diff --git a/arch/arc/core/prep_c.c b/arch/arc/core/prep_c.c
index e9b39dc54fc..bf3ab454a2c 100644
--- a/arch/arc/core/prep_c.c
+++ b/arch/arc/core/prep_c.c
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ static void dev_state_zero(void)
 
 extern FUNC_NORETURN void z_cstart(void);
 extern void arc_mpu_init(void);
+extern void arc_secureshield_init(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief Prepare to and run C code
@@ -143,6 +144,9 @@ void z_prep_c(void)
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARC_MPU
 	arc_mpu_init();
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARC_SECURE_FIRMWARE
+	arc_secureshield_init();
 #endif
 	z_cstart();
 	CODE_UNREACHABLE;
diff --git a/arch/arc/core/secureshield/arc_sjli.c b/arch/arc/core/secureshield/arc_sjli.c
index 22deebc2718..e5b865445ee 100644
--- a/arch/arc/core/secureshield/arc_sjli.c
+++ b/arch/arc/core/secureshield/arc_sjli.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void sjli_table_init(void)
 /*
  * @brief initialization of secureshield related functions.
  */
-static int arc_secureshield_init(void)
+void arc_secureshield_init(void)
 {
 	sjli_table_init();
 
@@ -60,9 +60,4 @@ static int arc_secureshield_init(void)
 	 *
 	 */
 	__asm__ volatile("sflag  0x20");
-
-	return 0;
 }
-
-SYS_INIT(arc_secureshield_init, PRE_KERNEL_1,
-		CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEFAULT);