diff --git a/kernel/irq/irq_sim.c b/kernel/irq/irq_sim.c
index 0cd02efa3a74..dd76323ea3fd 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/irq_sim.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/irq_sim.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ struct irq_domain *irq_domain_create_sim(struct fwnode_handle *fwnode,
 		goto err_free_bitmap;
 
 	work_ctx->irq_count = num_irqs;
-	init_irq_work(&work_ctx->work, irq_sim_handle_irq);
+	work_ctx->work = IRQ_WORK_INIT_HARD(irq_sim_handle_irq);
 
 	return work_ctx->domain;