diff --git a/arch/arc/Kconfig b/arch/arc/Kconfig
index fc29a65359f..a22c31e2248 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/Kconfig
@@ -12,17 +12,25 @@ menu "ARC Options"
 config ARCH
 	default "arc"
 
-menu "ARC processor options"
+choice
+	prompt "ARC core family"
+	default CPU_ARCEM
 
 config	CPU_ARCEM
-	bool
-	default y
+	bool "ARC EM cores"
 	select CPU_ARCV2
 	select ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_C
 	help
 	  This option signifies the use of an ARC EM CPU
 
-endmenu
+config	CPU_ARCHS
+	bool "ARC HS cores"
+	select CPU_ARCV2
+	select ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_BUILTIN
+	help
+	  This option signifies the use of an ARC HS CPU
+
+endchoice
 
 menu "ARCv2 Family Options"
 
@@ -119,7 +127,8 @@ config	ARC_STACK_PROTECTION
 config	ARC_USE_UNALIGNED_MEM_ACCESS
 	bool "Enable unaligned access in HW"
 	default n if CPU_ARCEM
-	depends on (CPU_ARCEM && !ARC_HAS_SECURE)
+	default y if CPU_ARCHS
+	depends on (CPU_ARCEM && !ARC_HAS_SECURE) || CPU_ARCHS
 	help
 	  ARC EM cores w/o secure shield 2+2 mode support might be configured
 	  to support unaligned memory access which is then disabled by default.
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Kconfig.defconfig b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Kconfig.defconfig
index 332f166a39c..c2e53f4aa01 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ if BOARD_EM_STARTERKIT
 config BOARD
 	default "em_starterkit"
 
-config CPU_ARCEM
-	default y
-
 if GPIO
 
 config GPIO_DW
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_defconfig b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_defconfig
index 09fc75787a9..ceb7616d0b5 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_defconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 CONFIG_ARC=y
+CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK_EM9D=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_EM_STARTERKIT=y
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em11d_defconfig b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em11d_defconfig
index 52c89a9dfde..a4ff67f3528 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em11d_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em11d_defconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 CONFIG_ARC=y
+CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK_EM11D=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_EM_STARTERKIT=y
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_defconfig b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_defconfig
index 457315494d4..316aca2c399 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_defconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 CONFIG_ARC=y
+CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK_EM7D=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_EM_STARTERKIT=y
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_v22_defconfig b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_v22_defconfig
index 2b41c70d692..546f207e0fd 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_v22_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/em_starterkit_em7d_v22_defconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 CONFIG_ARC=y
+CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK=y
 CONFIG_SOC_EMSK_EM7D=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_EM_STARTERKIT=y
diff --git a/boards/arc/iotdk/Kconfig.defconfig b/boards/arc/iotdk/Kconfig.defconfig
index 1a739360ef7..88b51005dd7 100644
--- a/boards/arc/iotdk/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/iotdk/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -5,7 +5,4 @@ if BOARD_IOTDK
 config BOARD
 	default "iotdk"
 
-config CPU_ARCEM
-	default y
-
 endif # BOARD_IOTDK
diff --git a/boards/arc/iotdk/iotdk_defconfig b/boards/arc/iotdk/iotdk_defconfig
index 686b1264cfb..63e8dad2a19 100644
--- a/boards/arc/iotdk/iotdk_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arc/iotdk/iotdk_defconfig
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 CONFIG_ARC=y
+CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM=y
 CONFIG_SOC_ARC_IOT=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_IOTDK=y
 CONFIG_XIP=n
diff --git a/cmake/gcc-m-cpu.cmake b/cmake/gcc-m-cpu.cmake
index 9a572824164..f2d44b3369b 100644
--- a/cmake/gcc-m-cpu.cmake
+++ b/cmake/gcc-m-cpu.cmake
@@ -32,5 +32,7 @@ elseif("${ARCH}" STREQUAL "arc")
     set(GCC_M_CPU em4_dmips)
   elseif(CONFIG_CPU_EM4_FPUDA)
     set(GCC_M_CPU em4_fpuda)
+  elseif(CONFIG_CPU_ARCHS)
+    set(GCC_M_CPU hs)
   endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
index 0b533641829..d010e157c1b 100644
--- a/soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-zephyr_compile_options(-mcpu=${GCC_M_CPU} -mno-sdata -mmpy-option=6)
+zephyr_compile_options(-mcpu=${GCC_M_CPU} -mno-sdata)
+zephyr_compile_options_ifdef(CONFIG_CPU_ARCEM -mmpy-option=wlh1)
+zephyr_compile_options_ifdef(CONFIG_CPU_ARCHS -mmpy-option=plus_qmacw)
 zephyr_compile_options_ifdef(CONFIG_FLOAT -mfpu=fpuda_all)
 
 zephyr_sources(