diff --git a/ports/zephyr/machine_pin.c b/ports/zephyr/machine_pin.c
index 517ef5116..7834b5de6 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/machine_pin.c
+++ b/ports/zephyr/machine_pin.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "py/gc.h"
 #include "py/mphal.h"
 #include "extmod/modmachine.h"
+#include "extmod/virtpin.h"
 #include "shared/runtime/mpirq.h"
 #include "modmachine.h"
 #include "zephyr_device.h"
diff --git a/ports/zephyr/mphalport.c b/ports/zephyr/mphalport.c
index 2c9503284..db536ec08 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/mphalport.c
+++ b/ports/zephyr/mphalport.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "py/runtime.h"
 #include "py/mphal.h"
+#include "extmod/modmachine.h"
 
 static struct k_poll_signal wait_signal;
 static struct k_poll_event wait_events[2] = {
@@ -75,3 +76,10 @@ void mp_hal_wait_sem(struct k_sem *sem, uint32_t timeout_ms) {
         }
     }
 }
+
+mp_hal_pin_obj_t mp_hal_get_pin_obj(mp_obj_t pin_in) {
+    if (mp_obj_is_type(pin_in, &machine_pin_type)) {
+        return MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(pin_in);
+    }
+    mp_raise_ValueError(MP_ERROR_TEXT("invalid pin"));
+}
diff --git a/ports/zephyr/mphalport.h b/ports/zephyr/mphalport.h
index e5414c270..741020462 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/mphalport.h
+++ b/ports/zephyr/mphalport.h
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <zephyr/kernel.h>
+#include <zephyr/drivers/gpio.h>
 #include "shared/runtime/interrupt_char.h"
 
 #define MICROPY_BEGIN_ATOMIC_SECTION irq_lock
@@ -35,3 +36,48 @@ static inline uint64_t mp_hal_time_ns(void) {
 }
 
 #define mp_hal_delay_us_fast(us)   (mp_hal_delay_us(us))
+
+// C-level pin HAL
+
+#include "modmachine.h"
+
+#define MP_HAL_PIN_FMT "%u"
+#define mp_hal_pin_obj_t const machine_pin_obj_t *
+
+mp_hal_pin_obj_t mp_hal_get_pin_obj(mp_obj_t pin_in);
+
+static inline unsigned int mp_hal_pin_name(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    // TODO make it include the port
+    return pin->pin;
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_input(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    (void)gpio_pin_configure(pin->port, pin->pin, GPIO_INPUT);
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_output(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    if (gpio_pin_configure(pin->port, pin->pin, GPIO_OUTPUT | GPIO_INPUT) == -ENOTSUP) {
+        // If GPIO_OUTPUT|GPIO_INPUT is not supported (eg frdm_k64f) then try just GPIO_OUTPUT.
+        (void)gpio_pin_configure(pin->port, pin->pin, GPIO_OUTPUT);
+    }
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_open_drain(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    (void)gpio_pin_configure(pin->port, pin->pin, GPIO_OUTPUT | GPIO_INPUT | GPIO_OPEN_DRAIN);
+}
+
+static inline int mp_hal_pin_read(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    return gpio_pin_get_raw(pin->port, pin->pin);
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_write(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin, int v) {
+    (void)gpio_pin_set_raw(pin->port, pin->pin, v);
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_od_low(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    (void)gpio_pin_set_raw(pin->port, pin->pin, 0);
+}
+
+static inline void mp_hal_pin_od_high(mp_hal_pin_obj_t pin) {
+    (void)gpio_pin_set_raw(pin->port, pin->pin, 1);
+}