diff --git a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
index a8e7beb6b7b5..8352037322df 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ config XTENSA
 	select HAVE_ARCH_JUMP_LABEL
 	select HAVE_ARCH_KASAN if MMU
 	select HAVE_ARCH_TRACEHOOK
+	select HAVE_COPY_THREAD_TLS
 	select HAVE_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK
 	select HAVE_DMA_CONTIGUOUS
 	select HAVE_EXIT_THREAD
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/kernel/process.c b/arch/xtensa/kernel/process.c
index db278a9e80c7..7cbf8bd6d922 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/kernel/process.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/kernel/process.c
@@ -202,8 +202,9 @@ int arch_dup_task_struct(struct task_struct *dst, struct task_struct *src)
  * involved.  Much simpler to just not copy those live frames across.
  */
 
-int copy_thread(unsigned long clone_flags, unsigned long usp_thread_fn,
-		unsigned long thread_fn_arg, struct task_struct *p)
+int copy_thread_tls(unsigned long clone_flags, unsigned long usp_thread_fn,
+		unsigned long thread_fn_arg, struct task_struct *p,
+		unsigned long tls)
 {
 	struct pt_regs *childregs = task_pt_regs(p);
 
@@ -264,9 +265,8 @@ int copy_thread(unsigned long clone_flags, unsigned long usp_thread_fn,
 			       &regs->areg[XCHAL_NUM_AREGS - len/4], len);
 		}
 
-		/* The thread pointer is passed in the '4th argument' (= a5) */
 		if (clone_flags & CLONE_SETTLS)
-			childregs->threadptr = childregs->areg[5];
+			childregs->threadptr = tls;
 	} else {
 		p->thread.ra = MAKE_RA_FOR_CALL(
 				(unsigned long)ret_from_kernel_thread, 1);