diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/Kconfig b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/Kconfig
index 2a52d924a9b02d..da8be9c6c1f072 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/Kconfig
@@ -310,6 +310,9 @@ endmenu
 
 choice CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION
 	bool "Enable and use null-pointer exception"
+	default CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_DWT if TEST_ARM_CORTEX_M && !ARM_NONSECURE_FIRMWARE && CPU_CORTEX_M_HAS_DWT
+	default CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_MPU if TEST_ARM_CORTEX_M && !ARM_NONSECURE_FIRMWARE && ARM_MPU && !CPU_CORTEX_M_HAS_DWT
+	default CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE
 	help
 	  There are 2 implementations available, one based
 	  on DWT and the other based on MPU. Use this choice
diff --git a/boards/arm/mps2_an521/Kconfig.defconfig b/boards/arm/mps2_an521/Kconfig.defconfig
index 2dcef350bdc200..42536e04566fda 100644
--- a/boards/arm/mps2_an521/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/boards/arm/mps2_an521/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 
 if BOARD_MPS2_AN521
 
+# MPU-based null-pointer dereferencing detection cannot
+# be applied as the (0x0 - 0x400) is unmapped but QEMU
+# will still permit bus access.
+choice CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION
+	bool
+	default CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE if QEMU_TARGET
+endchoice
+
 config BOARD
 	default "mps2_an521_nonsecure" if TRUSTED_EXECUTION_NONSECURE
 	default "mps2_an521"
diff --git a/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_m3/Kconfig.defconfig b/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_m3/Kconfig.defconfig
index 2db7e0b54ae37b..864bd34d861c8f 100644
--- a/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_m3/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/boards/arm/qemu_cortex_m3/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -12,4 +12,10 @@ config GPIO_STELLARIS
 	default y
 	depends on GPIO
 
+# DWT is not properly emulated in QEMU
+choice CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION
+	bool
+	default CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE
+endchoice
+
 endif # BOARD_QEMU_CORTEX_M3
diff --git a/tests/kernel/gen_isr_table/testcase.yaml b/tests/kernel/gen_isr_table/testcase.yaml
index 71912d0fb80005..52ee3db7837fd6 100644
--- a/tests/kernel/gen_isr_table/testcase.yaml
+++ b/tests/kernel/gen_isr_table/testcase.yaml
@@ -1,18 +1,25 @@
 tests:
   arch.interrupt.gen_isr_table.arm_baseline:
+    arch_allow: arm
     platform_allow: bbc_microbit atsamr21_xpro nrf51dk_nrf51422 nucleo_g071rb qemu_cortex_m0
     filter: CONFIG_GEN_ISR_TABLES and CONFIG_ARMV6_M_ARMV8_M_BASELINE
     tags: interrupt isr_table
+    extra_configs:
+      - CONFIG_CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE=y
   arch.interrupt.gen_isr_table.arm_mainline:
+    arch_allow: arm
     platform_exclude: stmf103_mini nucleo_f103rb olimexino_stm32 stm32_min_dev_black
         stm32_min_dev_blue usb_kw24d512 v2m_beetle cc1352r1_launchxl
         cc26x2r1_launchxl olimex_stm32_h103 cc1352r_sensortag
     filter: CONFIG_GEN_ISR_TABLES and CONFIG_ARMV7_M_ARMV8_M_MAINLINE
     tags: interrupt isr_table
+    extra_configs:
+      - CONFIG_CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE=y
   arch.interrupt.gen_isr_table.disabled:
     arch_allow: arm
     extra_configs:
       - CONFIG_GEN_ISR_TABLES=n
+      - CONFIG_CORTEX_M_DEBUG_NULL_POINTER_EXCEPTION_DETECTION_NONE=y
     tags: interrupt isr_table
     build_only: true
   arch.interrupt.gen_isr_table.arc: