diff --git a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
index a5388b0ce3..1b1ffdd2ef 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@
 #include "at86rf2xx_params.h"
 #endif
 
-#ifdef MODULE_MRF24J40
-#include "mrf24j40.h"
-#include "mrf24j40_params.h"
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SOCKET_ZEP
 #include "socket_zep.h"
 #include "socket_zep_params.h"
@@ -55,10 +50,6 @@
 #define LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF        ARRAY_SIZE(at86rf2xx_params)
 #endif
 
-#ifdef MODULE_MRF24J40     /* is mutual exclusive with above ifdef */
-#define LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF        ARRAY_SIZE(mrf24j40_params)
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SOCKET_ZEP   /* is mutual exclusive with above ifdef */
 #define LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF        ARRAY_SIZE(socket_zep_params)
 #endif
@@ -76,10 +67,6 @@ static struct netif netif[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
 static at86rf2xx_t at86rf2xx_devs[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
 #endif
 
-#ifdef MODULE_MRF24J40
-static mrf24j40_t mrf24j40_devs[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
-#endif
-
 #ifdef MODULE_SOCKET_ZEP
 static socket_zep_t socket_zep_devs[LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF];
 #endif
@@ -93,16 +80,7 @@ void lwip_bootstrap(void)
     lwip_netif_init_devs();
     /* TODO: do for every eligible netdev */
 #ifdef LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF
-#ifdef MODULE_MRF24J40
-    for (unsigned i = 0; i < LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF; i++) {
-        mrf24j40_setup(&mrf24j40_devs[i], &mrf24j40_params[i], i);
-        if (netif_add_noaddr(&netif[i], &mrf24j40_devs[i].netdev.netdev, lwip_netdev_init,
-                             tcpip_6lowpan_input) == NULL) {
-            DEBUG("Could not add mrf24j40 device\n");
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-#elif defined(MODULE_AT86RF2XX)
+#if defined(MODULE_AT86RF2XX)
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF; i++) {
         at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_devs[i], &at86rf2xx_params[i], i);
         if (netif_add_noaddr(&netif[i], &at86rf2xx_devs[i].netdev.netdev, lwip_netdev_init,
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/include/lwip_init_devs.h b/pkg/lwip/include/lwip_init_devs.h
index 13a2f6e889..ea3bd1e524 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/include/lwip_init_devs.h
+++ b/pkg/lwip/include/lwip_init_devs.h
@@ -40,6 +40,16 @@ void lwip_netif_init_devs(void);
  */
 struct netif *lwip_add_ethernet(struct netif *netif, netdev_t *state);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Adds a 6LoWPAN netif using the supplied netdev.
+ *
+ * @param netif         pointer to the interface to be added
+ * @param state         pointer to the netdev for the interface
+ *
+ * The netif will be set up using the `lwip_netdev_init` helper.
+ */
+struct netif *lwip_add_6lowpan(struct netif *netif, netdev_t *state);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_mrf24j40.c b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_mrf24j40.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..620e5a4615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/auto_init_mrf24j40.c
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+* Copyright (C) 2017 Neo Nenaco <neo@nenaco.de>
+*
+* 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 MRF24J40 network interfaces
+ *
+ * @author  Neo Nenaco <neo@nenaco.de>
+ * @author  Erik Ekman <eekman@google.com>
+ */
+
+#include "mrf24j40.h"
+#include "mrf24j40_params.h"
+
+#include "lwip_init_devs.h"
+
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG    0
+#include "debug.h"
+
+#define NETIF_MRF24J40_NUMOF        ARRAY_SIZE(mrf24j40_params)
+
+static struct netif netif[NETIF_MRF24J40_NUMOF];
+static mrf24j40_t mrf24j40_devs[NETIF_MRF24J40_NUMOF];
+
+void auto_init_mrf24j40(void)
+{
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < NETIF_MRF24J40_NUMOF; i++) {
+        mrf24j40_setup(&mrf24j40_devs[i], &mrf24j40_params[i], i);
+        if (lwip_add_6lowpan(&netif[i], &mrf24j40_devs[i].netdev.netdev) == NULL) {
+            DEBUG("Could not add mrf24j40 device\n");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+/** @} */
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
index 08e779241e..13cfa8a9fa 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/init_devs/init.c
@@ -17,13 +17,18 @@
 
 #include "kernel_defines.h"
 #include "lwip_init_devs.h"
+#include "lwip/tcpip.h"
 #include "lwip/netif/netdev.h"
+#include "netif/lowpan6.h"
 
 /**
  * @brief   Initializes network interfaces
  */
 void lwip_netif_init_devs(void)
 {
+    /* Ethernet interfaces
+     * ------------------- */
+
     if (IS_USED(MODULE_ATWINC15X0)) {
         extern void auto_init_atwinc15x0(void);
         auto_init_atwinc15x0();
@@ -58,6 +63,14 @@ void lwip_netif_init_devs(void)
         extern void auto_init_netdev_tap(void);
         auto_init_netdev_tap();
     }
+
+    /* 6LoWPAN interfaces
+     * ------------------ */
+
+    if (IS_USED(MODULE_MRF24J40)) {
+        extern void auto_init_mrf24j40(void);
+        auto_init_mrf24j40();
+    }
 }
 
 struct netif *lwip_add_ethernet(struct netif *netif, netdev_t *state)
@@ -70,4 +83,9 @@ struct netif *lwip_add_ethernet(struct netif *netif, netdev_t *state)
     return _if;
 }
 
+struct netif *lwip_add_6lowpan(struct netif *netif, netdev_t *state)
+{
+    return netif_add_noaddr(netif, state, lwip_netdev_init, tcpip_6lowpan_input);
+}
+
 /**@}*/