diff --git a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/Kconfig b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/Kconfig
index 54764a5bdf7..a86eaece11b 100644
--- a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/Kconfig
@@ -2,19 +2,8 @@
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-menuconfig BQ274XX
+config BQ274XX
 	bool "BQ274xx Fuel Gauge"
 	depends on I2C
 	help
 	  Enable I2C-based driver for BQ274xx Fuel Gauge.
-
-if BQ274XX
-
-config BQ274XX_LAZY_CONFIGURE
-	bool "Configure on first usage instead of init"
-	help
-	  Configuring the sensor can take a long time, which
-	  we can delay till the first sample request and keep
-	  the boot time as short as possible.
-
-endif # BQ274XX
diff --git a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.c b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.c
index 4c599aec172..e5ab21cc5ec 100644
--- a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.c
+++ b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.c
@@ -228,16 +228,13 @@ static int bq274xx_sample_fetch(const struct device *dev,
 	struct bq274xx_data *bq274xx = dev->data;
 	int status = 0;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_BQ274XX_LAZY_CONFIGURE
-	if (!bq274xx->lazy_loaded) {
+	if (!bq274xx->configured) {
 		status = bq274xx_gauge_configure(dev);
 
 		if (status < 0) {
 			return status;
 		}
-		bq274xx->lazy_loaded = true;
 	}
-#endif
 
 	switch (chan) {
 	case SENSOR_CHAN_GAUGE_VOLTAGE:
@@ -402,11 +399,9 @@ static int bq274xx_gauge_init(const struct device *dev)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_BQ274XX_LAZY_CONFIGURE
-	bq274xx->lazy_loaded = false;
-#else
-	status = bq274xx_gauge_configure(dev);
-#endif
+	if (!config->lazy_loading) {
+		status = bq274xx_gauge_configure(dev);
+	}
 
 	return status;
 }
@@ -414,6 +409,8 @@ static int bq274xx_gauge_init(const struct device *dev)
 static int bq274xx_gauge_configure(const struct device *dev)
 {
 	const struct bq274xx_config *const config = dev->config;
+	struct bq274xx_data *data = dev->data;
+
 	int status = 0;
 	uint8_t tmp_checksum = 0, checksum_old = 0, checksum_new = 0;
 	uint16_t flags = 0, designenergy_mwh = 0, taperrate = 0;
@@ -646,6 +643,8 @@ static int bq274xx_gauge_configure(const struct device *dev)
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
+	data->configured = true;
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -714,12 +713,14 @@ static int bq274xx_exit_shutdown_mode(const struct device *dev)
 		return status;
 	}
 
-	k_msleep(INIT_TIME);
+	if (!config->lazy_loading) {
+		k_msleep(INIT_TIME);
 
-	status = bq274xx_gauge_configure(dev);
-	if (status < 0) {
-		LOG_ERR("Unable to configure bq274xx gauge");
-		return status;
+		status = bq274xx_gauge_configure(dev);
+		if (status < 0) {
+			LOG_ERR("Unable to configure bq274xx gauge");
+			return status;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -768,6 +769,7 @@ static const struct sensor_driver_api bq274xx_battery_driver_api = {
 		.design_capacity = DT_INST_PROP(index, design_capacity),       \
 		.taper_current = DT_INST_PROP(index, taper_current),           \
 		.terminate_voltage = DT_INST_PROP(index, terminate_voltage),   \
+		.lazy_loading = DT_INST_PROP(index, zephyr_lazy_load),         \
 	};                                                                     \
 									       \
 	PM_DEVICE_DT_INST_DEFINE(index, bq274xx_pm_action);		       \
diff --git a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.h b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.h
index 61e67624083..4fbaaf9789b 100644
--- a/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.h
+++ b/drivers/sensor/bq274xx/bq274xx.h
@@ -81,9 +81,7 @@ LOG_MODULE_REGISTER(bq274xx, CONFIG_SENSOR_LOG_LEVEL);
 #define BQ274XX_DELAY 1000
 
 struct bq274xx_data {
-#ifdef CONFIG_BQ274XX_LAZY_CONFIGURE
-	bool lazy_loaded;
-#endif
+	bool configured;
 	uint16_t voltage;
 	int16_t avg_current;
 	int16_t stdby_current;
@@ -107,6 +105,7 @@ struct bq274xx_config {
 #ifdef CONFIG_PM_DEVICE
 	struct gpio_dt_spec int_gpios;
 #endif
+	bool lazy_loading;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/dts/bindings/sensor/ti,bq274xx.yaml b/dts/bindings/sensor/ti,bq274xx.yaml
index 5594f779969..8dc7b22b3cf 100644
--- a/dts/bindings/sensor/ti,bq274xx.yaml
+++ b/dts/bindings/sensor/ti,bq274xx.yaml
@@ -40,3 +40,9 @@ properties:
         specific events happening (e.g. change in State of Charge). While in
         shutdown mode it acts as an input and toggling it will make the sensor
         exit the mode.
+
+    zephyr,lazy-load:
+      type: boolean
+      description: |
+        Configuring the sensor can take a long time, using lazy loading we can delay
+        until the first sample request and keep the boot time as short as possible.