diff --git a/kernel/include/ksched.h b/kernel/include/ksched.h
index b832fda333c..e4b34dd8362 100644
--- a/kernel/include/ksched.h
+++ b/kernel/include/ksched.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <kthread.h>
 #include <zephyr/tracing/tracing.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <priority_q.h>
 
 BUILD_ASSERT(K_LOWEST_APPLICATION_THREAD_PRIO
 	     >= K_HIGHEST_APPLICATION_THREAD_PRIO);
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ BUILD_ASSERT(K_LOWEST_APPLICATION_THREAD_PRIO
 #define Z_ASSERT_VALID_PRIO(prio, entry_point) __ASSERT((prio) == -1, "")
 #endif /* CONFIG_MULTITHREADING */
 
+extern struct k_spinlock _sched_spinlock;
+
 extern struct k_thread _thread_dummy;
 
 void z_sched_init(void);
@@ -49,7 +52,6 @@ void z_pend_thread(struct k_thread *thread, _wait_q_t *wait_q,
 		   k_timeout_t timeout);
 void z_reschedule(struct k_spinlock *lock, k_spinlock_key_t key);
 void z_reschedule_irqlock(uint32_t key);
-struct k_thread *z_unpend_first_thread(_wait_q_t *wait_q);
 void z_unpend_thread(struct k_thread *thread);
 int z_unpend_all(_wait_q_t *wait_q);
 bool z_thread_prio_set(struct k_thread *thread, int prio);
@@ -142,6 +144,36 @@ static inline void z_sched_lock(void)
 	compiler_barrier();
 }
 
+static ALWAYS_INLINE _wait_q_t *pended_on_thread(struct k_thread *thread)
+{
+	__ASSERT_NO_MSG(thread->base.pended_on);
+
+	return thread->base.pended_on;
+}
+
+
+static inline void unpend_thread_no_timeout(struct k_thread *thread)
+{
+	_priq_wait_remove(&pended_on_thread(thread)->waitq, thread);
+	z_mark_thread_as_not_pending(thread);
+	thread->base.pended_on = NULL;
+}
+
+static ALWAYS_INLINE struct k_thread *z_unpend_first_thread(_wait_q_t *wait_q)
+{
+	struct k_thread *thread = NULL;
+
+	K_SPINLOCK(&_sched_spinlock) {
+		thread = _priq_wait_best(&wait_q->waitq);
+		if (unlikely(thread != NULL)) {
+			unpend_thread_no_timeout(thread);
+			(void)z_abort_thread_timeout(thread);
+		}
+	}
+
+	return thread;
+}
+
 /*
  * APIs for working with the Zephyr kernel scheduler. Intended for use in
  * management of IPC objects, either in the core kernel or other IPC
diff --git a/kernel/sched.c b/kernel/sched.c
index f8d734f4cb5..7db9c1b59fd 100644
--- a/kernel/sched.c
+++ b/kernel/sched.c
@@ -554,13 +554,6 @@ static inline void z_vrfy_k_thread_resume(k_tid_t thread)
 #include <zephyr/syscalls/k_thread_resume_mrsh.c>
 #endif /* CONFIG_USERSPACE */
 
-static _wait_q_t *pended_on_thread(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	__ASSERT_NO_MSG(thread->base.pended_on);
-
-	return thread->base.pended_on;
-}
-
 static void unready_thread(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 	if (z_is_thread_queued(thread)) {
@@ -609,13 +602,6 @@ void z_pend_thread(struct k_thread *thread, _wait_q_t *wait_q,
 	}
 }
 
-static inline void unpend_thread_no_timeout(struct k_thread *thread)
-{
-	_priq_wait_remove(&pended_on_thread(thread)->waitq, thread);
-	z_mark_thread_as_not_pending(thread);
-	thread->base.pended_on = NULL;
-}
-
 void z_unpend_thread_no_timeout(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 	K_SPINLOCK(&_sched_spinlock) {
@@ -704,22 +690,6 @@ struct k_thread *z_unpend1_no_timeout(_wait_q_t *wait_q)
 	return thread;
 }
 
-struct k_thread *z_unpend_first_thread(_wait_q_t *wait_q)
-{
-	struct k_thread *thread = NULL;
-
-	K_SPINLOCK(&_sched_spinlock) {
-		thread = _priq_wait_best(&wait_q->waitq);
-
-		if (unlikely(thread != NULL)) {
-			unpend_thread_no_timeout(thread);
-			(void)z_abort_thread_timeout(thread);
-		}
-	}
-
-	return thread;
-}
-
 void z_unpend_thread(struct k_thread *thread)
 {
 	z_unpend_thread_no_timeout(thread);