diff --git a/sys/Makefile b/sys/Makefile
index 835383e8b9..14c20c0fbf 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile
+++ b/sys/Makefile
@@ -224,6 +224,9 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter uhcpc,$(USEMODULE)))
   DIRS += net/application_layer/uhcp
 endif
+ifneq (,$(filter unicoap,$(USEMODULE)))
+  DIRS += net/application_layer/unicoap
+endif
 ifneq (,$(filter usbus usbus_%,$(USEMODULE)))
     DIRS += usb/usbus
 endif
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index b15de27334..dd583117fa 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -572,6 +572,11 @@ ifneq (,$(filter nanocoap_%,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += nanocoap
 endif
 
+# include unicoap dependencies
+ifneq (,$(filter unicoap%,$(USEMODULE)))
+  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.dep
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter skald_%,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += skald
 endif
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.include b/sys/Makefile.include
index cf5c401e3f..280e0851db 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.include
+++ b/sys/Makefile.include
@@ -208,3 +208,7 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter nanocoap,$(USEMODULE)))
   include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/Makefile.include
 endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter unicoap,$(USEMODULE)))
+  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.include
+endif
diff --git a/sys/include/net/unicoap.h b/sys/include/net/unicoap.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8f8633b8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/net/unicoap.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-2025 Carl Seifert
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-2025 TU Dresden
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser General
+ * Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level directory for
+ * more details.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+/**
+ * @addtogroup net_unicoap
+ * @{
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * @brief  Main header for `unicoap`
+ * @author Carl Seifert <carl.seifert1@mailbox.tu-dresden.de>
+ */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+/** @} */
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48422e909a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.dep b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b708c0a57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+ifneq (,$(filter unicoap,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # Vectored data support
+  USEMODULE += iolist
+endif
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.include b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b13789179
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/unicoap/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+