diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig b/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
index 09d08350501..7dafea808c8 100644
--- a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ config QMSI
 config QMSI_BUILTIN
 	def_bool y
 
+if RTC
+
+config RTC_QMSI
+	def_bool y
+
+config RTC_0_IRQ_PRI
+	default 2
+
+endif # RTC
+
 if GPIO
 
 config GPIO_QMSI_SS
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/Makefile b/drivers/rtc/Makefile
index 9c6ff3c692d..19db6287bd8 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/rtc/Makefile
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 obj-$(CONFIG_RTC_QMSI) += rtc_qmsi.o
-ccflags-$(CONFIG_RTC_QMSI) += -DENABLE_EXTERNAL_ISR_HANDLING
diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc_qmsi.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc_qmsi.c
index f4fc424f363..9a507bc40bf 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc_qmsi.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc_qmsi.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <nanokernel.h>
 #include <rtc.h>
 #include <power.h>
+#include <soc.h>
 
 #include "qm_isr.h"
 #include "qm_rtc.h"
@@ -166,15 +167,15 @@ static int rtc_qmsi_init(struct device *dev)
 {
 	rtc_reentrancy_init(dev);
 
-	IRQ_CONNECT(QM_IRQ_RTC_0_INT, CONFIG_RTC_0_IRQ_PRI,
+	IRQ_CONNECT(IRQ_GET_NUMBER(QM_IRQ_RTC_0_INT), CONFIG_RTC_0_IRQ_PRI,
 		    qm_rtc_0_isr, NULL,
 		    IOAPIC_EDGE | IOAPIC_HIGH);
 
 	/* Unmask RTC interrupt */
-	irq_enable(QM_IRQ_RTC_0_INT);
+	irq_enable(IRQ_GET_NUMBER(QM_IRQ_RTC_0_INT));
 
-	/* Route RTC interrupt to Lakemont */
-	QM_INTERRUPT_ROUTER->rtc_0_int_mask &= ~BIT(0);
+	/* Route watchdog interrupt to the current core */
+	QM_IR_UNMASK_INTERRUPTS(QM_INTERRUPT_ROUTER->rtc_0_int_mask);
 
 	rtc_qmsi_set_power_state(dev, DEVICE_PM_ACTIVE_STATE);