diff --git a/subsys/mgmt/hawkbit/hawkbit.c b/subsys/mgmt/hawkbit/hawkbit.c
index d986b05f5718a81..3f5d5a8db1fc95d 100644
--- a/subsys/mgmt/hawkbit/hawkbit.c
+++ b/subsys/mgmt/hawkbit/hawkbit.c
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ static union {
 	struct hawkbit_cancel cancel;
 } hawkbit_results;
 
-static struct k_work_delayable hawkbit_work_handle;
+static void autohandler(struct k_work *work);
+
+static K_WORK_DELAYABLE_DEFINE(hawkbit_work_handle, autohandler);
 
 static struct k_sem probe_sem;
 
@@ -1238,6 +1240,5 @@ static void autohandler(struct k_work *work)
 
 void hawkbit_autohandler(void)
 {
-	k_work_init_delayable(&hawkbit_work_handle, autohandler);
 	k_work_reschedule(&hawkbit_work_handle, K_NO_WAIT);
 }