diff --git a/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h b/sys/include/net/nanocoap.h
index 5b113eedc8..4f3fa3f578 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/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;