diff --git a/arch/arc/kernel/process.c b/arch/arc/kernel/process.c
index fd5b2190a957fcbb0e96990dc9c1682a6d6739f9..5c631a1112403707aaa2bff9ebcf534bf8002901 100644
--- a/arch/arc/kernel/process.c
+++ b/arch/arc/kernel/process.c
@@ -92,7 +92,18 @@ void arch_cpu_idle(void)
 		:"I"(arg)); /* can't be "r" has to be embedded const */
 }
 
-#else
+#elif defined(CONFIG_EZNPS_MTM_EXT)	/* ARC700 variant in NPS */
+
+void arch_cpu_idle(void)
+{
+	/* only the calling HW thread needs to sleep */
+	__asm__ __volatile__(
+		".word %0	\n"
+		:
+		:"i"(CTOP_INST_HWSCHD_WFT_IE12));
+}
+
+#else	/* ARC700 */
 
 void arch_cpu_idle(void)
 {
diff --git a/arch/arc/plat-eznps/include/plat/ctop.h b/arch/arc/plat-eznps/include/plat/ctop.h
index ee2e32df5e90d5d77090a415335ac6f4708e161b..7729d3d183007b65a6f3c554cb22028c7c84151c 100644
--- a/arch/arc/plat-eznps/include/plat/ctop.h
+++ b/arch/arc/plat-eznps/include/plat/ctop.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #define CTOP_AUX_UDMC				(CTOP_AUX_BASE + 0x300)
 
 /* EZchip core instructions */
+#define CTOP_INST_HWSCHD_WFT_IE12		0x3E6F7344
 #define CTOP_INST_HWSCHD_OFF_R4			0x3C6F00BF
 #define CTOP_INST_HWSCHD_RESTORE_R4		0x3E6F7103
 #define CTOP_INST_SCHD_RW			0x3E6F7004