diff --git a/include/nuttx/spinlock.h b/include/nuttx/spinlock.h
index 3b9e74cb2c96a..175a62302f797 100644
--- a/include/nuttx/spinlock.h
+++ b/include/nuttx/spinlock.h
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
 #include <nuttx/irq.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_RW_SPINLOCK
-typedef int32_t rwlock_t;
+#include <stdatomic.h>
+typedef atomic_int rwlock_t;
 #define RW_SP_UNLOCKED      0
 #define RW_SP_READ_LOCKED   1
 #define RW_SP_WRITE_LOCKED -1
diff --git a/sched/semaphore/spinlock.c b/sched/semaphore/spinlock.c
index c5b832f89d89f..641f035407fd7 100644
--- a/sched/semaphore/spinlock.c
+++ b/sched/semaphore/spinlock.c
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ void spin_clrbit(FAR volatile cpu_set_t *set, unsigned int cpu,
 
 void read_lock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 {
-  rwlock_t old;
+  int32_t old;
 
   while (true)
     {
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ void read_lock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 
 bool read_trylock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 {
-  rwlock_t old = atomic_load(lock);
+  int32_t old = atomic_load(lock);
 
   if (old >= RW_SP_UNLOCKED &&
       atomic_compare_exchange_strong(lock, &old, old + 1))
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ void read_unlock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 
 void write_lock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 {
-  rwlock_t zero = RW_SP_UNLOCKED;
+  int32_t zero = RW_SP_UNLOCKED;
 
   while (!atomic_compare_exchange_strong(lock, &zero, RW_SP_WRITE_LOCKED))
     {
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ void write_lock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 
 bool write_trylock(FAR volatile rwlock_t *lock)
 {
-  rwlock_t zero = RW_SP_UNLOCKED;
+  int32_t zero = RW_SP_UNLOCKED;
 
   if (!atomic_compare_exchange_strong(lock, &zero, RW_SP_WRITE_LOCKED))
     {