diff --git a/drivers/timer/altera_avalon_timer.c b/drivers/timer/altera_avalon_timer.c
index 2dec245061d..80a78b16730 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/altera_avalon_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/altera_avalon_timer.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
 }
 
 
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	/* XXX Per the Altera Embedded IP Peripherals guide, you cannot
 	 * use a timer instance for both the system clock and timestamps
diff --git a/drivers/timer/arcv2_timer0.c b/drivers/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
index 6416a7aa6e0..3a681fb2faa 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ int sys_clock_device_ctrl(struct device *port, uint32_t ctrl_command,
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_DEVICE_POWER_MANAGEMENT */
 
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	return (accumulated_cycle_count + timer0_count_register_get());
 }
diff --git a/drivers/timer/cortex_m_systick.c b/drivers/timer/cortex_m_systick.c
index 77d0a338bb5..450cdac6b75 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/cortex_m_systick.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/cortex_m_systick.c
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
  * systick counter is a 24-bit down counter which is reset to "reload" value
  * once it reaches 0.
  */
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	return clock_accumulated_count + (SysTick->LOAD - SysTick->VAL);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/timer/hpet.c b/drivers/timer/hpet.c
index 628b29645b5..8df0126a476 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/hpet.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/hpet.c
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
  * it will need to call _hpetMainCounterAtomic().
  */
 
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	return (uint32_t) *_HPET_MAIN_COUNTER_VALUE;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c b/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
index db52f6d3c52..b2400502b73 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ int sys_clock_device_ctrl(struct device *port, uint32_t ctrl_command,
  *
  * @return up counter of elapsed clock cycles
  */
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	uint32_t val; /* system clock value */
 
diff --git a/drivers/timer/nrf_rtc_timer.c b/drivers/timer/nrf_rtc_timer.c
index 03a7f46f73b..9f218c0f79a 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/nrf_rtc_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/nrf_rtc_timer.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	uint32_t elapsed_cycles;
 
diff --git a/drivers/timer/pulpino_timer.c b/drivers/timer/pulpino_timer.c
index 154e2c30cac..9de8243e05c 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/pulpino_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/pulpino_timer.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
  *
  * @return up counter of elapsed clock cycles
  */
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	return accumulated_cycle_count + timer->val;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/timer/riscv_machine_timer.c b/drivers/timer/riscv_machine_timer.c
index d944203907c..b799138ceff 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/riscv_machine_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/riscv_machine_timer.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
  *
  * @return up counter of elapsed clock cycles
  */
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	/* We just want a cycle count so just post what's in the low 32
 	 * bits of the mtime real-time counter
diff --git a/drivers/timer/xtensa_sys_timer.c b/drivers/timer/xtensa_sys_timer.c
index 321bab87f54..3be5bcc07ad 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/xtensa_sys_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/xtensa_sys_timer.c
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ int _sys_clock_driver_init(struct device *device)
  *
  * @return up counter of elapsed clock cycles
  */
-uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void)
+uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void)
 {
 	return GET_TIMER_CURRENT_TIME();
 }
diff --git a/include/arch/arc/v2/misc.h b/include/arch/arc/v2/misc.h
index fc45ddf5945..14c711942bf 100644
--- a/include/arch/arc/v2/misc.h
+++ b/include/arch/arc/v2/misc.h
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ extern "C" {
 extern unsigned int k_cpu_sleep_mode;
 extern void k_cpu_idle(void);
 extern void k_cpu_atomic_idle(unsigned int key);
+
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/include/arch/arm/cortex_m/misc.h b/include/arch/arm/cortex_m/misc.h
index 76b3d931c29..86567e1ea64 100644
--- a/include/arch/arm/cortex_m/misc.h
+++ b/include/arch/arm/cortex_m/misc.h
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 extern void k_cpu_idle(void);
+
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/include/arch/nios2/arch.h b/include/arch/nios2/arch.h
index dbc912bf802..eb28c9c3c26 100644
--- a/include/arch/nios2/arch.h
+++ b/include/arch/nios2/arch.h
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ enum nios2_exception_cause {
 	 BIT(NIOS2_EXCEPTION_ECC_DATA_ERR))
 
 
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
+
 #endif /* _ASMLANGUAGE */
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/include/arch/riscv32/arch.h b/include/arch/riscv32/arch.h
index 6624dc55a66..198c4f429d3 100644
--- a/include/arch/riscv32/arch.h
+++ b/include/arch/riscv32/arch.h
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ static ALWAYS_INLINE void _arch_irq_unlock(unsigned int key)
 			  : "memory");
 }
 
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
+
 #endif /*_ASMLANGUAGE */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SOC_RISCV32_PULPINO)
diff --git a/include/arch/x86/arch.h b/include/arch/x86/arch.h
index 16d8a048272..6a6a697ef23 100644
--- a/include/arch/x86/arch.h
+++ b/include/arch/x86/arch.h
@@ -488,6 +488,9 @@ extern void k_float_disable(k_tid_t thread);
 
 extern void	k_cpu_idle(void);
 
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
+
 /** Nanokernel provided routine to report any detected fatal error. */
 extern FUNC_NORETURN void _NanoFatalErrorHandler(unsigned int reason,
 						 const NANO_ESF * pEsf);
diff --git a/include/arch/xtensa/arch.h b/include/arch/xtensa/arch.h
index e650fef22ad..acd1ed1b88b 100644
--- a/include/arch/xtensa/arch.h
+++ b/include/arch/xtensa/arch.h
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ extern void _irq_priority_set(uint32_t irq, uint32_t prio, uint32_t flags);
 FUNC_NORETURN void _SysFatalErrorHandler(unsigned int reason,
 					 const NANO_ESF *esf);
 
+extern uint32_t _timer_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define _arch_k_cycle_get_32()	_timer_cycle_get_32()
+
 #endif /* !defined(_ASMLANGUAGE) && !defined(__ASSEMBLER__)  */
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/include/kernel.h b/include/kernel.h
index 50972ad57d1..1f79343c8b6 100644
--- a/include/kernel.h
+++ b/include/kernel.h
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ extern uint32_t k_uptime_delta_32(int64_t *reftime);
  *
  * @return Current hardware clock up-counter (in cycles).
  */
-extern uint32_t k_cycle_get_32(void);
+#define k_cycle_get_32()	_arch_k_cycle_get_32()
 
 /**
  * @} end addtogroup clock_apis
diff --git a/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/microkernel/src/microkernel_footprint.c b/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/microkernel/src/microkernel_footprint.c
index 6eade5832a9..de3b168d01b 100644
--- a/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/microkernel/src/microkernel_footprint.c
+++ b/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/microkernel/src/microkernel_footprint.c
@@ -132,7 +132,6 @@ static pfunc func_array[] = {
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_get_32,
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_delta,
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_delta_32,
-	(pfunc)k_cycle_get_32,
 
 	/* thread stuff */
 	(pfunc)k_thread_spawn,
diff --git a/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/nanokernel/src/nanokernel_footprint.c b/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/nanokernel/src/nanokernel_footprint.c
index 0c4d8da5ac9..6a704f945fc 100644
--- a/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/nanokernel/src/nanokernel_footprint.c
+++ b/tests/legacy/benchmark/footprint/nanokernel/src/nanokernel_footprint.c
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ static pfunc func_array[] = {
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_get_32,
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_delta,
 	(pfunc)k_uptime_delta_32,
-	(pfunc)k_cycle_get_32,
 
 	/* semaphores */
 	(pfunc)k_sem_init,