diff --git a/src/lib/spinel/radio_spinel_impl.hpp b/src/lib/spinel/radio_spinel_impl.hpp
index bdd378e7d..d11a2e568 100644
--- a/src/lib/spinel/radio_spinel_impl.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/spinel/radio_spinel_impl.hpp
@@ -2150,6 +2150,8 @@ uint32_t RadioSpinel<InterfaceType, ProcessContextType>::GetBusSpeed(void) const
 template <typename InterfaceType, typename ProcessContextType>
 void RadioSpinel<InterfaceType, ProcessContextType>::HandleRcpUnexpectedReset(spinel_status_t aStatus)
 {
+    OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(aStatus);
+
     otLogCritPlat("Unexpected RCP reset: %s", spinel_status_to_cstr(aStatus));
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_SPINEL_CONFIG_RCP_RESTORATION_MAX_COUNT > 0