diff --git a/soc/nordic/nrf54h/Kconfig b/soc/nordic/nrf54h/Kconfig
index e227a299910..b117ee45ad8 100644
--- a/soc/nordic/nrf54h/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/nordic/nrf54h/Kconfig
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ config SOC_NRF54H20_CPURAD_ENABLE_CHECK_VTOR
 	help
 	  Verify that VTOR is not 0xFFFFFFFF before booting the Radiocore.
 
+config SOC_NRF54H20_DISABLE_ALL_GPIO_RETENTION_WORKAROUND
+	bool "Disable all GPIO pin retention on boot"
+	default y
+	depends on SOC_NRF54H20_CPUAPP || SOC_NRF54H20_CPURAD
+
 config SOC_NRF54H20_CPURAD
 	select SOC_NRF54H20_CPURAD_COMMON
 
diff --git a/soc/nordic/nrf54h/soc.c b/soc/nordic/nrf54h/soc.c
index a3f67711e45..7c3bc65768f 100644
--- a/soc/nordic/nrf54h/soc.c
+++ b/soc/nordic/nrf54h/soc.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <zephyr/logging/log_frontend_stmesp.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <hal/nrf_gpio.h>
 #include <hal/nrf_hsfll.h>
 #include <hal/nrf_lrcconf.h>
 #include <hal/nrf_spu.h>
@@ -173,6 +174,17 @@ void soc_early_init_hook(void)
 	    DT_PROP_OR(DT_NODELABEL(nfct), nfct_pins_as_gpios, 0)) {
 		nrf_nfct_pad_config_enable_set(NRF_NFCT, false);
 	}
+
+	/* This is a workaround for not yet having upstream patches for properly handling
+	 * pin retention. It should be removed as part of the next upmerge.
+	 */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SOC_NRF54H20_DISABLE_ALL_GPIO_RETENTION_WORKAROUND)) {
+		NRF_GPIO_Type *gpio_regs[GPIO_COUNT] = GPIO_REG_LIST;
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < NRFX_ARRAY_SIZE(gpio_regs); i++) {
+			nrf_gpio_port_retain_set(gpio_regs[i], 0);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SOC_LATE_INIT_HOOK)