diff --git a/arch/sim/Kconfig b/arch/sim/Kconfig
index 455abd4de3b..74fbba8574c 100644
--- a/arch/sim/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/sim/Kconfig
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ config SIM_WALLTIME_SIGNAL
 
 endchoice
 
+config SIM_HOSTFS
+	bool "Simulated HostFS"
+	depends on FS_HOSTFS
+	---help---
+		Access host filesystem through HostFS.
+
 choice
 	prompt "Simulated Network Interface"
 	default SIM_NETDEV
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/Makefile b/arch/sim/src/Makefile
index a549a500858..227106fcfb2 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/Makefile
+++ b/arch/sim/src/Makefile
@@ -207,8 +207,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_SIM_SOUND_ALSA),y)
   STDLIBS += -lasound
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_FS_HOSTFS),y)
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_FS_HOSTFS_RPMSG),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS),y)
   HOSTSRCS += up_hostfs.c
 
 hostfs.h: $(TOPDIR)/include/nuttx/fs/hostfs.h
@@ -217,7 +216,6 @@ hostfs.h: $(TOPDIR)/include/nuttx/fs/hostfs.h
 
 up_hostfs.c: hostfs.h
 endif
-endif
 
 COBJS = $(CSRCS:.c=$(OBJEXT))
 
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
index 83268aa9877..3c5caeae543 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
@@ -220,9 +220,18 @@ config XTENSA_EXTMEM_BSS
 		Adds a section and an attribute that allows to force variables into
 		the external memory.
 
-if CONFIG_FS_HOSTFS
+config XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS
+	bool "Semihosting HostFS"
+	depends on FS_HOSTFS
+	---help---
+		Mount HostFS through semihosting.
 
-config XTENSA_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
+		This doesn't support some directory operations like readdir because
+		of the limitations of semihosting mechanism.
+
+if XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS
+
+config XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
 	bool "Cache coherence in semihosting hostfs"
 	depends on ARCH_DCACHE
 	---help---
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_hostfs.c b/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_hostfs.c
index 20e62df51f6..39fce29aa74 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_hostfs.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/common/xtensa_hostfs.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ int host_open(const char *pathname, int flags, int mode)
       simcall_flags |= SIMCALL_O_EXCL;
     }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
+#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
   up_clean_dcache(pathname, pathname + strlen(pathname) + 1);
 #endif
   return host_call(SIMCALL_SYS_OPEN, (int)pathname, simcall_flags, mode);
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ int host_close(int fd)
 
 ssize_t host_read(int fd, void *buf, size_t count)
 {
-#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
+#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
   up_invalidate_dcache(buf, buf + count);
 #endif
 
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ ssize_t host_read(int fd, void *buf, size_t count)
 
 ssize_t host_write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
 {
-#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
+#ifdef CONFIG_XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS_CACHE_COHERENCE
   up_clean_dcache(buf, buf + count);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Make.defs b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Make.defs
index e8f901b6651..d2a923c98eb 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Make.defs
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Make.defs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_STACK_COLORATION),y)
   CMN_CSRCS += xtensa_checkstack.c
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_FS_HOSTFS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS),y)
   CMN_ASRCS += xtensa_simcall.S
   CMN_CSRCS += xtensa_hostfs.c
 endif
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s2/Make.defs b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s2/Make.defs
index 3fde1cbf27c..496a06163d0 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s2/Make.defs
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s2/Make.defs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_STACK_COLORATION),y)
   CMN_CSRCS += xtensa_checkstack.c
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_FS_HOSTFS),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_XTENSA_SEMIHOSTING_HOSTFS),y)
   CMN_ASRCS += xtensa_simcall.S
   CMN_CSRCS += xtensa_hostfs.c
 endif
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/alsa/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/alsa/defconfig
index b0d1880f39a..c69a6b81312 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/alsa/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/alsa/defconfig
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_HAVE_PARENT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_ONEXIT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
 CONFIG_SDCLONE_DISABLE=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_START_MONTH=6
 CONFIG_START_YEAR=2008
 CONFIG_SYSTEM_NSH=y
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/libcxxtest/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/libcxxtest/defconfig
index b5954e7a7a8..f5501e900bd 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/libcxxtest/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/libcxxtest/defconfig
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_HAVE_PARENT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_ONEXIT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
 CONFIG_SDCLONE_DISABLE=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_SIM_NETDEV=y
 CONFIG_START_MONTH=6
 CONFIG_START_YEAR=2008
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/loadable/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/loadable/defconfig
index ac4acc84868..aa91b15cb0e 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/loadable/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/loadable/defconfig
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_HAVE_PARENT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_ONEXIT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
 CONFIG_SDCLONE_DISABLE=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_SIM_M32=y
 CONFIG_START_MONTH=6
 CONFIG_START_YEAR=2008
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/rpserver/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/rpserver/defconfig
index bf6c33e43a5..d00884e187b 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/rpserver/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/rpserver/defconfig
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_HAVE_PARENT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_HPWORK=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
 CONFIG_SIG_DEFAULT=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_SIM_M32=y
 CONFIG_SIM_NETDEV=y
 CONFIG_SIM_NET_BRIDGE=y
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/tcpblaster/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/tcpblaster/defconfig
index 6ace500bc86..edb227541a5 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/tcpblaster/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/tcpblaster/defconfig
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_ONEXIT=y
 CONFIG_SERIAL_TERMIOS=y
 CONFIG_SIG_DEFAULT=y
 CONFIG_SIG_EVTHREAD=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_STACK_COLORATION=y
 CONFIG_SYSLOG_BUFFER=y
 CONFIG_SYSLOG_CONSOLE=y
diff --git a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/vpnkit/defconfig b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/vpnkit/defconfig
index d82b8abfe85..d84490854b0 100644
--- a/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/vpnkit/defconfig
+++ b/boards/sim/sim/sim/configs/vpnkit/defconfig
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHED_HAVE_PARENT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_ONEXIT=y
 CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
 CONFIG_SDCLONE_DISABLE=y
+CONFIG_SIM_HOSTFS=y
 CONFIG_SIM_NETDEV=y
 CONFIG_SIM_NETDEV_VPNKIT=y
 CONFIG_START_MONTH=6