diff --git a/lib/libc/Kconfig b/lib/libc/Kconfig
index a3e7886338baed9..f651f5868714272 100644
--- a/lib/libc/Kconfig
+++ b/lib/libc/Kconfig
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ config PICOLIBC
 	select COMMON_LIBC_ABORT
 	select THREAD_LOCAL_STORAGE if ARCH_HAS_THREAD_LOCAL_STORAGE && TOOLCHAIN_SUPPORTS_THREAD_LOCAL_STORAGE
 	select LIBC_ERRNO if THREAD_LOCAL_STORAGE
-	imply COMMON_LIBC_MALLOC
+	select COMMON_LIBC_MALLOC if REQUIRES_MALLOC
 	depends on !NATIVE_APPLICATION
 	depends on PICOLIBC_SUPPORTED
 	help