diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
index 544e2dd412..6c46829271 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
     select MODULE_LIBC_GETTIMEOFDAY if TEST_KCONFIG
+    select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_RTT_RTC if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PERIPH_RTC
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     select MODULE_PS if MODULE_SHELL
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index bb96004bc3..af0523a277 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -40,16 +40,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi_any,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += pthread
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter esp_idf_heap,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # The ESP-IDF heap component uses the TLSF implementation that is part of
-  # the component. To avoid conflicts with modules and packages that use the
-  # RIOT package `tlsf`, this package is also used for the ESP-IDF heap instead
-  # of its own implementation. There does not seem to be any differences in
-  # the implementations of TLSF with the exception of heap poisoning, which
-  # is not configured.
-  USEPKG += tlsf
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_idf_nvs_flash,$(USEMODULE)))
   # add additional modules required by esp_idf_nvs_flash
   USEMODULE += pthread
@@ -91,6 +81,18 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_spi_ram,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += esp_idf_spi_ram
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter esp_idf_heap,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # The ESP-IDF heap component uses the TLSF implementation that is part of
+  # the component. To avoid conflicts with modules and packages that use the
+  # RIOT package `tlsf`, this package is also used for the ESP-IDF heap instead
+  # of its own implementation. There does not seem to be any differences in
+  # the implementations of TLSF with the exception of heap poisoning, which
+  # is not configured.
+  USEPKG += tlsf
+else
+  USEMODULE += malloc_thread_safe
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter mtd,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += esp_idf_spi_flash
 endif