diff --git a/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/Kconfig b/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/Kconfig
index 1f60b3c0c7..0b50a4e8be 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/Kconfig
@@ -1326,10 +1326,20 @@ endif
 
 config CXD56_TESTSET
 	bool "Use custom testset for spinlock"
-	default n
-	depends on SPINLOCK
+	default y
+	depends on SMP
 	---help---
-		Use custom testset based on hardware semaphore
+		Use custom testset
+
+if CXD56_TESTSET
+
+config CXD56_TESTSET_WITH_HWSEM
+	bool "Use custom testset based on hardware semaphore"
+	default n if CXD56_USE_SYSBUS
+	default y if !CXD56_USE_SYSBUS
+	---help---
+
+endif
 
 config CXD56_USE_SYSBUS
 	bool "Use the system bus for the data section"
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/cxd56_testset.c b/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/cxd56_testset.c
index 5a238ea2f2..ecc6580d7a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/cxd56_testset.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/cxd56xx/cxd56_testset.c
@@ -42,6 +42,36 @@
  * Public Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
 
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: up_testset2
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+spinlock_t up_testset2(volatile FAR spinlock_t *lock)
+{
+  register uintptr_t ret asm("r0") = (uintptr_t)(lock);
+
+  asm volatile (
+    "mov r1, #1 \n"
+    "1: \n"
+    "ldrexb r2, [%0] \n"
+    "cmp r2, r1 \n"
+    "beq 2f \n"
+    "strexb r2, r1, [%0] \n"
+    "cmp r2, r1 \n"
+    "beq 1b \n"
+    "dmb \n"
+    "mov %0, #0 \n"
+    "bx lr \n"
+    "2: \n"
+    "strexb r2, r1, [%0] \n" /* dummy strex to release */
+    "mov %0, #1 \n"
+    : "+r" (ret)
+    :
+    : "r1", "r2");
+
+  return ret;
+}
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: up_testset
  *
@@ -63,6 +93,7 @@
 
 spinlock_t up_testset(volatile FAR spinlock_t *lock)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CXD56_TESTSET_WITH_HWSEM
   spinlock_t ret;
   uint32_t sphlocked = ((up_cpu_index() + 2) << 16) | 0x1;
 
@@ -85,6 +116,9 @@ spinlock_t up_testset(volatile FAR spinlock_t *lock)
   /* Unlock hardware semaphore */
 
   putreg32(REQ_UNLOCK, CXD56_SPH_REQ(SPH_SMP));
+#else
+  spinlock_t ret = up_testset2(lock);
+#endif
 
   return ret;
 }