diff --git a/core/include/thread.h b/core/include/thread.h
index 16d4e6a36f..5b1ba1fdc4 100644
--- a/core/include/thread.h
+++ b/core/include/thread.h
@@ -129,10 +129,24 @@
 #include "thread_flags.h"
 #endif
 
+#include "thread_arch.h"
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @brief Macro definition to inline some of the platform specific
+ *        implementations
+ *
+ * Should be enabled when advantageous by CPU's in their thread_arch.h header
+ */
+#ifdef THREAD_API_INLINED
+#define THREAD_MAYBE_INLINE static inline __attribute__((always_inline))
+#else
+#define THREAD_MAYBE_INLINE
+#endif /* THREAD_API_INLINED */
+
 #if defined(DEVELHELP) && !defined(CONFIG_THREAD_NAMES)
 /**
  * @brief   This global macro enable storage of thread names to help developers.
@@ -431,7 +445,7 @@ void thread_yield(void);
  *
  * @see     thread_yield()
  */
-void thread_yield_higher(void);
+THREAD_MAYBE_INLINE void thread_yield_higher(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Puts the current thread into zombie state.