diff --git a/tcl/target/rp2040.cfg b/tcl/target/rp2040.cfg
index ee455420b..0593e03ba 100644
--- a/tcl/target/rp2040.cfg
+++ b/tcl/target/rp2040.cfg
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ if { [info exists CPUTAPID] } {
 	set _CPUTAPID 0x01002927
 }
 
-# Set to '0' or '1' for single core configuration,
-# anything else for isolated debugging of both cores
+# Set to '0' or '1' for single core configuration, 'SMP' for -rtos hwthread
+# handling of both cores, anything else for isolated debugging of both cores
 if { [info exists USE_CORE] } {
 	set _USE_CORE $USE_CORE
 } else {
-	set _USE_CORE { 0 1 }
+	set _USE_CORE SMP
 }
 set _BOTH_CORES [expr { $_USE_CORE != 0 && $_USE_CORE != 1 }]
 
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ if { $_USE_CORE != 0 } {
 	$_TARGETNAME_1 cortex_m reset_config sysresetreq
 }
 
+if {[string compare $_USE_CORE SMP] == 0} {
+	$_TARGETNAME_0 configure  -rtos hwthread
+	$_TARGETNAME_1 configure  -rtos hwthread
+	target smp $_TARGETNAME_0 $_TARGETNAME_1
+}
+
 if { $_USE_CORE == 1 } {
 	set _FLASH_TARGET $_TARGETNAME_1
 } else {