diff --git a/book/en/src/by-example/app_idle.md b/book/en/src/by-example/app_idle.md
index 1eb1472204..66f40497fb 100644
--- a/book/en/src/by-example/app_idle.md
+++ b/book/en/src/by-example/app_idle.md
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ When present, the runtime will execute the `idle` task after `init`. Unlike
 `init`, `idle` will run *with interrupts enabled* and it's not allowed to return
 so it must run forever.
 
-When no `idle` function is declared, the runtime sets the [SLEEPONEXIT] bit and
-then sends the microcontroller to sleep after running `init`.
-
-[SLEEPONEXIT]: https://developer.arm.com/docs/100737/0100/power-management/sleep-mode/sleep-on-exit-bit
-
 Like in `init`, locally declared resources will have `'static` lifetimes that are safe to access.
 
 The example below shows that `idle` runs after `init`.
@@ -25,3 +20,29 @@ The example below shows that `idle` runs after `init`.
 $ cargo run --target thumbv7m-none-eabi --example idle
 {{#include ../../../../ci/expected/idle.run}}
 ```
+
+By default the RTIC `idle` task does not try to optimise for any specific targets.
+
+A common useful optimisation is to enable the [SLEEPONEXIT] and allow the MCU
+to enter sleep when reaching `idle`.
+
+>**Caution** some hardware unless configured disables the debug unit during sleep mode.
+>
+>Consult your hardware specific documentation as this is outside the scope of RTIC.
+
+The following example shows how to enable sleep by setting the
+[`SLEEPONEXIT`][SLEEPONEXIT] and providing a custom `idle` task replacing the
+default [`nop()`][NOP] with [`wfi()`][WFI].
+
+[SLEEPONEXIT]: https://developer.arm.com/docs/100737/0100/power-management/sleep-mode/sleep-on-exit-bit
+[WFI]: https://developer.arm.com/documentation/dui0662/b/The-Cortex-M0--Instruction-Set/Miscellaneous-instructions/WFI
+[NOP]: https://developer.arm.com/documentation/dui0662/b/The-Cortex-M0--Instruction-Set/Miscellaneous-instructions/NOP
+
+``` rust
+{{#include ../../../../examples/idle-wfi.rs}}
+```
+
+``` console
+$ cargo run --target thumbv7m-none-eabi --example idle-wfi
+{{#include ../../../../ci/expected/idle-wfi.run}}
+```
diff --git a/ci/expected/idle-wfi.run b/ci/expected/idle-wfi.run
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4307776304
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/expected/idle-wfi.run
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+init
+idle
diff --git a/examples/idle-wfi.rs b/examples/idle-wfi.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a8a8dee2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/idle-wfi.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+//! examples/idle-wfi.rs
+
+#![deny(unsafe_code)]
+#![deny(warnings)]
+#![no_main]
+#![no_std]
+
+use panic_semihosting as _;
+
+#[rtic::app(device = lm3s6965)]
+mod app {
+    use cortex_m_semihosting::{debug, hprintln};
+
+    #[shared]
+    struct Shared {}
+
+    #[local]
+    struct Local {}
+
+    #[init]
+    fn init(mut cx: init::Context) -> (Shared, Local, init::Monotonics) {
+        hprintln!("init").unwrap();
+
+        // Set the ARM SLEEPONEXIT bit to go to sleep after handling interrupts
+        // See https://developer.arm.com/docs/100737/0100/power-management/sleep-mode/sleep-on-exit-bit
+        cx.core.SCB.set_sleepdeep();
+
+        (Shared {}, Local {}, init::Monotonics())
+    }
+
+    #[idle(local = [x: u32 = 0])]
+    fn idle(cx: idle::Context) -> ! {
+        // Locals in idle have lifetime 'static
+        let _x: &'static mut u32 = cx.local.x;
+
+        hprintln!("idle").unwrap();
+
+        debug::exit(debug::EXIT_SUCCESS); // Exit QEMU simulator
+
+        loop {
+            // Now Wait For Interrupt is used instead of a busy-wait loop
+            // to allow MCU to sleep between interrupts
+            // https://developer.arm.com/documentation/ddi0406/c/Application-Level-Architecture/Instruction-Details/Alphabetical-list-of-instructions/WFI
+            rtic::export::wfi()
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/macros/src/codegen/idle.rs b/macros/src/codegen/idle.rs
index d653931655..0dededa4e6 100644
--- a/macros/src/codegen/idle.rs
+++ b/macros/src/codegen/idle.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ pub fn codegen(
             vec![],
             None,
             quote!(loop {
-                rtic::export::wfi()
+                rtic::export::nop()
             }),
         )
     }
diff --git a/macros/src/codegen/pre_init.rs b/macros/src/codegen/pre_init.rs
index 42cc055298..7aaf20fc79 100644
--- a/macros/src/codegen/pre_init.rs
+++ b/macros/src/codegen/pre_init.rs
@@ -122,12 +122,5 @@ pub fn codegen(app: &App, analysis: &Analysis, extra: &Extra) -> Vec<TokenStream
             ));
         }
     }
-
-    // If there's no user `#[idle]` then optimize returning from interrupt handlers
-    if app.idle.is_none() {
-        // Set SLEEPONEXIT bit to enter sleep mode when returning from ISR
-        stmts.push(quote!(core.SCB.scr.modify(|r| r | 1 << 1);));
-    }
-
     stmts
 }
diff --git a/src/export.rs b/src/export.rs
index 48a7d06ec4..a124c78b3c 100644
--- a/src/export.rs
+++ b/src/export.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use core::{
 pub use crate::tq::{NotReady, TimerQueue};
 pub use bare_metal::CriticalSection;
 pub use cortex_m::{
+    asm::nop,
     asm::wfi,
     interrupt,
     peripheral::{scb::SystemHandler, DWT, NVIC, SCB, SYST},