diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/CMakeLists.txt b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/CMakeLists.txt
index 578753af53..e3b539489a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ set(SRCS
     nrf53_allocateheap.c
     nrf53_lowputc.c
     nrf53_gpio.c
-    nrf53_uid.c)
+    nrf53_uid.c
+    nrf53_spu.c)
 
 if(CONFIG_NRF53_SYSTIMER_SYSTICK)
   list(APPEND SRCS nrf53_systick.c)
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Make.defs b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Make.defs
index 5f33f0ae9d..4df869ebcf 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Make.defs
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Make.defs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ include armv8-m/Make.defs
 
 CHIP_CSRCS += nrf53_start.c nrf53_clockconfig.c nrf53_irq.c nrf53_utils.c
 CHIP_CSRCS += nrf53_allocateheap.c nrf53_lowputc.c nrf53_gpio.c
-CHIP_CSRCS += nrf53_uid.c
+CHIP_CSRCS += nrf53_uid.c nrf53_spu.c
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_NRF53_SYSTIMER_SYSTICK),y)
 CHIP_CSRCS += nrf53_systick.c
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_rptun.c b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_rptun.c
index 1d7a8d04a6..3f4fb1b4c2 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_rptun.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_rptun.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 #include <nuttx/semaphore.h>
 
 #include "arm_internal.h"
-#include "hardware/nrf53_spu.h"
 
 #include "nrf53_ipc.h"
 
@@ -494,12 +493,6 @@ int nrf53_rptun_init(const char *shmemname, const char *cpuname)
   dev->master = false;
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_NRF53_APPCORE
-  /* Set secure domain - this allows net core to access shared mem */
-
-  putreg32(SPU_EXTDOMAIN_SECUREMAPPING_SECATTR, NRF53_SPU_EXTDOMAIN(0));
-#endif
-
   /* Subscribe to IPC */
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NRF53_APPCORE
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.c b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f7d2147868
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.c
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.c
+ *
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.  The
+ * ASF licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+ * License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Included Files
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#include <nuttx/config.h>
+
+#include "arm_internal.h"
+
+#include "hardware/nrf53_spu.h"
+
+#include "nrf53_spu.h"
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Pre-processor Definitions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Private Functions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Functions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_SPU_CONFIG
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: nrf53_spu_configure
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+void nrf53_spu_configure(void)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_RPTUN
+  /* Set secure domain - this allows net core to access shared mem */
+
+  putreg32(SPU_EXTDOMAIN_SECUREMAPPING_SECATTR, NRF53_SPU_EXTDOMAIN(0));
+#endif
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.h b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..59e3518c0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_spu.h
+ *
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.  The
+ * ASF licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+ * License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef __ARCH_ARM_SRC_NRF53_NRF53_SPU_H
+#define __ARCH_ARM_SRC_NRF53_NRF53_SPU_H
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Included Files
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#include <nuttx/config.h>
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Pre-processor Definitions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/* SPU only for secure app core image */
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_NRF53_APPCORE) && \
+    !defined(CONFIG_ARCH_TRUSTZONE_NONSECURE)
+#  define HAVE_SPU_CONFIG
+#else
+#  undef HAVE_SPU_CONFIG
+#endif
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Functions Prototypes
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_SPU_CONFIG
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: nrf53_spu_configure
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+void nrf53_spu_configure(void);
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __ARCH_ARM_SRC_NRF53_NRF53_SPU_H */
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_start.c b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_start.c
index c5647768bf..2850f82353 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_start.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_start.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "nrf53_cpunet.h"
 #include "nrf53_gpio.h"
 #include "nrf53_serial.h"
+#include "nrf53_spu.h"
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Pre-processor Definitions
@@ -184,6 +185,12 @@ void __start(void)
 
   __asm__ __volatile__ ("\tcpsid  i\n");
 
+#ifdef HAVE_SPU_CONFIG
+  /* Configure SPU before cpunet boot */
+
+  nrf53_spu_configure();
+#endif
+
   /* Handle APPROTECT configuration */
 
   nrf53_approtect();