diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
index 36e7ae8..10ae341 100644
--- a/arch/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -501,6 +501,18 @@
 	  register state, when a fault occurs. This information can be useful
 	  to collect for post-mortem analysis and debug of issues.
 
+config SIMPLIFIED_EXCEPTION_CODES
+	bool "Convert arch specific exception codes to K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION"
+	default y if ZTEST
+	help
+	  The same piece of faulty code (NULL dereference, etc) can result in
+	  a multitude of potential exception codes at the CPU level, depending
+	  upon whether addresses exist, an MPU is configured, the particular
+	  implementation of the CPU or any number of other reasons. Enabling
+	  this option collapses all the architecture specific exception codes
+	  down to the generic K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION, which makes testing code
+	  much more portable.
+
 endmenu # Interrupt configuration
 
 config INIT_ARCH_HW_AT_BOOT
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_a_r/fault.c b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_a_r/fault.c
index 1b92c70..8d7cc6d 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_a_r/fault.c
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_a_r/fault.c
@@ -194,8 +194,12 @@
 	/* Print fault information */
 	LOG_ERR("***** UNDEFINED INSTRUCTION ABORT *****");
 
+	uint32_t reason = IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SIMPLIFIED_EXCEPTION_CODES) ?
+			  K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION :
+			  K_ERR_ARM_UNDEFINED_INSTRUCTION;
+
 	/* Invoke kernel fatal exception handler */
-	z_arm_fatal_error(K_ERR_ARM_UNDEFINED_INSTRUCTION, esf);
+	z_arm_fatal_error(reason, esf);
 
 	/* All undefined instructions are treated as fatal for now */
 	return true;
@@ -223,6 +227,11 @@
 		reason = dump_fault(fs, ifar);
 	}
 
+	/* Simplify exception codes if requested */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SIMPLIFIED_EXCEPTION_CODES) && (reason >= K_ERR_ARCH_START)) {
+		reason = K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION;
+	}
+
 	/* Invoke kernel fatal exception handler */
 	z_arm_fatal_error(reason, esf);
 
@@ -290,6 +299,11 @@
 		reason = dump_fault(fs, dfar);
 	}
 
+	/* Simplify exception codes if requested */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SIMPLIFIED_EXCEPTION_CODES) && (reason >= K_ERR_ARCH_START)) {
+		reason = K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION;
+	}
+
 	/* Invoke kernel fatal exception handler */
 	z_arm_fatal_error(reason, esf);
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/fault.c b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/fault.c
index 93277a1..cece1d7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/fault.c
+++ b/arch/arm/core/aarch32/cortex_m/fault.c
@@ -1124,6 +1124,10 @@
 		esf_copy.basic.xpsr &= ~(IPSR_ISR_Msk);
 	}
 
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SIMPLIFIED_EXCEPTION_CODES) && (reason >= K_ERR_ARCH_START)) {
+		reason = K_ERR_CPU_EXCEPTION;
+	}
+
 	z_arm_fatal_error(reason, &esf_copy);
 }