diff --git a/ports/zephyr/CMakeLists.txt b/ports/zephyr/CMakeLists.txt
index 743907e623..c048d92d2a 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ports/zephyr/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ zephyr_library_compile_definitions(
 )
 
 zephyr_library_sources(${MICROPY_SOURCE_QSTR})
+zephyr_library_link_libraries(kernel)
 
 add_dependencies(${MICROPY_TARGET} zephyr_generated_headers)
 
diff --git a/ports/zephyr/src/zephyr_start.c b/ports/zephyr/src/zephyr_start.c
index b24e501c33..bcd68f92ce 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/src/zephyr_start.c
+++ b/ports/zephyr/src/zephyr_start.c
@@ -36,8 +36,4 @@ void main(void) {
     zephyr_getchar_init();
     #endif
     real_main();
-
-    // This is needed so the linker includes k_timer_init, z_impl_k_timer_start
-    // and z_impl_k_timer_stop, as used by libmicropython.a.
-    k_timer_start(NULL, K_MSEC(0), K_MSEC(0));
 }