diff --git a/drivers/can/can_common.c b/drivers/can/can_common.c
index c7902ee9d20..6541c977255 100644
--- a/drivers/can/can_common.c
+++ b/drivers/can/can_common.c
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ static int can_calc_timing_int(uint32_t core_clock, struct can_timing *res,
 		   CAN_SYNC_SEG;
 	uint16_t sp_err_min = UINT16_MAX;
 	int sp_err;
-	struct can_timing tmp_res;
+	struct can_timing tmp_res = { 0 };
 
 	if (bitrate == 0 || sp >= 1000) {
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ static int can_calc_timing_int(uint32_t core_clock, struct can_timing *res,
 		LOG_DBG("SP error: %d 1/1000", sp_err_min);
 	}
 
+	/* Calculate default sjw as phase_seg2 / 2 and clamp the result */
+	res->sjw = MIN(res->phase_seg1, res->phase_seg2 / 2);
+	res->sjw = CLAMP(res->sjw, min->sjw, max->sjw);
+
 	return sp_err_min == UINT16_MAX ? -ENOTSUP : (int)sp_err_min;
 }
 
@@ -300,18 +304,18 @@ static int check_timing_in_range(const struct can_timing *timing,
 				 const struct can_timing *min,
 				 const struct can_timing *max)
 {
-	if (timing->sjw != CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE &&
-	    !IN_RANGE(timing->sjw, min->sjw, max->sjw)) {
-		return -ENOTSUP;
-	}
-
-	if (!IN_RANGE(timing->prop_seg, min->prop_seg, max->prop_seg) ||
+	if (!IN_RANGE(timing->sjw, min->sjw, max->sjw) ||
+	    !IN_RANGE(timing->prop_seg, min->prop_seg, max->prop_seg) ||
 	    !IN_RANGE(timing->phase_seg1, min->phase_seg1, max->phase_seg1) ||
 	    !IN_RANGE(timing->phase_seg2, min->phase_seg2, max->phase_seg2) ||
 	    !IN_RANGE(timing->prescaler, min->prescaler, max->prescaler)) {
 		return -ENOTSUP;
 	}
 
+	if ((timing->sjw > timing->phase_seg1) || (timing->sjw > timing->phase_seg2)) {
+		return -ENOTSUP;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -333,7 +337,7 @@ int z_impl_can_set_timing(const struct device *dev,
 
 int z_impl_can_set_bitrate(const struct device *dev, uint32_t bitrate)
 {
-	struct can_timing timing;
+	struct can_timing timing = { 0 };
 	uint32_t max_bitrate;
 	uint16_t sample_pnt;
 	int ret;
@@ -360,8 +364,6 @@ int z_impl_can_set_bitrate(const struct device *dev, uint32_t bitrate)
 		return -ERANGE;
 	}
 
-	timing.sjw = CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE;
-
 	return can_set_timing(dev, &timing);
 }
 
@@ -388,7 +390,7 @@ int z_impl_can_set_timing_data(const struct device *dev,
 
 int z_impl_can_set_bitrate_data(const struct device *dev, uint32_t bitrate_data)
 {
-	struct can_timing timing_data;
+	struct can_timing timing_data = { 0 };
 	uint32_t max_bitrate;
 	uint16_t sample_pnt;
 	int ret;
@@ -415,8 +417,6 @@ int z_impl_can_set_bitrate_data(const struct device *dev, uint32_t bitrate_data)
 		return -ERANGE;
 	}
 
-	timing_data.sjw = CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE;
-
 	return can_set_timing_data(dev, &timing_data);
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_CAN_FD_MODE */
diff --git a/drivers/can/can_shell.c b/drivers/can/can_shell.c
index a6e3e8045af..e07de338952 100644
--- a/drivers/can/can_shell.c
+++ b/drivers/can/can_shell.c
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ static int cmd_can_show(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 static int cmd_can_bitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 {
 	const struct device *dev = device_get_binding(argv[1]);
-	struct can_timing timing;
+	struct can_timing timing = { 0 };
 	uint16_t sample_pnt;
 	uint32_t bitrate;
 	char *endptr;
@@ -392,16 +392,6 @@ static int cmd_can_bitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
-		if (argc >= 5) {
-			timing.sjw = (uint16_t)strtoul(argv[4], &endptr, 10);
-			if (*endptr != '\0') {
-				shell_error(sh, "failed to parse SJW");
-				return -EINVAL;
-			}
-		} else {
-			timing.sjw = CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE;
-		}
-
 		err = can_calc_timing(dev, &timing, bitrate, sample_pnt);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			shell_error(sh, "failed to calculate timing for "
@@ -410,17 +400,20 @@ static int cmd_can_bitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 			return err;
 		}
 
-		if (timing.sjw == CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE) {
-			shell_print(sh, "setting bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
-				    "(+/- %d.%d%%)",
-				    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10);
-		} else {
-			shell_print(sh, "setting bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
-				    "(+/- %d.%d%%), sjw %d",
-				    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10,
-				    timing.sjw);
+		if (argc >= 5) {
+			/* Overwrite calculated default SJW with user-provided value */
+			timing.sjw = (uint16_t)strtoul(argv[4], &endptr, 10);
+			if (*endptr != '\0') {
+				shell_error(sh, "failed to parse SJW");
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
 		}
 
+		shell_print(sh, "setting bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
+			    "(+/- %d.%d%%), sjw %d",
+			    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10,
+			    timing.sjw);
+
 		LOG_DBG("sjw %u, prop_seg %u, phase_seg1 %u, phase_seg2 %u, prescaler %u",
 			timing.sjw, timing.prop_seg, timing.phase_seg1, timing.phase_seg2,
 			timing.prescaler);
@@ -446,7 +439,7 @@ static int cmd_can_bitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 static int cmd_can_dbitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv)
 {
 	const struct device *dev = device_get_binding(argv[1]);
-	struct can_timing timing;
+	struct can_timing timing = { 0 };
 	uint16_t sample_pnt;
 	uint32_t bitrate;
 	char *endptr;
@@ -470,16 +463,6 @@ static int cmd_can_dbitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv
 			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 
-		if (argc >= 5) {
-			timing.sjw = (uint16_t)strtoul(argv[4], &endptr, 10);
-			if (*endptr != '\0') {
-				shell_error(sh, "failed to parse SJW");
-				return -EINVAL;
-			}
-		} else {
-			timing.sjw = CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE;
-		}
-
 		err = can_calc_timing_data(dev, &timing, bitrate, sample_pnt);
 		if (err < 0) {
 			shell_error(sh, "failed to calculate timing for "
@@ -488,17 +471,20 @@ static int cmd_can_dbitrate_set(const struct shell *sh, size_t argc, char **argv
 			return err;
 		}
 
-		if (timing.sjw == CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE) {
-			shell_print(sh, "setting data bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
-				    "(+/- %d.%d%%)",
-				    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10);
-		} else {
-			shell_print(sh, "setting data bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
-				    "(+/- %d.%d%%), sjw %d",
-				    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10,
-				    timing.sjw);
+		if (argc >= 5) {
+			/* Overwrite calculated default SJW with user-provided value */
+			timing.sjw = (uint16_t)strtoul(argv[4], &endptr, 10);
+			if (*endptr != '\0') {
+				shell_error(sh, "failed to parse SJW");
+				return -EINVAL;
+			}
 		}
 
+		shell_print(sh, "setting data bitrate to %d bps, sample point %d.%d%% "
+			    "(+/- %d.%d%%), sjw %d",
+			    bitrate, sample_pnt / 10, sample_pnt % 10, err / 10, err % 10,
+			    timing.sjw);
+
 		LOG_DBG("sjw %u, prop_seg %u, phase_seg1 %u, phase_seg2 %u, prescaler %u",
 			timing.sjw, timing.prop_seg, timing.phase_seg1, timing.phase_seg2,
 			timing.prescaler);
diff --git a/include/zephyr/drivers/can.h b/include/zephyr/drivers/can.h
index 15387afd2c4..db3d961db8b 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/drivers/can.h
+++ b/include/zephyr/drivers/can.h
@@ -865,8 +865,6 @@ __syscall int can_calc_timing_data(const struct device *dev, struct can_timing *
 /**
  * @brief Configure the bus timing for the data phase of a CAN-FD controller.
  *
- * If the sjw equals CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE, the sjw parameter is not changed.
- *
  * @note @kconfig{CONFIG_CAN_FD_MODE} must be selected for this function to be
  * available.
  *
@@ -936,8 +934,6 @@ int can_calc_prescaler(const struct device *dev, struct can_timing *timing,
 /**
  * @brief Configure the bus timing of a CAN controller.
  *
- * If the sjw equals CAN_SJW_NO_CHANGE, the sjw parameter is not changed.
- *
  * @see can_set_timing_data()
  *
  * @param dev         Pointer to the device structure for the driver instance.