diff --git a/subsys/net/ip/net_core.c b/subsys/net/ip/net_core.c
index 50df51a75ee..29ee75aed10 100644
--- a/subsys/net/ip/net_core.c
+++ b/subsys/net/ip/net_core.c
@@ -564,7 +564,8 @@ static void init_rx_queue(void)
 
 	rx_tid = k_thread_spawn(rx_stack, sizeof(rx_stack),
 				(k_thread_entry_t)net_rx_thread,
-				NULL, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(8), 0, 0);
+				NULL, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(8),
+				K_ESSENTIAL, 0);
 }
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_NET_IP_ADDR_CHECK)
diff --git a/subsys/net/ip/net_if.c b/subsys/net/ip/net_if.c
index 20e5af8a004..838b9c321ef 100644
--- a/subsys/net/ip/net_if.c
+++ b/subsys/net/ip/net_if.c
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@ static inline void init_tx_queue(struct net_if *iface)
 
 	k_thread_spawn(iface->tx_stack, sizeof(iface->tx_stack),
 		       (k_thread_entry_t)net_if_tx_thread,
-		       iface, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(7), 0, 0);
+		       iface, NULL, NULL, K_PRIO_COOP(7),
+		       K_ESSENTIAL, 0);
 }
 
 enum net_verdict net_if_send_data(struct net_if *iface, struct net_buf *buf)