diff --git a/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S b/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
index d0c5c316e9bb..0a4e81b8dc79 100644
--- a/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
+++ b/arch/riscv/kernel/head.S
@@ -77,16 +77,10 @@ relocate:
 	csrw CSR_SATP, a0
 .align 2
 1:
-	/* Set trap vector to exception handler */
-	la a0, handle_exception
+	/* Set trap vector to spin forever to help debug */
+	la a0, .Lsecondary_park
 	csrw CSR_TVEC, a0
 
-	/*
-	 * Set sup0 scratch register to 0, indicating to exception vector that
-	 * we are presently executing in kernel.
-	 */
-	csrw CSR_SCRATCH, zero
-
 	/* Reload the global pointer */
 .option push
 .option norelax
@@ -144,9 +138,23 @@ secondary_start_common:
 	la a0, swapper_pg_dir
 	call relocate
 #endif
+	call setup_trap_vector
 	tail smp_callin
 #endif /* CONFIG_SMP */
 
+.align 2
+setup_trap_vector:
+	/* Set trap vector to exception handler */
+	la a0, handle_exception
+	csrw CSR_TVEC, a0
+
+	/*
+	 * Set sup0 scratch register to 0, indicating to exception vector that
+	 * we are presently executing in kernel.
+	 */
+	csrw CSR_SCRATCH, zero
+	ret
+
 .Lsecondary_park:
 	/* We lack SMP support or have too many harts, so park this hart */
 	wfi
@@ -240,6 +248,7 @@ clear_bss_done:
 	call relocate
 #endif /* CONFIG_MMU */
 
+	call setup_trap_vector
 	/* Restore C environment */
 	la tp, init_task
 	sw zero, TASK_TI_CPU(tp)