diff --git a/arch/nios2/include/kernel_arch_data.h b/arch/nios2/include/kernel_arch_data.h
index d55d8cf1cca..288e4f7dd47 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/include/kernel_arch_data.h
+++ b/arch/nios2/include/kernel_arch_data.h
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ extern "C" {
 /* nios2 bitmask definitions for the struct k_thread->flags bit field */
 
 /* 1 = executing context is interrupt handler */
-#define INT_ACTIVE (1 << 1)
+#define INT_ACTIVE (1 << 31)
 
 /* 1 = executing context is exception handler */
-#define EXC_ACTIVE (1 << 2)
+#define EXC_ACTIVE (1 << 30)
 
 /* stacks */
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h b/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
index 15a9b37b44e..c3edbe1bdaa 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/kernel_arch_data.h
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@
 /* x86 Bitmask definitions for the struct k_thread->flags bit field */
 
 /* executing context is interrupt handler */
-#define INT_ACTIVE (1 << 1)
+#define INT_ACTIVE (1 << 31)
 
 /* executing context is exception handler */
-#define EXC_ACTIVE (1 << 2)
+#define EXC_ACTIVE (1 << 30)
 
 #define INT_OR_EXC_MASK (INT_ACTIVE | EXC_ACTIVE)
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING) && defined(CONFIG_SSE)
 /* thread uses SSEx (and also FP) registers */
-#define K_SSE_REGS (1 << 5)
+#define K_SSE_REGS (1 << 29)
 #endif
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING) && defined(CONFIG_SSE)
diff --git a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
index 4de35ab3563..1e63f04aa6e 100644
--- a/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
+++ b/kernel/include/kernel_structs.h
@@ -31,31 +31,31 @@
  */
 
 /* thread is defined statically */
-#define K_STATIC (1 << 8)
+#define K_STATIC (1 << 0)
 
 /* Thread is waiting on an object */
-#define K_PENDING (1 << 13)
+#define K_PENDING (1 << 1)
 
 /* Thread has not yet started */
-#define K_PRESTART (1 << 14)
+#define K_PRESTART (1 << 2)
 
 /* Thread has terminated */
-#define K_DEAD (1 << 15)
+#define K_DEAD (1 << 3)
 
 /* Thread is suspended */
-#define K_SUSPENDED (1 << 16)
+#define K_SUSPENDED (1 << 4)
 
 /* Not a real thread */
-#define K_DUMMY (1 << 17)
+#define K_DUMMY (1 << 5)
+
+/* system thread that must not abort */
+#define K_ESSENTIAL (1 << 6)
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FP_SHARING)
 /* thread uses floating point registers */
-#define K_FP_REGS (1 << 4)
+#define K_FP_REGS (1 << 7)
 #endif
 
-/* system thread that must not abort */
-#define K_ESSENTIAL (1 << 9)
-
 #include <kernel_arch_data.h>
 
 #if !defined(_ASMLANGUAGE)
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct _thread_base {
 	sys_dnode_t k_q_node;
 
 	/* execution flags */
-	int flags;
+	uint32_t flags;
 
 	/* thread priority used to sort linked list */
 	int prio;