point registers
  */
-#define K_FP_REGS (1 << 1)
+#define K_FP_REGS (BIT(1))
 #endif
 
 /**
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ extern void k_thread_foreach(k_thread_user_cb_t user_cb, void *user_data);
  * This thread has dropped from supervisor mode to user mode and consequently
  * has additional restrictions
  */
-#define K_USER (1 << 2)
+#define K_USER (BIT(2))
 
 /**
  * @brief Inherit Permissions
@@ -683,14 +683,14 @@ extern void k_thread_foreach(k_thread_user_cb_t user_cb, void *user_data);
  * permissions from the thread that created it. No effect if CONFIG_USERSPACE
  * is not enabled.
  */
-#define K_INHERIT_PERMS (1 << 3)
+#define K_INHERIT_PERMS (BIT(3))
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_X86
 /* x86 Bitmask definitions for threads user options */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING) && defined(CONFIG_SSE)
 /* thread uses SSEx (and also FP) registers */
-#define K_SSE_REGS (1 << 7)
+#define K_SSE_REGS (BIT(7))
 #endif
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/misc/util.h b/include/misc/util.h
index eeb1c988118..e7657018abb 100644
--- a/include/misc/util.h
+++ b/include/misc/util.h
@@ -117,8 +117,12 @@ static inline s64_t arithmetic_shift_right(s64_t value, u8_t shift)
 #define MHZ(x) (KHZ(x) * 1000)
 
 #ifndef BIT
+#if defined(_ASMLANGUAGE)
+#define BIT(n)  (1 << (n))
+#else
 #define BIT(n)  (1UL << (n))
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #define BIT_MASK(n) (BIT(n) - 1)
 
diff --git a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
index ebdf961d597..505da0bb74b 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <atomic.h>
 #include <misc/dlist.h>
 #include <misc/rb.h>
+#include <misc/util.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #endif
 
@@ -31,22 +32,22 @@
 /* states: common uses low bits, arch-specific use high bits */
 
 /* Not a real thread */
-#define _THREAD_DUMMY (1 << 0)
+#define _THREAD_DUMMY (BIT(0))
 
 /* Thread is waiting on an object */
-#define _THREAD_PENDING (1 << 1)
+#define _THREAD_PENDING (BIT(1))
 
 /* Thread has not yet started */
-#define _THREAD_PRESTART (1 << 2)
+#define _THREAD_PRESTART (BIT(2))
 
 /* Thread has terminated */
-#define _THREAD_DEAD (1 << 3)
+#define _THREAD_DEAD (BIT(3))
 
 /* Thread is suspended */
-#define _THREAD_SUSPENDED (1 << 4)
+#define _THREAD_SUSPENDED (BIT(4))
 
 /* Thread is present in the ready queue */
-#define _THREAD_QUEUED (1 << 6)
+#define _THREAD_QUEUED (BIT(6))
 
 /* end - states */
 
diff --git a/kernel/poll.c b/kernel/poll.c
index be4c838ee1f..ee1b257cae4 100644
--- a/kernel/poll.c
+++ b/kernel/poll.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <syscall_handler.h>
 #include <misc/slist.h>
 #include <misc/dlist.h>
+#include <misc/util.h>
 #include <misc/__assert.h>
 
 void k_poll_event_init(struct k_poll_event *event, u32_t type,
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ void k_poll_event_init(struct k_poll_event *event, u32_t type,
 {
 	__ASSERT(mode == K_POLL_MODE_NOTIFY_ONLY,
 		 "only NOTIFY_ONLY mode is supported\n");
-	__ASSERT(type < (1 << _POLL_NUM_TYPES), "invalid type\n");
+	__ASSERT(type < (BIT(_POLL_NUM_TYPES)), "invalid type\n");
 	__ASSERT(obj, "must provide an object\n");
 
 	event->poller = NULL;
diff --git a/scripts/coccinelle/unsigned_shift.cocci b/scripts/coccinelle/unsigned_shift.cocci
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..07debb9d7b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/coccinelle/unsigned_shift.cocci
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2017 Intel Corporation
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+@@
+constant A;
+@@
+
+- 1 << A
++ BIT(A)
\ No newline at end of file