diff --git a/drivers/include/kw2xrf.h b/drivers/include/kw2xrf.h
index 5b63b4200c..45af585936 100644
--- a/drivers/include/kw2xrf.h
+++ b/drivers/include/kw2xrf.h
@@ -138,8 +138,10 @@ typedef struct {
  *
  * @param[out] dev          device descriptor
  * @param[in]  params       parameters for device initialization
+ * @param[in]  index        index of @p params in a global parameter struct array.
+ *                          If initialized manually, pass a unique identifier instead.
  */
-void kw2xrf_setup(kw2xrf_t *dev, const kw2xrf_params_t *params);
+void kw2xrf_setup(kw2xrf_t *dev, const kw2xrf_params_t *params, uint8_t index);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Initialize the given KW2XRF device
diff --git a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
index c4d37fcb26..0942ae8fbf 100644
--- a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
+++ b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ typedef enum {
     NETDEV_W5100,
     NETDEV_ENCX24J600,
     NETDEV_ATWINC15X0,
+    NETDEV_KW2XRF,
     /* add more if needed */
 } netdev_type_t;
 /** @} */
diff --git a/drivers/kw2xrf/kw2xrf.c b/drivers/kw2xrf/kw2xrf.c
index faff815829..808d2f9b9a 100644
--- a/drivers/kw2xrf/kw2xrf.c
+++ b/drivers/kw2xrf/kw2xrf.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static void kw2xrf_set_address(kw2xrf_t *dev)
     kw2xrf_set_addr_short(dev, ntohs(addr_long.uint16[0].u16));
 }
 
-void kw2xrf_setup(kw2xrf_t *dev, const kw2xrf_params_t *params)
+void kw2xrf_setup(kw2xrf_t *dev, const kw2xrf_params_t *params, uint8_t index)
 {
     netdev_t *netdev = &dev->netdev.netdev;
 
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ void kw2xrf_setup(kw2xrf_t *dev, const kw2xrf_params_t *params)
     kw2xrf_clear_dreg_bit(dev, MKW2XDM_PHY_CTRL2, MKW2XDM_PHY_CTRL2_RXMSK);
     kw2xrf_clear_dreg_bit(dev, MKW2XDM_PHY_CTRL2, MKW2XDM_PHY_CTRL2_TXMSK);
     DEBUG("[kw2xrf] setup finished\n");
+
+    /* register with netdev */
+    netdev_register(netdev, NETDEV_KW2XRF, index);
 }
 
 int kw2xrf_init(kw2xrf_t *dev, gpio_cb_t cb)
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_kw2xrf.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_kw2xrf.c
index bbfa53ade1..5288b32c42 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_kw2xrf.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_kw2xrf.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void auto_init_kw2xrf(void)
         const kw2xrf_params_t *p = &kw2xrf_params[i];
 
         LOG_DEBUG("[auto_init_netif] initializing kw2xrf #%u\n", i);
-        kw2xrf_setup(&kw2xrf_devs[i], (kw2xrf_params_t*) p);
+        kw2xrf_setup(&kw2xrf_devs[i], (kw2xrf_params_t*) p, i);
         gnrc_netif_ieee802154_create(&_netif[i], _kw2xrf_stacks[i], KW2XRF_MAC_STACKSIZE,
                                      KW2XRF_MAC_PRIO, "kw2xrf",
                                      &kw2xrf_devs[i].netdev.netdev);