diff --git a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
index e34535d7b776..725024f5c466 100644
--- a/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
+++ b/src/drivers/intel/cavs/idc.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ int platform_idc_init(void)
 /**
  * \brief Frees IDC data and unregisters interrupt.
  */
-void idc_free(void)
+void platform_idc_free(void)
 {
 	struct idc *idc = *idc_get();
 	int core = cpu_get_id();
@@ -265,6 +265,4 @@ void idc_free(void)
 		if (idctfc & IPC_IDCTFC_BUSY)
 			idc_write(IPC_IDCTFC(i), core, idctfc);
 	}
-
-	schedule_task_free(&idc->idc_task);
 }
diff --git a/src/idc/idc.c b/src/idc/idc.c
index 31477f88fa3d..b0bbdad01f2c 100644
--- a/src/idc/idc.c
+++ b/src/idc/idc.c
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ int idc_init(void)
 	tr_info(&idc_tr, "idc_init()");
 
 	/* initialize idc data */
-	*idc = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(**idc));
+	*idc = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(**idc));
 	(*idc)->payload = cache_to_uncache((struct idc_payload *)static_payload);
 
 	/* process task */
@@ -336,3 +336,20 @@ int idc_init(void)
 	return 0;
 #endif
 }
+
+/**
+ * \brief Frees IDC data for current core.
+ */
+void idc_free(void)
+{
+	struct idc **idc = idc_get();
+
+	tr_info(&idc_tr, "idc_free()");
+
+#ifndef __ZEPHYR__
+	platform_idc_free();
+	schedule_task_free(&(*idc)->idc_task);
+#endif
+
+	rfree(*idc);
+}
diff --git a/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h b/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
index 2074a7049808..db0b867e8e19 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/drivers/idc.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ static inline struct idc_payload *idc_payload_get(struct idc *idc,
 
 void idc_enable_interrupts(int target_core, int source_core);
 
-void idc_free(void);
+void platform_idc_free(void);
 
 int platform_idc_init(void);
 
diff --git a/src/include/sof/schedule/schedule.h b/src/include/sof/schedule/schedule.h
index 17098cf61b99..1f106625a9d6 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/schedule/schedule.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/schedule/schedule.h
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static inline int schedule_task_free(struct task *task)
 	return -ENODEV;
 }
 
-/** See scheduler_ops::scheduler_free */
+/** See scheduler_ops::scheduler_free, free all schedulers belong to the core */
 static inline void schedule_free(void)
 {
 	struct schedulers *schedulers = *arch_schedulers_get();
@@ -311,6 +311,12 @@ int schedule_task_init(struct task *task,
  */
 void scheduler_init(int type, const struct scheduler_ops *ops, void *data);
 
+/**
+ * freeing generic resource of a scheduler
+ * @param data Scheduler's private data.
+ */
+void scheduler_free(void *data);
+
 /** @}*/
 
 #endif /* __SOF_SCHEDULE_SCHEDULE_H__ */
diff --git a/src/lib/notifier.c b/src/lib/notifier.c
index e8182115aeef..48580d96963a 100644
--- a/src/lib/notifier.c
+++ b/src/lib/notifier.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ void init_system_notify(struct sof *sof)
 {
 	struct notify **notify = arch_notify_get();
 	int i;
-	*notify = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
+	*notify = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
 			  sizeof(**notify));
 
 	spinlock_init(&(*notify)->lock);
@@ -203,4 +203,7 @@ void init_system_notify(struct sof *sof)
 
 void free_system_notify(void)
 {
+	struct notify **notify = arch_notify_get();
+
+	rfree(*notify);
 }
diff --git a/src/platform/intel/cavs/include/cavs/drivers/idc.h b/src/platform/intel/cavs/include/cavs/drivers/idc.h
index 9242450bdcfc..7d1c262588fc 100644
--- a/src/platform/intel/cavs/include/cavs/drivers/idc.h
+++ b/src/platform/intel/cavs/include/cavs/drivers/idc.h
@@ -20,12 +20,16 @@ int idc_send_msg(struct idc_msg *msg, uint32_t mode);
 
 int idc_init(void);
 
+void idc_free(void);
+
 #else
 
 static inline int idc_send_msg(struct idc_msg *msg, uint32_t mode) { return 0; }
 
 static inline int idc_init(void) { return 0; }
 
+static inline int idc_free(void) { return 0; }
+
 #endif
 
 #endif /* __CAVS_DRIVERS_IDC_H__ */
diff --git a/src/platform/library/schedule/schedule.c b/src/platform/library/schedule/schedule.c
index 92000b5355cb..e99ec3b6ea6f 100644
--- a/src/platform/library/schedule/schedule.c
+++ b/src/platform/library/schedule/schedule.c
@@ -53,6 +53,16 @@ static void scheduler_register(struct schedule_data *scheduler)
 	list_item_append(&scheduler->list, &(*sch)->list);
 }
 
+static void scheduler_unregister(struct schedule_data *scheduler)
+{
+	struct schedulers **sch = arch_schedulers_get();
+
+	list_item_del(&scheduler->list);
+
+	if (list_is_empty(&(*sch)->list))
+		free(*sch);
+}
+
 void scheduler_init(int type, const struct scheduler_ops *ops, void *data)
 {
 	struct schedule_data *sch;
@@ -65,3 +75,20 @@ void scheduler_init(int type, const struct scheduler_ops *ops, void *data)
 
 	scheduler_register(sch);
 }
+
+void scheduler_free(void *data)
+{
+	struct schedulers **schedulers = arch_schedulers_get();
+	struct list_item *slist;
+	struct schedule_data *sch;
+
+	list_for_item(slist, &(*schedulers)->list) {
+		sch = container_of(slist, struct schedule_data, list);
+		if (sch->data == data) {
+			/* found the scheduler, free it */
+			scheduler_unregister(sch);
+			free(sch);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/schedule/edf_schedule.c b/src/schedule/edf_schedule.c
index 14d552e123f4..a0bed91d4375 100644
--- a/src/schedule/edf_schedule.c
+++ b/src/schedule/edf_schedule.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ int scheduler_init_edf(void)
 
 	tr_info(&edf_tr, "edf_scheduler_init()");
 
-	edf_sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
+	edf_sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
 			  sizeof(*edf_sch));
 	list_init(&edf_sch->list);
 	edf_sch->clock = PLATFORM_DEFAULT_CLOCK;
@@ -295,6 +295,12 @@ static void scheduler_free_edf(void *data)
 	/* free main task context */
 	task_main_free();
 
+	/* free the generic scheduler resource */
+	scheduler_free(edf_sch);
+
+	/* free edf_schedule_data */
+	rfree(edf_sch);
+
 	irq_local_enable(flags);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/schedule/ll_schedule.c b/src/schedule/ll_schedule.c
index a650cd065cea..c82d5798b340 100644
--- a/src/schedule/ll_schedule.c
+++ b/src/schedule/ll_schedule.c
@@ -573,13 +573,19 @@ static int reschedule_ll_task(void *data, struct task *task, uint64_t start)
 
 static void scheduler_free_ll(void *data)
 {
-	struct ll_schedule_data *sch = data;
+	struct ll_schedule_data *ll_sch = data;
 	uint32_t flags;
 
 	irq_local_disable(flags);
 
-	notifier_unregister(sch, NULL,
-			    NOTIFIER_CLK_CHANGE_ID(sch->domain->clk));
+	notifier_unregister(ll_sch, NULL,
+			    NOTIFIER_CLK_CHANGE_ID(ll_sch->domain->clk));
+
+	/* free the generic scheduler resource */
+	scheduler_free(ll_sch);
+
+	/* free ll_schedule_data */
+	rfree(ll_sch);
 
 	irq_local_enable(flags);
 }
@@ -626,7 +632,7 @@ int scheduler_init_ll(struct ll_schedule_domain *domain)
 	struct ll_schedule_data *sch;
 
 	/* initialize scheduler private data */
-	sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(*sch));
+	sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(*sch));
 	list_init(&sch->tasks);
 	atomic_init(&sch->num_tasks, 0);
 	sch->domain = domain;
diff --git a/src/schedule/schedule.c b/src/schedule/schedule.c
index 64a4d74d00fe..a81470622839 100644
--- a/src/schedule/schedule.c
+++ b/src/schedule/schedule.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void scheduler_register(struct schedule_data *scheduler)
 
 	if (!*sch) {
 		/* init schedulers list */
-		*sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
+		*sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM,
 			       sizeof(**sch));
 		list_init(&(*sch)->list);
 	}
@@ -57,11 +57,20 @@ static void scheduler_register(struct schedule_data *scheduler)
 	list_item_append(&scheduler->list, &(*sch)->list);
 }
 
+static void scheduler_unregister(struct schedule_data *scheduler)
+{
+	struct schedulers **sch = arch_schedulers_get();
+
+	list_item_del(&scheduler->list);
+	if (list_is_empty(&(*sch)->list))
+		rfree(*sch);
+}
+
 void scheduler_init(int type, const struct scheduler_ops *ops, void *data)
 {
 	struct schedule_data *sch;
 
-	sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(*sch));
+	sch = rzalloc(SOF_MEM_ZONE_SYS_RUNTIME, 0, SOF_MEM_CAPS_RAM, sizeof(*sch));
 	list_init(&sch->list);
 	sch->type = type;
 	sch->ops = ops;
@@ -69,3 +78,20 @@ void scheduler_init(int type, const struct scheduler_ops *ops, void *data)
 
 	scheduler_register(sch);
 }
+
+void scheduler_free(void *data)
+{
+	struct schedulers **schedulers = arch_schedulers_get();
+	struct list_item *slist;
+	struct schedule_data *sch;
+
+	list_for_item(slist, &(*schedulers)->list) {
+		sch = container_of(slist, struct schedule_data, list);
+		if (sch->data == data) {
+			/* found the scheduler, free it */
+			scheduler_unregister(sch);
+			rfree(sch);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/testbench/common_test.c b/tools/testbench/common_test.c
index 2e813dd54be3..44358f6be576 100644
--- a/tools/testbench/common_test.c
+++ b/tools/testbench/common_test.c
@@ -62,9 +62,6 @@ struct ipc_data {
 
 void tb_pipeline_free(struct sof *sof)
 {
-	struct schedule_data *sch;
-	struct schedulers **schedulers;
-	struct list_item *slist, *_slist;
 	struct notify **notify = arch_notify_get();
 	struct ipc_data *iipc;
 
@@ -73,12 +70,6 @@ void tb_pipeline_free(struct sof *sof)
 
 	/* free all scheduler data */
 	schedule_free();
-	schedulers = arch_schedulers_get();
-	list_for_item_safe(slist, _slist, &(*schedulers)->list) {
-		sch = container_of(slist, struct schedule_data, list);
-		free(sch);
-	}
-	free(*arch_schedulers_get());
 
 	/* free IPC data */
 	iipc = sof->ipc->private;