diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d476fe23e1c..67779f07a02 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -199,6 +199,17 @@ if test "x$enable_host_optimization" = "xno" ; then
 	ARCH_ABI=default-linux
 fi
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([wfxt-cpu-pause],
+    [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-wfxt-cpu-pause],
+    [Enable WFXT support in cpu_pause code])],
+    [enable_wfxt_cpu_pause=$enableval],
+    [enable_wfxt_cpu_pause=no])
+AM_CONDITIONAL([ENABLE_WFXT_CPU_PAUSE], [test "x$enable_wfxt_cpu_pause" = "xyes"])
+
+if test "x$enable_wfxt_cpu_pause" = "xyes"; then
+    AC_DEFINE([ENABLE_WFXT_CPU_PAUSE], [1], [Enable WFXT in cpu_pause])
+fi
+
 ##########################################################################
 # Warn on the defaults if arch is undefined
 ##########################################################################
diff --git a/platform/linux-generic/arch/aarch64/odp/api/abi/cpu_inlines.h b/platform/linux-generic/arch/aarch64/odp/api/abi/cpu_inlines.h
index b882d4077b9..4236914aa6f 100644
--- a/platform/linux-generic/arch/aarch64/odp/api/abi/cpu_inlines.h
+++ b/platform/linux-generic/arch/aarch64/odp/api/abi/cpu_inlines.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #define ODP_ARCH_CPU_INLINES_H_
 
 #include <odp/api/abi/time_cpu.h>
+#include <odp/autoheader_build.h>
 
 #include <stdint.h>
 
@@ -28,12 +29,17 @@ extern _odp_cpu_cycles_global_t _odp_cpu_cycles_glob;
 
 static inline void _odp_cpu_pause(void)
 {
+#if defined(ENABLE_WFXT_CPU_PAUSE) && defined(__ARM_FEATURE_WFXT)
+	__asm__ volatile("sevl" : : : "memory");
+		__asm__ volatile("wfet %x0" : : "r"(100) : "memory");
+#else
 	/* YIELD hints the CPU to switch to another thread if possible
 	 * and executes as a NOP otherwise.
 	 * ISB flushes the pipeline, then restarts. This is guaranteed to
 	 * stall the CPU a number of cycles.
 	 */
 	__asm volatile("isb" ::: "memory");
+#endif
 }
 
 static inline uint64_t _odp_cpu_cycles(void)