diff --git a/include/zephyr/device.h b/include/zephyr/device.h
index d2f2244cc0b8f0c..72944b2fe38aaf7 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/device.h
+++ b/include/zephyr/device.h
@@ -934,9 +934,24 @@ __syscall int device_init(const struct device *dev);
 		.state = (state_),                                             \
 		.data = (data_),                                               \
 		IF_ENABLED(CONFIG_DEVICE_DEPS, (.deps = (deps_),)) /**/        \
-		IF_ENABLED(CONFIG_PM_DEVICE, ({ .pm_base = (pm_),})) /**/         \
+			Z_DEVICE_INIT_PM_BASE(pm_)                             \
 	}
 
+/*
+ * Anonymous unions require C11. Some pre-C11 gcc versions have early
+ * support for anonymous unions but they require these braces when
+ * combined with C99 designated initializers. These braces are
+ * compatible with any C version but not with C++20.  For more obscure
+ * C/C++ compatibility details see commit c15f029a7108 and PR #69411.
+ */
+#if defined(__STDC_VERSION__) && (__STDC_VERSION__) < 201100
+#  define Z_DEVICE_INIT_PM_BASE(pm_) \
+		IF_ENABLED(CONFIG_PM_DEVICE, ({ .pm_base = (pm_),}))
+#else
+#  define Z_DEVICE_INIT_PM_BASE(pm_) \
+		IF_ENABLED(CONFIG_PM_DEVICE,   (.pm_base = (pm_),))
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @brief Device section name (used for sorting purposes).
  *
@@ -1008,23 +1023,33 @@ __syscall int device_init(const struct device *dev);
 		Z_INIT_ENTRY_NAME(DEVICE_NAME_GET(dev_id)) = {                                     \
 			.init_fn = {COND_CODE_1(Z_DEVICE_IS_MUTABLE(node_id), (.dev_rw), (.dev)) = \
 					    (init_fn_)},                                           \
-			{                                                                          \
-				COND_CODE_1(Z_DEVICE_IS_MUTABLE(node_id), (.dev_rw), (.dev)) =     \
-					&DEVICE_NAME_GET(dev_id),                                  \
-			},                                                                         \
+			Z_DEVICE_INIT_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id),                                  \
 	}
 
+// TODO: TEST BOTH new DEFER and old non defer. Requires some zephyr,deferred-init devtree
 #define Z_DEFER_DEVICE_INIT_ENTRY_DEFINE(node_id, dev_id, init_fn_)                                \
 	static const Z_DECL_ALIGN(struct init_entry) __used __noasan                               \
 		__attribute__((__section__(".z_deferred_init")))                                   \
 		Z_INIT_ENTRY_NAME(DEVICE_NAME_GET(dev_id)) = {                                     \
 			.init_fn = {COND_CODE_1(Z_DEVICE_IS_MUTABLE(node_id), (.dev_rw), (.dev)) = \
 					    (init_fn_)},                                           \
-			{                                                                          \
-				COND_CODE_1(Z_DEVICE_IS_MUTABLE(node_id), (.dev_rw), (.dev)) =     \
-					&DEVICE_NAME_GET(dev_id),                                  \
-			},                                                                         \
+			Z_DEVICE_INIT_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id),                                  \
 	}
+/*
+ * Anonymous unions require C11. Some pre-C11 gcc versions have early
+ * support for anonymous unions but they require these braces when
+ * combined with C99 designated initializers. These braces are
+ * compatible with any C version but not with C++20.  For more obscure
+ * C/C++ compatibility details see commit c15f029a7108 and PR #69411.
+ */
+#if defined(__STDC_VERSION__) && (__STDC_VERSION__) < 201100
+#  define Z_DEVICE_INIT_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id) { Z_DEV_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id) }
+#else
+#  define Z_DEVICE_INIT_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id)   Z_DEV_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id)
+#endif
+
+#define Z_DEV_ENTRY_DEV(node_id, dev_id)                                                           \
+	COND_CODE_1(Z_DEVICE_IS_MUTABLE(node_id), (.dev_rw), (.dev)) =  &DEVICE_NAME_GET(dev_id)
 
 /**
  * @brief Define a @ref device and all other required objects.