diff --git a/arch/arc/Kconfig b/arch/arc/Kconfig
index 5fcbda6b37cc..6dd783557330 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/Kconfig
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ endmenu
 
 choice
 	prompt "ARC Instruction Set"
-	default ISA_ARCOMPACT
+	default ISA_ARCV2
 
 config ISA_ARCOMPACT
 	bool "ARCompact ISA"
diff --git a/arch/arc/Makefile b/arch/arc/Makefile
index c64c505d966c..df00578c279d 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arc/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
 #
 
-KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := nsim_700_defconfig
+KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := nsim_hs_defconfig
 
 cflags-y	+= -fno-common -pipe -fno-builtin -mmedium-calls -D__linux__
 cflags-$(CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT)	+= -mA7
diff --git a/arch/arc/configs/axs101_defconfig b/arch/arc/configs/axs101_defconfig
index 8c23bd086cd0..020d4493edfd 100644
--- a/arch/arc/configs/axs101_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/configs/axs101_defconfig
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS=y
 # CONFIG_VM_EVENT_COUNTERS is not set
 # CONFIG_SLUB_DEBUG is not set
 # CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK is not set
+CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT=y
 CONFIG_MODULES=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_LOAD=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_UNLOAD=y
diff --git a/arch/arc/configs/nps_defconfig b/arch/arc/configs/nps_defconfig
index ae7a0d8be98d..6e84060e7c90 100644
--- a/arch/arc/configs/nps_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/configs/nps_defconfig
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ CONFIG_SYSCTL_SYSCALL=y
 CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y
 CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS=y
 # CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK is not set
+CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT=y
 CONFIG_KPROBES=y
 CONFIG_MODULES=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_LOAD=y
diff --git a/arch/arc/configs/nsim_700_defconfig b/arch/arc/configs/nsim_700_defconfig
index 8e0b8b134cd9..219c2a65294b 100644
--- a/arch/arc/configs/nsim_700_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/configs/nsim_700_defconfig
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y
 CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS=y
 # CONFIG_SLUB_DEBUG is not set
 # CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK is not set
+CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT=y
 CONFIG_KPROBES=y
 CONFIG_MODULES=y
 # CONFIG_LBDAF is not set
diff --git a/arch/arc/configs/nsimosci_defconfig b/arch/arc/configs/nsimosci_defconfig
index ad77f20e5aa6..35dfc6491a09 100644
--- a/arch/arc/configs/nsimosci_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/configs/nsimosci_defconfig
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y
 CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS=y
 # CONFIG_SLUB_DEBUG is not set
 # CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK is not set
+CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT=y
 CONFIG_KPROBES=y
 CONFIG_MODULES=y
 # CONFIG_LBDAF is not set
diff --git a/arch/arc/configs/tb10x_defconfig b/arch/arc/configs/tb10x_defconfig
index a7f65313f84a..e71ade3cf9c8 100644
--- a/arch/arc/configs/tb10x_defconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/configs/tb10x_defconfig
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ CONFIG_KALLSYMS_ALL=y
 # CONFIG_AIO is not set
 CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y
 # CONFIG_COMPAT_BRK is not set
+CONFIG_ISA_ARCOMPACT=y
 CONFIG_SLAB=y
 CONFIG_MODULES=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_FORCE_LOAD=y