diff --git a/components/ulp/lp_core/lp_core_uart.c b/components/ulp/lp_core/lp_core_uart.c
index 781f39dd27f..51804b49bd9 100644
--- a/components/ulp/lp_core/lp_core_uart.c
+++ b/components/ulp/lp_core/lp_core_uart.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2023-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2023-2026 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -92,22 +92,31 @@ static esp_err_t lp_uart_config_io(gpio_num_t pin, rtc_gpio_mode_t direction, ui
         return ESP_FAIL;
     }
 
-    /* Set LP_IO direction */
-    ret = rtc_gpio_set_direction(pin, direction);
-    if (ret != ESP_OK) {
-        return ESP_FAIL;
-    }
-
     /* Connect pins */
     const uart_periph_sig_t *upin = &uart_periph_signal[LP_UART_PORT_NUM].pins[idx];
 #if !SOC_LP_GPIO_MATRIX_SUPPORTED
-    /* When LP_IO Matrix is not support, LP_IO Mux must be connected to the pins */
-    ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_func_sel(pin, upin->iomux_func);
+    /* On non-matrix chips, LP UART pins are always the default IOMUX pins.
+     * Use the all-in-one rtc_gpio_iomux APIs which handle func sel and direction. */
+    if (direction == RTC_GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_ONLY) {
+        ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_output(pin, upin->iomux_func);
+    } else {
+        ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_input(pin, upin->iomux_func, UART_PERIPH_SIGNAL(LP_UART_PORT_NUM, idx));
+    }
 #else
     /* If the configured pin is the default LP_IO Mux pin for LP UART, then set the LP_IO MUX function */
     if (upin->default_gpio == pin) {
-        ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_func_sel(pin, upin->iomux_func);
+        /* rtc_gpio_iomux_input/output are all-in-one APIs that handle func sel,
+         * direction, and LP GPIO Matrix bypass in a single call. */
+        if (direction == RTC_GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_ONLY) {
+            ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_output(pin, upin->iomux_func);
+        } else {
+            ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_input(pin, upin->iomux_func, UART_PERIPH_SIGNAL(LP_UART_PORT_NUM, idx));
+        }
     } else {
+        ret = rtc_gpio_set_direction(pin, direction);
+        if (ret != ESP_OK) {
+            return ESP_FAIL;
+        }
         /* Select FUNC1 for LP_IO Matrix */
         ret = rtc_gpio_iomux_func_sel(pin, 1);
         /* Connect the LP_IO to the LP UART peripheral signal */