diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Kconfig b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Kconfig
index 215ffa92d0..172a36fc17 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/Kconfig
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 comment "NRF53 Configuration Options"
 
+# NRF53 Families
+
 choice
 	prompt "NRF53 Chip Selection"
 	default ARCH_CHIP_NRF5340
@@ -15,8 +17,13 @@ config ARCH_CHIP_NRF5340
 
 endchoice # NRF53 Chip Selection
 
-# NRF53 Families
+config NRF53_APPCORE
+	bool
+	default n
 
+config NRF53_NETCORE
+	bool
+	default n
 
 choice
 	prompt "NRF5340 Core Selection"
@@ -25,9 +32,12 @@ choice
 
 config ARCH_CHIP_NRF5340_CPUAPP
 	bool "NRF53 App core"
+	select NRF53_APPCORE
+	select ARCH_HAVE_FPU
 
 config ARCH_CHIP_NRF5340_CPUNET
 	bool "NRF53 Net core"
+	select NRF53_NETCORE
 
 endchoice # NRF5340 Core Selection
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_gpio.c b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_gpio.c
index 44a17068d2..bf7d4943d7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_gpio.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/nrf53/nrf53_gpio.c
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ static inline void nrf53_gpio_drive(nrf53_pinset_t cfgset,
   putreg32(regval, offset);
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_NRF53_APPCORE
+
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: nrf53_gpio_mcusel
  *
@@ -293,6 +295,7 @@ static inline void nrf53_gpio_mcusel(nrf53_pinset_t cfgset,
 
   putreg32(regval, offset);
 }
+#endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Public Functions
@@ -344,11 +347,13 @@ int nrf53_gpio_config(nrf53_pinset_t cfgset)
 
       nrf53_gpio_drive(cfgset, port, pin);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_NRF53_APPCORE
       /* Select which MCU/Subsystem controls this pin.
-       * NOTE: accessible only from secure code.
+       * NOTE: accessible only from secure code and from the app core.
        */
 
       nrf53_gpio_mcusel(cfgset, port, pin);
+#endif
 
       /* Handle according to pin function */