diff --git a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/configs/nsh/defconfig b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/configs/nsh/defconfig
index 2377b03dbf6..7b043d4f4e2 100644
--- a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/configs/nsh/defconfig
+++ b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/configs/nsh/defconfig
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP="stm32"
 CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP_STM32=y
 CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP_STM32F427I=y
 CONFIG_ARCH_IRQBUTTONS=y
-CONFIG_BOARD_LATE_INITIALIZE=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_LOOPSPERMSEC=16717
 CONFIG_BUTTONS=y
 CONFIG_BUTTONS_LOWER=y
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ CONFIG_CLOCK_MONOTONIC=y
 CONFIG_INPUT=y
 CONFIG_LIBC_FLOATINGPOINT=y
 CONFIG_MM_REGIONS=2
+CONFIG_NSH_ARCHINIT=y
 CONFIG_RAW_BINARY=y
 CONFIG_STM32_CCMEXCLUDE=y
 CONFIG_STM32_DISABLE_IDLE_SLEEP_DURING_DEBUG=y
diff --git a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/Makefile b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/Makefile
index 743fbebe880..6b43fddd6be 100644
--- a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/Makefile
+++ b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/Makefile
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
 ASRCS =
 CSRCS = stm32_boot.c stm32_bringup.c
 
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_LIB_BOARDCTL),y)
+CSRCS += stm32_appinit.c
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_STM32_FMC),y)
 CSRCS += stm32_extmem.c
 endif
diff --git a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_appinit.c b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_appinit.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0e494e2a02c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_appinit.c
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_appinit.c
+ *
+ *   Copyright (C) 2019 Gregory Nutt. All rights reserved.
+ *   Author: Gregory Nutt <gnutt@nuttx.org>
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ * 3. Neither the name NuttX nor the names of its contributors may be
+ *    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
+ *    without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+ * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
+ * ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Included Files
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#include <nuttx/config.h>
+
+#include <nuttx/board.h>
+
+#include "axoloti.h"
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Pre-processor Definitions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef OK
+#  define OK 0
+#endif
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Functions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: board_app_initialize
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Perform application specific initialization.  This function is never
+ *   called directly from application code, but only indirectly via the
+ *   (non-standard) boardctl() interface using the command BOARDIOC_INIT.
+ *
+ * Input Parameters:
+ *   arg - The boardctl() argument is passed to the board_app_initialize()
+ *         implementation without modification.  The argument has no
+ *         meaning to NuttX; the meaning of the argument is a contract
+ *         between the board-specific initialization logic and the
+ *         matching application logic.  The value cold be such things as a
+ *         mode enumeration value, a set of DIP switch switch settings, a
+ *         pointer to configuration data read from a file or serial FLASH,
+ *         or whatever you would like to do with it.  Every implementation
+ *         should accept zero/NULL as a default configuration.
+ *
+ * Returned Value:
+ *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
+ *   any failure to indicate the nature of the failure.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+int board_app_initialize(uintptr_t arg)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOARD_LATE_INITIALIZE
+  /* Board initialization already performed by board_late_initialize() */
+
+  return OK;
+#else
+  /* Perform board-specific initialization */
+
+  return stm32_bringup();
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_boot.c b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_boot.c
index 418f60dcd5a..748d3731fed 100644
--- a/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_boot.c
+++ b/boards/arm/stm32/axoloti/src/stm32_boot.c
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ void stm32_boardinitialize(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_BOARD_LATE_INITIALIZE
 void board_late_initialize(void)
 {
+  /* Perform board-specific initialization */
+
   (void)stm32_bringup();
 }
 #endif