diff --git a/include/init.h b/include/init.h
index 14768782b48..f484afb6022 100644
--- a/include/init.h
+++ b/include/init.h
@@ -25,6 +25,21 @@ extern "C" {
 #define _SYS_INIT_LEVEL_POST_KERNEL	2
 #define _SYS_INIT_LEVEL_APPLICATION	3
 
+extern s8_t z_sys_device_level;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Test whether startup is in the before-main-task phase.
+ *
+ * This impacts which services are available for use, and the context
+ * in which functions are run.
+ *
+ * @return true if and only if start up is still running pre-kernel
+ * initialization.
+ */
+static inline bool k_is_pre_kernel(void)
+{
+	return (z_sys_device_level < _SYS_INIT_LEVEL_POST_KERNEL);
+}
 
 /* A counter is used to avoid issues when two or more system devices
  * are declared in the same C file with the same init function.
diff --git a/kernel/device.c b/kernel/device.c
index a7fa6aa1681..aff82511fec 100644
--- a/kernel/device.c
+++ b/kernel/device.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ extern u32_t __device_busy_end[];
 #define DEVICE_BUSY_SIZE (__device_busy_end - __device_busy_start)
 #endif
 
+s8_t z_sys_device_level;
+
 /**
  * @brief Execute all the device initialization functions at a given level
  *
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ void z_sys_device_do_config_level(s32_t level)
 		__device_init_end,
 	};
 
+	z_sys_device_level = level;
 	for (info = config_levels[level]; info < config_levels[level+1];
 								info++) {
 		int retval;
diff --git a/tests/kernel/device/src/main.c b/tests/kernel/device/src/main.c
index 4c092c0f4e7..235b1622b72 100644
--- a/tests/kernel/device/src/main.c
+++ b/tests/kernel/device/src/main.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include <zephyr.h>
 #include <device.h>
+#include <init.h>
 #include <ztest.h>
 #include <sys/printk.h>
 
@@ -90,6 +91,81 @@ static void test_bogus_dynamic_name(void)
 	zassert_true(mux == NULL, NULL);
 }
 
+static struct init_record {
+	bool pre_kernel;
+	bool is_in_isr;
+	bool is_pre_kernel;
+} init_records[4];
+
+static struct init_record *rp = init_records;
+
+static int add_init_record(bool pre_kernel)
+{
+	rp->pre_kernel = pre_kernel;
+	rp->is_pre_kernel = k_is_pre_kernel();
+	rp->is_in_isr = k_is_in_isr();
+	++rp;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int pre1_fn(struct device *dev)
+{
+	return add_init_record(true);
+}
+
+static int pre2_fn(struct device *dev)
+{
+	return add_init_record(true);
+}
+
+static int post_fn(struct device *dev)
+{
+	return add_init_record(false);
+}
+
+static int app_fn(struct device *dev)
+{
+	return add_init_record(false);
+}
+
+SYS_INIT(pre1_fn, PRE_KERNEL_1, 0);
+SYS_INIT(pre2_fn, PRE_KERNEL_2, 0);
+SYS_INIT(post_fn, POST_KERNEL, 0);
+SYS_INIT(app_fn, APPLICATION, 0);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Test detection of initialization before kernel services available.
+ *
+ * Confirms check is correct.
+ *
+ * @see k_is_pre_kernel()
+ */
+void test_pre_kernel_detection(void)
+{
+	struct init_record *rpe = rp;
+
+	zassert_equal(rp - init_records, 4U,
+		      "bad record count");
+	rp = init_records;
+	while ((rp < rpe) && rp->pre_kernel) {
+		zassert_equal(rp->is_in_isr, false,
+			      "rec %zu isr", rp - init_records);
+		zassert_equal(rp->is_pre_kernel, true,
+			      "rec %zu pre-kernel", rp - init_records);
+		++rp;
+	}
+	zassert_equal(rp - init_records, 2U,
+		      "bad pre-kernel count");
+
+	while (rp < rpe) {
+		zassert_equal(rp->is_in_isr, false,
+			      "rec %zu isr", rp - init_records);
+		zassert_equal(rp->is_pre_kernel, false,
+			      "rec %zu post-kernel", rp - init_records);
+		++rp;
+	}
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEVICE_POWER_MANAGEMENT
 /**
  * @brief Test system device list query API with PM enabled.
@@ -176,6 +252,7 @@ void test_main(void)
 			 ztest_unit_test(test_dummy_device_pm),
 			 ztest_unit_test(build_suspend_device_list),
 			 ztest_unit_test(test_dummy_device),
+			 ztest_unit_test(test_pre_kernel_detection),
 			 ztest_user_unit_test(test_bogus_dynamic_name),
 			 ztest_user_unit_test(test_dynamic_name));
 	ztest_run_test_suite(device);