diff --git a/boards/common/esp32/board_common.c b/boards/common/esp32/board_common.c
index 33103dabbb..2e3916a087 100644
--- a/boards/common/esp32/board_common.c
+++ b/boards/common/esp32/board_common.c
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-void board_init_common(void)
-{
-}
-
 extern void adc_print_config(void);
 extern void dac_print_config(void);
 extern void pwm_print_config(void);
diff --git a/boards/common/esp32/include/board_common.h b/boards/common/esp32/include/board_common.h
index 12d89918a4..38dcef80ed 100644
--- a/boards/common/esp32/include/board_common.h
+++ b/boards/common/esp32/include/board_common.h
@@ -147,13 +147,6 @@ extern mtd_dev_t *mtd0;
 /** @} */
 #endif /* MODULE_SPIFFS || DOXYGEN */
 
-/**
- * @brief Initialize the hardware that is common for all ESP32 boards.
- *
- * This function has to be called from the board specific `board_init` function.
- */
-void board_init_common(void);
-
 /**
   * @brief Print the board configuration in a human readable format
   */
@@ -171,9 +164,6 @@ void print_board_config(void);
 extern "C"
 #endif
 
-/* declaration of `board_init_common` is required when compiling vendor code */
-extern void board_init_common(void);
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/boards/esp32-ttgo-t-beam/board.c b/boards/esp32-ttgo-t-beam/board.c
index 3ec4007657..5e1a29b4c0 100644
--- a/boards/esp32-ttgo-t-beam/board.c
+++ b/boards/esp32-ttgo-t-beam/board.c
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    board_init_common();
-
 #if MODULE_ESP32_TTGO_T_BEAM_V1_0
     uint8_t reg;
 
diff --git a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/board.c b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/board.c
index 880b5107f6..ad5ea859f1 100644
--- a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/board.c
+++ b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/board.c
@@ -23,7 +23,4 @@ void board_init(void)
 #if MODULE_ILI9341
     gpio_init(LCD_BACKLIGHT, GPIO_OUT);
 #endif
-
-    /* there is nothing special to initialize on this board */
-    board_init_common();
 }