diff --git a/subsys/rtio/Kconfig.workq b/subsys/rtio/Kconfig.workq
index af852204156..ad8dcd8ffdf 100644
--- a/subsys/rtio/Kconfig.workq
+++ b/subsys/rtio/Kconfig.workq
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 config RTIO_WORKQ
 	bool "RTIO Work-queues service to process Sync operations"
 	select SCHED_DEADLINE
+	select P4WQ_INIT_STAGE_EARLY
 	select RTIO_CONSUME_SEM
 	help
 	  Enable RTIO Work-queues to allow processing synchronous operations