diff --git a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 87a7b53c2a6..e63e1c683d3 100644
--- a/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 
 # kernel is a normal CMake library and not a zephyr_library because it
 # should not be --whole-archive'd
-add_library(kernel
+
+list(APPEND kernel_files
   device.c
   errno.c
   fatal.c
@@ -26,6 +27,13 @@ add_library(kernel
   smp.c
   )
 
+if(CONFIG_XIP)
+list(APPEND kernel_files
+     xip.c)
+endif()
+
+add_library(kernel ${kernel_files})
+
 # Kernel files has the macro __ZEPHYR_SUPERVISOR__ set so that it
 # optimizes the code when userspace is enabled.
 set_target_properties(
diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index a9744ac3d17..826e76be5fe 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -127,64 +127,6 @@ void z_bss_zero(void)
 extern volatile uintptr_t __stack_chk_guard;
 #endif /* CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES */
 
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_XIP
-/**
- *
- * @brief Copy the data section from ROM to RAM
- *
- * This routine copies the data section from ROM to RAM.
- *
- * @return N/A
- */
-void z_data_copy(void)
-{
-	(void)memcpy(&__data_ram_start, &__data_rom_start,
-		 __data_ram_end - __data_ram_start);
-#ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_RAMFUNC_SUPPORT
-	(void)memcpy(&_ramfunc_ram_start, &_ramfunc_rom_start,
-		 (uintptr_t) &_ramfunc_ram_size);
-#endif /* CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_RAMFUNC_SUPPORT */
-#if DT_NODE_HAS_STATUS(DT_CHOSEN(zephyr_ccm), okay)
-	(void)memcpy(&__ccm_data_start, &__ccm_data_rom_start,
-		 __ccm_data_end - __ccm_data_start);
-#endif
-#if DT_NODE_HAS_STATUS(DT_CHOSEN(zephyr_dtcm), okay)
-	(void)memcpy(&__dtcm_data_start, &__dtcm_data_rom_start,
-		 __dtcm_data_end - __dtcm_data_start);
-#endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_CODE_DATA_RELOCATION
-	extern void data_copy_xip_relocation(void);
-
-	data_copy_xip_relocation();
-#endif	/* CONFIG_CODE_DATA_RELOCATION */
-#ifdef CONFIG_USERSPACE
-#ifdef CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES
-	/* stack canary checking is active for all C functions.
-	 * __stack_chk_guard is some uninitialized value living in the
-	 * app shared memory sections. Preserve it, and don't make any
-	 * function calls to perform the memory copy. The true canary
-	 * value gets set later in z_cstart().
-	 */
-	uintptr_t guard_copy = __stack_chk_guard;
-	uint8_t *src = (uint8_t *)&_app_smem_rom_start;
-	uint8_t *dst = (uint8_t *)&_app_smem_start;
-	uint32_t count = _app_smem_end - _app_smem_start;
-
-	guard_copy = __stack_chk_guard;
-	while (count > 0) {
-		*(dst++) = *(src++);
-		count--;
-	}
-	__stack_chk_guard = guard_copy;
-#else
-	(void)memcpy(&_app_smem_start, &_app_smem_rom_start,
-		 _app_smem_end - _app_smem_start);
-#endif /* CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES */
-#endif /* CONFIG_USERSPACE */
-}
-#endif /* CONFIG_XIP */
-
 /* LCOV_EXCL_STOP */
 
 bool z_sys_post_kernel;
diff --git a/kernel/xip.c b/kernel/xip.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1beb7e3f7c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/xip.c
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2010-2014 Wind River Systems, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 Intel Corporation
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+
+#include <zephyr.h>
+#include <kernel.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <linker/linker-defs.h>
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES
+extern volatile uintptr_t __stack_chk_guard;
+#endif /* CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES */
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @brief Copy the data section from ROM to RAM
+ *
+ * This routine copies the data section from ROM to RAM.
+ *
+ * @return N/A
+ */
+void z_data_copy(void)
+{
+	(void)memcpy(&__data_ram_start, &__data_rom_start,
+		 __data_ram_end - __data_ram_start);
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_RAMFUNC_SUPPORT
+	(void)memcpy(&_ramfunc_ram_start, &_ramfunc_rom_start,
+		 (uintptr_t) &_ramfunc_ram_size);
+#endif /* CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_RAMFUNC_SUPPORT */
+#if DT_NODE_HAS_STATUS(DT_CHOSEN(zephyr_ccm), okay)
+	(void)memcpy(&__ccm_data_start, &__ccm_data_rom_start,
+		 __ccm_data_end - __ccm_data_start);
+#endif
+#if DT_NODE_HAS_STATUS(DT_CHOSEN(zephyr_dtcm), okay)
+	(void)memcpy(&__dtcm_data_start, &__dtcm_data_rom_start,
+		 __dtcm_data_end - __dtcm_data_start);
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_CODE_DATA_RELOCATION
+	extern void data_copy_xip_relocation(void);
+
+	data_copy_xip_relocation();
+#endif	/* CONFIG_CODE_DATA_RELOCATION */
+#ifdef CONFIG_USERSPACE
+#ifdef CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES
+	/* stack canary checking is active for all C functions.
+	 * __stack_chk_guard is some uninitialized value living in the
+	 * app shared memory sections. Preserve it, and don't make any
+	 * function calls to perform the memory copy. The true canary
+	 * value gets set later in z_cstart().
+	 */
+	uintptr_t guard_copy = __stack_chk_guard;
+	uint8_t *src = (uint8_t *)&_app_smem_rom_start;
+	uint8_t *dst = (uint8_t *)&_app_smem_start;
+	uint32_t count = _app_smem_end - _app_smem_start;
+
+	guard_copy = __stack_chk_guard;
+	while (count > 0) {
+		*(dst++) = *(src++);
+		count--;
+	}
+	__stack_chk_guard = guard_copy;
+#else
+	(void)memcpy(&_app_smem_start, &_app_smem_rom_start,
+		 _app_smem_end - _app_smem_start);
+#endif /* CONFIG_STACK_CANARIES */
+#endif /* CONFIG_USERSPACE */
+}