diff --git a/examples/gcoap/Makefile b/examples/gcoap/Makefile
index 10595e1d86..52c4dcdc71 100644
--- a/examples/gcoap/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gcoap/Makefile
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ DEVELHELP ?= 1
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 QUIET ?= 1
 
+# Instead of simulating an Ethernet connection, we can also simulate
+# an IEEE 802.15.4 radio using ZEP
+USE_ZEP ?= 0
+
+# set the ZEP port for native
+ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
+ifeq (1,$(USE_ZEP))
+  TERMFLAGS += -z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)
+  USEMODULE += socket_zep
+
+  ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
+    TERMFLAGS += --eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)
+  endif
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
 
 # For now this goes after the inclusion of Makefile.include so Kconfig symbols