diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
index 5f3e1c2c5c9..6a08e141437 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
@@ -1272,7 +1272,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
            * device.
            */
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           irqstate_t flags = enter_critical_section();
 #endif
           /* Receive a byte */
@@ -1287,7 +1287,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
               stm32_i2c_modifyreg(priv, STM32_I2C_CR1_OFFSET, I2C_CR1_ACK, 0);
             }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           leave_critical_section(flags);
 #endif
         }
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32f30xxx_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32f30xxx_i2c.c
index 539305194d7..9d616b74890 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32f30xxx_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32f30xxx_i2c.c
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
            * device.
            */
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           irqstate_t flags = enter_critical_section();
 #endif
           /* Receive a byte */
@@ -1347,7 +1347,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
               /* autoend? */
             }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           leave_critical_section(flags);
 #endif
         }
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32f0/stm32f0_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32f0/stm32f0_i2c.c
index c782754fc34..b8f7ede7d6b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32f0/stm32f0_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32f0/stm32f0_i2c.c
@@ -1306,7 +1306,7 @@ static int stm32f0_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32f0_i2c_priv_s *priv)
            * device.
            */
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           irqstate_t flags = enter_critical_section();
 #endif
           /* Receive a byte */
@@ -1321,7 +1321,7 @@ static int stm32f0_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32f0_i2c_priv_s *priv)
               /* autoend? */
             }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           leave_critical_section(flags);
 #endif
         }
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32f7/stm32_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32f7/stm32_i2c.c
index be3122ea4e2..d85023e6c55 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32f7/stm32_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32f7/stm32_i2c.c
@@ -1776,7 +1776,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
            * sequence.  Otherwise, additional bytes may be received.
            */
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           irqstate_t state = enter_critical_section();
 #endif
           /* Receive a byte */
@@ -1793,7 +1793,7 @@ static int stm32_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32_i2c_priv_s *priv)
 
           priv->dcnt--;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           leave_critical_section(state);
 #endif
         }
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32l4/stm32l4_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32l4/stm32l4_i2c.c
index 58c2fa780f8..956dd8c7884 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32l4/stm32l4_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32l4/stm32l4_i2c.c
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@ static int stm32l4_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32l4_i2c_priv_s *priv)
            * device.
            */
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           irqstate_t flags = enter_critical_section();
 #endif
           /* Receive a byte */
@@ -1399,7 +1399,7 @@ static int stm32l4_i2c_isr_process(struct stm32l4_i2c_priv_s *priv)
               /* autoend? */
             }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
+#ifndef CONFIG_I2C_POLLED
           leave_critical_section(flags);
 #endif
         }