diff --git a/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c b/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
index d952b53c98..f1a2f6fb71 100644
--- a/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
+++ b/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@
 
 static void _resp_handler(unsigned req_state, coap_pkt_t* pdu,
                           sock_udp_ep_t *remote);
-static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
-static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
+static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx);
+static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx);
 
 /* CoAP resources */
 static const coap_resource_t _resources[] = {
-    { "/cli/stats", COAP_GET | COAP_PUT, _stats_handler },
-    { "/riot/board", COAP_GET, _riot_board_handler },
+    { "/cli/stats", COAP_GET | COAP_PUT, _stats_handler, NULL },
+    { "/riot/board", COAP_GET, _riot_board_handler, NULL },
 };
 
 static gcoap_listener_t _listener = {
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ static void _resp_handler(unsigned req_state, coap_pkt_t* pdu,
  *      allows any two byte value for example purposes. Semantically, the only
  *      valid action is to set the value to 0.
  */
-static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
+static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx)
 {
+    (void)ctx;
+
     /* read coap method type in packet */
     unsigned method_flag = coap_method2flag(coap_get_code_detail(pdu));
 
@@ -129,8 +131,9 @@ static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
+static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx)
 {
+    (void)ctx;
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
     /* write the RIOT board name in the response buffer */
     memcpy(pdu->payload, RIOT_BOARD, strlen(RIOT_BOARD));
diff --git a/examples/nanocoap_server/coap_handler.c b/examples/nanocoap_server/coap_handler.c
index 5c1716a3bc..06bd294f0b 100644
--- a/examples/nanocoap_server/coap_handler.c
+++ b/examples/nanocoap_server/coap_handler.c
@@ -16,14 +16,17 @@
 /* internal value that can be read/written via CoAP */
 static uint8_t internal_value = 0;
 
-static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
+static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *context)
 {
+    (void)context;
     return coap_reply_simple(pkt, COAP_CODE_205, buf, len,
             COAP_FORMAT_TEXT, (uint8_t*)RIOT_BOARD, strlen(RIOT_BOARD));
 }
 
-static ssize_t _riot_value_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
+static ssize_t _riot_value_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *context)
 {
+    (void) context;
+
     ssize_t p = 0;
     char rsp[16];
     unsigned code = COAP_CODE_EMPTY;
@@ -55,8 +58,8 @@ static ssize_t _riot_value_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
 /* must be sorted by path (alphabetically) */
 const coap_resource_t coap_resources[] = {
     COAP_WELL_KNOWN_CORE_DEFAULT_HANDLER,
-    { "/riot/board", COAP_GET, _riot_board_handler },
-    { "/riot/value", COAP_GET | COAP_PUT | COAP_POST, _riot_value_handler },
+    { "/riot/board", COAP_GET, _riot_board_handler, NULL },
+    { "/riot/value", COAP_GET | COAP_PUT | COAP_POST, _riot_value_handler, NULL },
 };
 
 const unsigned coap_resources_numof = sizeof(coap_resources) / sizeof(coap_resources[0]);
diff --git a/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h b/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h
index ad525814f1..3ea265d4ff 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ typedef struct {
 /**
  * @brief   Resource handler type
  */
-typedef ssize_t (*coap_handler_t)(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
+typedef ssize_t (*coap_handler_t)(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *context);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Type for CoAP resource entry
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ typedef struct {
     const char *path;               /**< URI path of resource               */
     unsigned methods;               /**< OR'ed methods this resource allows */
     coap_handler_t handler;         /**< ptr to resource handler            */
+    void *context;                  /**< ptr to user defined context data   */
 } coap_resource_t;
 
 /**
@@ -595,13 +596,18 @@ static inline uint32_t coap_get_observe(coap_pkt_t *pkt)
  *          application
  */
 extern ssize_t coap_well_known_core_default_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, \
-                                                    uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
+                                                    uint8_t *buf, size_t len,
+                                                    void *context);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Resource definition for the default .well-known/core handler
  */
 #define COAP_WELL_KNOWN_CORE_DEFAULT_HANDLER \
-    { "/.well-known/core", COAP_GET, coap_well_known_core_default_handler }
+    { \
+        .path = "/.well-known/core", \
+        .methods = COAP_GET, \
+        .handler = coap_well_known_core_default_handler \
+    }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/gcoap/gcoap.c b/sys/net/application_layer/gcoap/gcoap.c
index 2788c1d663..36a06aace3 100644
--- a/sys/net/application_layer/gcoap/gcoap.c
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/gcoap/gcoap.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 /* Internal functions */
 static void *_event_loop(void *arg);
 static void _listen(sock_udp_t *sock);
-static ssize_t _well_known_core_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
+static ssize_t _well_known_core_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx);
 static ssize_t _write_options(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len);
 static size_t _handle_req(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len,
                                                          sock_udp_ep_t *remote);
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void _find_obs_memo_resource(gcoap_observe_memo_t **memo,
 
 /* Internal variables */
 const coap_resource_t _default_resources[] = {
-    { "/.well-known/core", COAP_GET, _well_known_core_handler },
+    { "/.well-known/core", COAP_GET, _well_known_core_handler, NULL },
 };
 
 static gcoap_listener_t _default_listener = {
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ static size_t _handle_req(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    ssize_t pdu_len = resource->handler(pdu, buf, len);
+    ssize_t pdu_len = resource->handler(pdu, buf, len, resource->context);
     if (pdu_len < 0) {
         pdu_len = gcoap_response(pdu, buf, len,
                                  COAP_CODE_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
@@ -457,8 +457,9 @@ static void _expire_request(gcoap_request_memo_t *memo)
  * Handler for /.well-known/core. Lists registered handlers, except for
  * /.well-known/core itself.
  */
-static ssize_t _well_known_core_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
+static ssize_t _well_known_core_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx)
 {
+    (void)ctx;
    /* write header */
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
     int plen = gcoap_get_resource_list(pdu->payload, (size_t)pdu->payload_len,
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/nanocoap.c b/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/nanocoap.c
index 5b8a60f3a1..27e810524f 100644
--- a/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/nanocoap.c
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/nanocoap/nanocoap.c
@@ -155,11 +155,12 @@ ssize_t coap_handle_req(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *resp_buf, unsigned resp_buf_le
     unsigned method_flag = coap_method2flag(coap_get_code_detail(pkt));
 
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < coap_resources_numof; i++) {
-        if (!(coap_resources[i].methods & method_flag)) {
+        const coap_resource_t *resource = &coap_resources[i];
+        if (!(resource->methods & method_flag)) {
             continue;
         }
 
-        int res = strcmp((char *)pkt->url, coap_resources[i].path);
+        int res = strcmp((char *)pkt->url, resource->path);
         if (res > 0) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ ssize_t coap_handle_req(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *resp_buf, unsigned resp_buf_le
             break;
         }
         else {
-            return coap_resources[i].handler(pkt, resp_buf, resp_buf_len);
+            return resource->handler(pkt, resp_buf, resp_buf_len, resource->context);
         }
     }
 
@@ -381,8 +382,10 @@ size_t coap_put_option_uri(uint8_t *buf, uint16_t lastonum, const char *uri, uin
 }
 
 ssize_t coap_well_known_core_default_handler(coap_pkt_t *pkt, uint8_t *buf, \
-                                             size_t len)
+                                             size_t len, void *context)
 {
+    (void)context;
+
     uint8_t *payload = buf + coap_get_total_hdr_len(pkt);
 
     uint8_t *bufpos = payload;
diff --git a/tests/unittests/tests-gcoap/tests-gcoap.c b/tests/unittests/tests-gcoap/tests-gcoap.c
index 7de7968606..03cfa7c307 100644
--- a/tests/unittests/tests-gcoap/tests-gcoap.c
+++ b/tests/unittests/tests-gcoap/tests-gcoap.c
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@
  * A test set of dummy resources. The resource handlers are set to NULL.
  */
 static const coap_resource_t resources[] = {
-    { "/act/switch", (COAP_GET | COAP_POST), NULL },
-    { "/sensor/temp", (COAP_GET), NULL },
-    { "/test/info/all", (COAP_GET), NULL },
+    { .path = "/act/switch", .methods = (COAP_GET | COAP_POST) },
+    { .path = "/sensor/temp", .methods = (COAP_GET) },
+    { .path = "/test/info/all", .methods = (COAP_GET) },
 };
 
 static const coap_resource_t resources_second[] = {
-    { "/second/part", (COAP_GET), NULL },
+    { .path = "/second/part", .methods = (COAP_GET)},
 };
 
 static gcoap_listener_t listener = {