diff --git a/components/esp_hw_support/include/esp_private/rtc_clk.h b/components/esp_hw_support/include/esp_private/rtc_clk.h
index a94f057702..c5f39dec8d 100644
--- a/components/esp_hw_support/include/esp_private/rtc_clk.h
+++ b/components/esp_hw_support/include/esp_private/rtc_clk.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ extern "C" {
  * `rtc_clk_cpu_freq_set_xtal` instead. It will always disable the corresponding PLL after switching the CPU clock
  * source to XTAL (except for S2).
  *
- * Currently, this function should only be called in `esp_restart_noos` and `esp_restart_noos_dig` to switch the CPU
- * clock source back to XTAL (by default) before reset.
+ * Currently, this function is only called in `esp_restart_noos` and `esp_restart_noos_dig` to switch the CPU
+ * clock source back to XTAL (by default) before reset, and in `esp_sleep_start` to switch CPU clock source to XTAL
+ * before entering sleep for PMU supported chips.
  */
 void rtc_clk_cpu_set_to_default_config(void);
 
diff --git a/components/esp_hw_support/sleep_modes.c b/components/esp_hw_support/sleep_modes.c
index cad6abee84..b3897e50fb 100644
--- a/components/esp_hw_support/sleep_modes.c
+++ b/components/esp_hw_support/sleep_modes.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 #include "esp_private/sleep_cpu.h"
 #include "esp_private/sleep_modem.h"
 #include "esp_private/esp_clk.h"
+#include "esp_private/rtc_clk.h"
 #include "esp_private/esp_task_wdt.h"
 #include "esp_private/sar_periph_ctrl.h"
 #include "esp_private/mspi_timing_tuning.h"
@@ -762,7 +763,16 @@ static esp_err_t IRAM_ATTR esp_sleep_start(uint32_t pd_flags, esp_sleep_mode_t m
     // Save current frequency and switch to XTAL
     rtc_cpu_freq_config_t cpu_freq_config;
     rtc_clk_cpu_freq_get_config(&cpu_freq_config);
+#if SOC_PMU_SUPPORTED
+    // For PMU supported chips, CPU's PLL power can be turned off by PMU, so no need to disable the PLL at here.
+    // Leaving PLL on at this stage also helps USJ keep connection and retention operation (if they rely on this PLL).
+    rtc_clk_cpu_set_to_default_config();
+#else
+    // For earlier chips, there is no PMU module that can turn off the CPU's PLL, so it has to be disabled at here to save the power consumption.
+    // Though ESP32C3/S3 has USB CDC device, it can not function properly during sleep due to the lack of APB clock (before C6, USJ relies on APB clock to work).
+    // Therefore, we will always disable CPU's PLL (i.e. BBPLL).
     rtc_clk_cpu_freq_set_xtal();
+#endif
 
 #if SOC_PM_SUPPORT_EXT0_WAKEUP
     // Configure pins for external wakeup