diff --git a/kernel/time/posix-timers.c b/kernel/time/posix-timers.c
index 436ba794cc0b..5e580b4223de 100644
--- a/kernel/time/posix-timers.c
+++ b/kernel/time/posix-timers.c
@@ -1057,9 +1057,9 @@ static void posix_timer_delete(struct k_itimer *timer)
 
        while (timer->kclock->timer_del(timer) == TIMER_RETRY) {
                guard(rcu)();
-               spin_unlock_irq(&timer->it_lock);
+               spin_unlock_irq_enable(&timer->it_lock);
                timer_wait_running(timer);
-               spin_lock_irq(&timer->it_lock);
+               spin_lock_irq_disable(&timer->it_lock);
        }
 }