diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/irq_manage.c b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/irq_manage.c
index ce5aaae7f5b..8219d0132f3 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/irq_manage.c
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/irq_manage.c
@@ -53,6 +53,17 @@ void z_arm64_irq_priority_set(unsigned int irq, unsigned int prio, u32_t flags)
 }
 #endif /* !CONFIG_ARM_CUSTOM_INTERRUPT_CONTROLLER */
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_DYNAMIC_INTERRUPTS
+int arch_irq_connect_dynamic(unsigned int irq, unsigned int priority,
+			     void (*routine)(void *parameter), void *parameter,
+			     u32_t flags)
+{
+	z_isr_install(irq, routine, parameter);
+	z_arm64_irq_priority_set(irq, priority, flags);
+	return irq;
+}
+#endif
+
 void z_irq_spurious(void *unused)
 {
 	ARG_UNUSED(unused);
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/isr_wrapper.S b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/isr_wrapper.S
index cb6d251cc9c..cf18d8b3d46 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/isr_wrapper.S
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/isr_wrapper.S
@@ -54,12 +54,18 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _isr_wrapper)
 	stp x0, x1, [sp, #-16]!
 	lsl x0, x0, #4 /* table is 16-byte wide */
 
-	/* Call interrupt service routine */
+	/* Retrieve the interrupt service routine */
 	ldr	x1, =_sw_isr_table
 	add	x1, x1, x0
 	ldp	x0, x3, [x1] /* arg in x0, ISR in x3 */
 
+	/*
+	 * Call the ISR. Unmask and mask again the IRQs to support nested
+	 * exception handlers
+	 */
+	msr	daifclr, #(DAIFSET_IRQ)
 	blr	x3
+	msr	daifset, #(DAIFSET_IRQ)
 
 	/* Signal end-of-interrupt */
 	ldp x0, x1, [sp], #16
@@ -79,6 +85,9 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _isr_wrapper)
 	sub	x2, x2, #1
 	str	x2, [x1, #_kernel_offset_to_nested]
 
+	cmp	x2, #0
+	bne	exit
+
 	/* Check if we need to context switch */
 	ldr	x2, [x1, #_kernel_offset_to_current]
 	ldr	x3, [x1, #_kernel_offset_to_ready_q_cache]
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/macro.inc b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/macro.inc
index 6140e0adb43..e54e445bfa9 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/macro.inc
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/macro.inc
@@ -48,6 +48,25 @@
 	stp	x14, x15, [sp, #-16]!
 	stp     x16, x17, [sp, #-16]!
 	stp     x18, x30, [sp, #-16]!
+
+	/*
+	 * Store SPSR_ELn and ELR_ELn. This is needed to support nested
+	 * exception handlers
+	 */
+	switch_el x3, 3f, 2f, 1f
+3:
+	mrs	x0, spsr_el3
+	mrs	x1, elr_el3
+	b	0f
+2:
+	mrs	x0, spsr_el2
+	mrs	x1, elr_el2
+	b	0f
+1:
+	mrs	x0, spsr_el1
+	mrs	x1, elr_el1
+0:
+	stp	x0, x1, [sp, #-16]!
 .endm
 
 /**
@@ -63,6 +82,24 @@
  */
 
 .macro z_arm64_exit_exc
+	/*
+	 * Restore SPSR_ELn and ELR_ELn. This is needed to support nested
+	 * exception handlers
+	 */
+	ldp	x0, x1, [sp], #16
+	switch_el x3, 3f, 2f, 1f
+3:
+	msr	spsr_el3, x0
+	msr	elr_el3, x1
+	b	0f
+2:
+	msr	spsr_el2, x0
+	msr	elr_el2, x1
+	b	0f
+1:
+	msr	spsr_el1, x0
+	msr	elr_el1, x1
+0:
 	/*
 	 * In x30 we can have:
 	 *
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/swap_helper.S b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/swap_helper.S
index 9956d14c1c5..03803d0d440 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/swap_helper.S
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/swap_helper.S
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_arm64_context_switch)
 	ldr	x0, =_thread_offset_to_callee_saved
 	add	x0, x0, x2
 
-	/* Store rest of process context including x30, SPSR_ELn and ELR_ELn */
+	/* Store rest of process context including x30 */
 	stp	x19, x20, [x0], #16
 	stp	x21, x22, [x0], #16
 	stp	x23, x24, [x0], #16
@@ -54,21 +54,6 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_arm64_context_switch)
 	stp	x27, x28, [x0], #16
 	stp	x29, x30, [x0], #16
 
-	switch_el x3, 3f, 2f, 1f
-3:
-	mrs	x4, spsr_el3
-	mrs	x5, elr_el3
-	b	0f
-2:
-	mrs	x4, spsr_el2
-	mrs	x5, elr_el2
-	b	0f
-1:
-	mrs	x4, spsr_el1
-	mrs	x5, elr_el1
-0:
-	stp	x4, x5, [x0], #16
-
 	/* Save the current SP */
 	mov	x6, sp
 	str	x6, [x0]
@@ -81,7 +66,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_arm64_context_switch)
 	ldr	x0, =_thread_offset_to_callee_saved
 	add	x0, x0, x2
 
-	/* Restore x19-x29 plus x30, SPSR_ELn and ELR_ELn */
+	/* Restore x19-x29 plus x30 */
 	ldp	x19, x20, [x0], #16
 	ldp	x21, x22, [x0], #16
 	ldp	x23, x24, [x0], #16
@@ -89,21 +74,6 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_arm64_context_switch)
 	ldp	x27, x28, [x0], #16
 	ldp	x29, x30, [x0], #16
 
-	ldp	x4, x5, [x0], #16
-
-	switch_el x3, 3f, 2f, 1f
-3:
-	msr	spsr_el3, x4
-	msr	elr_el3, x5
-	b	0f
-2:
-	msr	spsr_el2, x4
-	msr	elr_el2, x5
-	b	0f
-1:
-	msr	spsr_el1, x4
-	msr	elr_el1, x5
-0:
 	ldr	x6, [x0]
 	mov	sp, x6
 
@@ -136,6 +106,24 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_arm64_context_switch)
 
 GTEXT(z_thread_entry_wrapper)
 SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, z_thread_entry_wrapper)
+	/*
+	 * Restore SPSR_ELn and ELR_ELn saved in the temporary stack by
+	 * arch_new_thread()
+	 */
+	ldp	x0, x1, [sp], #16
+	switch_el x3, 3f, 2f, 1f
+3:
+	msr	spsr_el3, x0
+	msr	elr_el3, x1
+	b	0f
+2:
+	msr	spsr_el2, x0
+	msr	elr_el2, x1
+	b	0f
+1:
+	msr	spsr_el1, x0
+	msr	elr_el1, x1
+0:
 	/*
 	 * z_thread_entry_wrapper is called for every new thread upon the return
 	 * of arch_swap() or ISR. Its address, as well as its input function
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/thread.c b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/thread.c
index d9cc518084a..6ae647e4758 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch64/thread.c
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch64/thread.c
@@ -41,6 +41,25 @@
 
 void z_thread_entry_wrapper(k_thread_entry_t k, void *p1, void *p2, void *p3);
 
+struct init_stack_frame {
+	/* top of the stack / most recently pushed */
+
+	/* SPSL_ELn and ELR_ELn */
+	u64_t spsr;
+	u64_t elr;
+
+	/*
+	 * Used by z_thread_entry_wrapper. pulls these off the stack and
+	 * into argument registers before calling z_thread_entry()
+	 */
+	u64_t entry_point;
+	u64_t arg1;
+	u64_t arg2;
+	u64_t arg3;
+
+	/* least recently pushed */
+};
+
 void arch_new_thread(struct k_thread *thread, k_thread_stack_t *stack,
 		     size_t stackSize, k_thread_entry_t pEntry,
 		     void *parameter1, void *parameter2, void *parameter3,
@@ -48,19 +67,29 @@ void arch_new_thread(struct k_thread *thread, k_thread_stack_t *stack,
 {
 	char *pStackMem = Z_THREAD_STACK_BUFFER(stack);
 	char *stackEnd;
-	struct __esf *pInitCtx;
+	struct init_stack_frame *pInitCtx;
 
 	stackEnd = pStackMem + stackSize;
 
 	z_new_thread_init(thread, pStackMem, stackSize, priority, options);
 
-	pInitCtx = (struct __esf *)(STACK_ROUND_DOWN(stackEnd -
-				    sizeof(struct __basic_sf)));
+	pInitCtx = (struct init_stack_frame *)(STACK_ROUND_DOWN(stackEnd -
+				    sizeof(struct init_stack_frame)));
 
-	pInitCtx->basic.regs[0] = (u64_t)pEntry;
-	pInitCtx->basic.regs[1] = (u64_t)parameter1;
-	pInitCtx->basic.regs[2] = (u64_t)parameter2;
-	pInitCtx->basic.regs[3] = (u64_t)parameter3;
+	pInitCtx->entry_point = (u64_t)pEntry;
+	pInitCtx->arg1 = (u64_t)parameter1;
+	pInitCtx->arg2 = (u64_t)parameter2;
+	pInitCtx->arg3 = (u64_t)parameter3;
+
+	/*
+	 * - ELR_ELn: to be used by eret in z_thread_entry_wrapper() to return
+	 *   to z_thread_entry() with pEntry in x0(entry_point) and the parameters
+	 *   already in place in x1(arg1), x2(arg2), x3(arg3).
+	 * - SPSR_ELn: to enable IRQs (we are masking debug exceptions, SError
+	 *   interrupts and FIQs).
+	 */
+	pInitCtx->elr = (u64_t)z_thread_entry;
+	pInitCtx->spsr = SPSR_MODE_EL1H | DAIF_FIQ;
 
 	/*
 	 * We are saving:
@@ -69,15 +98,8 @@ void arch_new_thread(struct k_thread *thread, k_thread_stack_t *stack,
 	 *   z_thread_entry_wrapper().
 	 * - x30: to be used by ret in z_arm64_context_switch() when the new
 	 *   task is first scheduled.
-	 * - ELR_EL1: to be used by eret in z_thread_entry_wrapper() to return
-	 *   to z_thread_entry() with pEntry in x0 and the parameters already
-	 *   in place in x1, x2, x3.
-	 * - SPSR_EL1: to enable IRQs (we are masking debug exceptions, SError
-	 *   interrupts and FIQs).
 	 */
 
 	thread->callee_saved.sp = (u64_t)pInitCtx;
 	thread->callee_saved.x30 = (u64_t)z_thread_entry_wrapper;
-	thread->callee_saved.elr = (u64_t)z_thread_entry;
-	thread->callee_saved.spsr = SPSR_MODE_EL1H | DAIF_FIQ;
 }
diff --git a/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_a53/qemu_cortex_a53.yaml b/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_a53/qemu_cortex_a53.yaml
index dd37fc31ab4..2a9c6be454a 100644
--- a/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_a53/qemu_cortex_a53.yaml
+++ b/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_a53/qemu_cortex_a53.yaml
@@ -9,5 +9,3 @@ toolchain:
 ram: 128
 testing:
   default: true
-  ignore_tags:
-    - interrupt
diff --git a/include/arch/arm/aarch64/exc.h b/include/arch/arm/aarch64/exc.h
index 3d1f2d0ff27..dfc1100e4e0 100644
--- a/include/arch/arm/aarch64/exc.h
+++ b/include/arch/arm/aarch64/exc.h
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ extern "C" {
 struct __esf {
 	struct __basic_sf {
 		u64_t regs[20];
+		u64_t spsr;
+		u64_t elr;
 	} basic;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/arch/arm/aarch64/thread.h b/include/arch/arm/aarch64/thread.h
index 145d7f7d5c2..08e31ffe397 100644
--- a/include/arch/arm/aarch64/thread.h
+++ b/include/arch/arm/aarch64/thread.h
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ struct _callee_saved {
 	u64_t x28;
 	u64_t x29; /* FP */
 	u64_t x30; /* LR */
-	u64_t spsr;
-	u64_t elr;
 	u64_t sp;
 };