diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index 255877033a..cd08e26be0 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ BUILD_ASSERT(CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS == CONFIG_MP_MAX_NUM_CPUS,
 	     "CONFIG_MP_NUM_CPUS and CONFIG_MP_MAX_NUM_CPUS need to be set the same");
 
 /* the only struct z_kernel instance */
+__pinned_bss
 struct z_kernel _kernel;
 
 /* init/main and idle threads */