diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp_common/Makefile.dep
index 567412fdce..021d0ebda9 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ ifneq (,$(filter 4 5,$(LOG_LEVEL)))
   USEMODULE += esp_log_startup
 endif
 
+# default to using littlefs2 on the SPI flash
+ifneq (,$(filter vfs_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += littlefs2
+endif
+
 # each device has SPI flash memory, but it has to be enabled explicitly
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_spiffs,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += spiffs
diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/periph/flash.c b/cpu/esp_common/periph/flash.c
index ff1851692f..2a648b1a5b 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/periph/flash.c
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/periph/flash.c
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ mtd_dev_t* mtd0 = 0;
 static mtd_dev_t  _flash_dev;
 static mtd_desc_t _flash_driver;
 
+#ifdef MODULE_VFS_DEFAULT
+#include "vfs_default.h"
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, { .dev = &_flash_dev }, VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+#endif
+
 #ifdef MCU_ESP8266
 
 /* for source code compatibility with ESP32 SDK */