diff --git a/drivers/thermal/Kconfig b/drivers/thermal/Kconfig
index 4cd7ab707315..19a4b33cb564 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/thermal/Kconfig
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ config THERMAL_DEFAULT_GOV_POWER_ALLOCATOR
 	  system and device power allocation. This governor can only
 	  operate on cooling devices that implement the power API.
 
+config THERMAL_DEFAULT_GOV_BANG_BANG
+	bool "bang_bang"
+	depends on THERMAL_GOV_BANG_BANG
+	help
+	  Use the bang_bang governor as default. This throttles the
+	  devices one step at the time, taking into account the trip
+	  point hysteresis.
+
 endchoice
 
 config THERMAL_GOV_FAIR_SHARE
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
index 3d4a787c6b28..17c1bbed734d 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #define DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR       "user_space"
 #elif defined(CONFIG_THERMAL_DEFAULT_GOV_POWER_ALLOCATOR)
 #define DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR       "power_allocator"
+#elif defined(CONFIG_THERMAL_DEFAULT_GOV_BANG_BANG)
+#define DEFAULT_THERMAL_GOVERNOR       "bang_bang"
 #endif
 
 /* Initial state of a cooling device during binding */