diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32 b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32
index 1cd0e62359..67ffeb61a8 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32
 
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-    select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     select MODULE_PS if MODULE_SHELL
     select MODULE_PTHREAD if MODULE_CPP
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32c3 b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32c3
index 9177ed3c68..f7c8a01f6a 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32c3
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32c3
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32C3
 
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-    select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     select MODULE_PS if MODULE_SHELL
     select MODULE_PTHREAD if MODULE_CPP
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s2 b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s2
index e729b51e9b..f8990cdf1f 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s2
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s2
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32S2
 
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-    select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     select MODULE_PS if MODULE_SHELL
     select MODULE_PTHREAD if MODULE_CPP
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s3 b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s3
index b79d6bff36..890c153e6b 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s3
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Kconfig.esp32s3
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP32S3
 
     select PACKAGE_ESP32_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-    select MODULE_MALLOC_THREAD_SAFE if !MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP && TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_PERIPH_RTT if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PM_LAYERED
     select MODULE_PS if MODULE_SHELL
     select MODULE_PTHREAD if MODULE_CPP
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index 1d16dfa30a..f3da321258 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_idf_heap,$(USEMODULE)))
   # 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)))