diff --git a/kernel/Kconfig b/kernel/Kconfig
index 2bd0477ccc8..8261dedfae2 100644
--- a/kernel/Kconfig
+++ b/kernel/Kconfig
@@ -380,6 +380,15 @@ config ARCH_HAS_CUSTOM_SWAP_TO_MAIN
 	  the _main() thread, but instead must do something custom. It must
 	  enable this option in that case.
 
+config ARCH_HAS_CUSTOM_BUSY_WAIT
+	bool
+	# hidden
+	default n
+	help
+	  It's possible that an architecture port cannot or does not want to use
+	  the provided k_busy_wait(), but instead must do something custom. It must
+	  enable this option in that case.
+
 config SYS_CLOCK_TICKS_PER_SEC
 	int
 	prompt "System tick frequency (in ticks/second)"
diff --git a/kernel/thread.c b/kernel/thread.c
index c552f375142..7d3e75e1590 100644
--- a/kernel/thread.c
+++ b/kernel/thread.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ int _is_thread_essential(void)
 	return _current->base.user_options & K_ESSENTIAL;
 }
 
+#if !defined(CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_CUSTOM_BUSY_WAIT)
 void k_busy_wait(u32_t usec_to_wait)
 {
 #if defined(CONFIG_TICKLESS_KERNEL) && \
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ int saved_always_on = k_enable_sys_clock_always_on();
 	_sys_clock_always_on = saved_always_on;
 #endif
 }
+#endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_THREAD_CUSTOM_DATA
 void _impl_k_thread_custom_data_set(void *value)