diff --git a/include/posix/pthread.h b/include/posix/pthread.h
index 947d58508dc..ecc3ce72a90 100644
--- a/include/posix/pthread.h
+++ b/include/posix/pthread.h
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static inline int pthread_condattr_destroy(pthread_condattr_t *att)
 		__in_section(_k_mutex, static, name) = \
 	{ \
 		.lock_count = 0, \
-		.wait_q = {SYS_DLIST_STATIC_INIT((sys_dlist_t *)&name.wait_q)}, \
+		.wait_q = _WAIT_Q_INIT(&name.wait_q),	\
 		.owner = NULL, \
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/posix/pthread_mutex.c b/lib/posix/pthread_mutex.c
index 4ae08576f81..e9516724190 100644
--- a/lib/posix/pthread_mutex.c
+++ b/lib/posix/pthread_mutex.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ int pthread_mutex_init(pthread_mutex_t *m,
 
 	m->type = mattr->type;
 
-	sys_dlist_init((sys_dlist_t *)&m->wait_q);
+	_waitq_init(&m->wait_q);
 
 	return 0;
 }