diff --git a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
index bf0bed5a1a..55693336f9 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@
 #include "socket_zep_params.h"
 #endif
 
-#ifdef MODULE_ESP_WIFI
-#include "esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.h"
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SAM0_ETH
 #include "sam0_eth_netdev.h"
 #endif
@@ -94,10 +90,6 @@
 #endif
 
 /* is mutual exclusive with above ifdef */
-#if IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_WIFI)
-#define LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF        (1)
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SAM0_ETH
 #define LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF        (1)
 #endif
@@ -134,11 +126,6 @@ static mrf24j40_t mrf24j40_devs[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
 static socket_zep_t socket_zep_devs[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
 #endif
 
-#ifdef MODULE_ESP_WIFI
-extern esp_wifi_netdev_t _esp_wifi_dev;
-extern void esp_wifi_setup(esp_wifi_netdev_t *dev);
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SAM0_ETH
 static netdev_t sam0_eth;
 extern void sam0_eth_setup(netdev_t *netdev);
@@ -203,13 +190,6 @@ void lwip_bootstrap(void)
             return;
         }
     }
-#elif IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_WIFI)
-    esp_wifi_setup(&_esp_wifi_dev);
-    if (netif_add_noaddr(&netif[0], &_esp_wifi_dev.netdev, lwip_netdev_init,
-                         tcpip_input) == NULL) {
-        DEBUG("Could not add esp_wifi device\n");
-        return;
-    }
 #elif defined(MODULE_SAM0_ETH)
     sam0_eth_setup(&sam0_eth);
     if (netif_add_noaddr(&netif[0], &sam0_eth, lwip_netdev_init,
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_esp_wifi.c b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_esp_wifi.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f15843ea06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_esp_wifi.c
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Gunar Schorcht
+ *
+ * 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.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup sys_auto_init_lwip_netif
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief   Auto initialization for ESP WiFi network interfaces
+ *
+ * @author  Gunar Schorcht <gunar@schorcht.net>
+ * @author  Erik Ekman <eekman@google.com>
+ */
+
+#include "esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.h"
+
+#include "lwip_init_devs.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG    0
+#include "debug.h"
+
+extern esp_wifi_netdev_t _esp_wifi_dev;
+extern void esp_wifi_setup(esp_wifi_netdev_t *dev);
+
+static struct netif netif;
+
+void auto_init_esp_wifi(void)
+{
+    esp_wifi_setup(&_esp_wifi_dev);
+    if (lwip_add_ethernet(&netif, &_esp_wifi_dev.netdev) == NULL) {
+        DEBUG("Could not add esp_eth device\n");
+    }
+}
+/** @} */
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
index 3a4e3e056d..5f9f04405e 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ void lwip_netif_init_devs(void)
         auto_init_esp_eth();
     }
 
+    if (IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_WIFI)) {
+        extern void auto_init_esp_wifi(void);
+        auto_init_esp_wifi();
+    }
+
     if (IS_USED(MODULE_NETDEV_TAP)) {
         extern void auto_init_netdev_tap(void);
         auto_init_netdev_tap();