diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_pm.c b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_pm.c
index 9c638e101ba..18a44857d6b 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_pm.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_pm.c
@@ -577,11 +577,11 @@ static int IRAM_ATTR esp32_sleep_start(uint32_t pd_flags)
       esp32_timer_wakeup_prepare();
     }
 
-  esp32_rtc_sleep_start(s_config.wakeup_triggers, 0);
+  result = esp32_rtc_sleep_start(s_config.wakeup_triggers, 0);
 
   /* Restore CPU frequency */
 
-  result = esp32_configure_cpu_freq(cur_freq);
+  esp32_configure_cpu_freq(cur_freq);
   esp32_resume_uarts();
 
   return result;
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.c b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.c
index 0966f73c9de..a23cec991e4 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.c
@@ -1353,9 +1353,10 @@ void IRAM_ATTR esp32_rtc_sleep_init(uint32_t flags)
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-void IRAM_ATTR esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt,
+int IRAM_ATTR esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt,
                                      uint32_t reject_opt)
 {
+  int reject;
   REG_SET_FIELD(RTC_CNTL_WAKEUP_STATE_REG, RTC_CNTL_WAKEUP_ENA, wakeup_opt);
   putreg32((uint32_t)reject_opt, RTC_CNTL_SLP_REJECT_CONF_REG);
 
@@ -1368,6 +1369,8 @@ void IRAM_ATTR esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt,
 
   /* In deep sleep mode, we never get here */
 
+  reject = REG_GET_FIELD(RTC_CNTL_INT_RAW_REG, RTC_CNTL_SLP_REJECT_INT_RAW);
+
   modifyreg32(RTC_CNTL_INT_CLR_REG, 0,
               RTC_CNTL_SLP_REJECT_INT_CLR | RTC_CNTL_SLP_WAKEUP_INT_CLR);
 
@@ -1375,4 +1378,5 @@ void IRAM_ATTR esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt,
 
   REG_SET_FIELD(RTC_CNTL_BIAS_CONF_REG, RTC_CNTL_DBG_ATTEN,
                 RTC_CNTL_DBG_ATTEN_DEFAULT);
+  return reject;
 }
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.h b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.h
index bf514076951..9615e0ff1e0 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.h
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/esp32_rtc.h
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ void esp32_rtc_sleep_init(uint32_t flags);
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-void esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt, uint32_t reject_opt);
+int esp32_rtc_sleep_start(uint32_t wakeup_opt, uint32_t reject_opt);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }