diff --git a/include/zephyr/kernel.h b/include/zephyr/kernel.h
index da43eea977..6a3bd04c0a 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/kernel.h
+++ b/include/zephyr/kernel.h
@@ -4004,6 +4004,11 @@ struct k_work_queue_config {
 	 * control.
 	 */
 	bool no_yield;
+
+	/** Control whether the work queue thread should be marked as
+	 * essential thread.
+	 */
+	bool essential;
 };
 
 /** @brief A structure used to hold work until it can be processed. */
diff --git a/kernel/work.c b/kernel/work.c
index cf73bdbcab..1615c321f7 100644
--- a/kernel/work.c
+++ b/kernel/work.c
@@ -761,6 +761,10 @@ void k_work_queue_start(struct k_work_q *queue,
 		k_thread_name_set(&queue->thread, cfg->name);
 	}
 
+	if ((cfg != NULL) && (cfg->essential)) {
+		queue->thread.base.user_options |= K_ESSENTIAL;
+	}
+
 	k_thread_start(&queue->thread);
 
 	SYS_PORT_TRACING_OBJ_FUNC_EXIT(k_work_queue, start, queue);