diff --git a/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c b/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
index eb7b5d5e76..e2ad84f251 100644
--- a/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
+++ b/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
@@ -51,15 +51,6 @@
 #define NETTYPE                 GNRC_NETTYPE_UNDEF
 #endif
 
-/* buffer configuration
- * - we need one RX and one TX buffer per connection */
-#define MTU_SIZE                (NIMBLE_NETIF_MTU)
-#define MBUF_OVHD               (sizeof(struct os_mbuf) + \
-                                 sizeof(struct os_mbuf_pkthdr))
-#define MBUF_SIZE               (MBUF_OVHD + MYNEWT_VAL_BLE_L2CAP_COC_MPS)
-#define MBUF_CNT                (NIMBLE_NETIF_MAX_CONN * 2 * \
-                                 ((MTU_SIZE + (MBUF_SIZE - 1)) / MBUF_SIZE))
-
 /* thread flag used for signaling transmit readiness */
 #define FLAG_TX_UNSTALLED       (1u << 13)
 #define FLAG_TX_NOTCONN         (1u << 12)
@@ -76,11 +67,6 @@ static gnrc_nettype_t _nettype = NETTYPE;
 /* keep a reference to the event callback */
 static nimble_netif_eventcb_t _eventcb;
 
-/* allocation of memory for buffering IP packets when handing them to NimBLE */
-static os_membuf_t _mem[OS_MEMPOOL_SIZE(MBUF_CNT, MBUF_SIZE)];
-static struct os_mempool _mem_pool;
-static struct os_mbuf_pool _mbuf_pool;
-
 /* notify the user about state changes for a connection context */
 static void _notify(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event, uint8_t *addr)
 {
@@ -114,7 +100,7 @@ static int _send_pkt(nimble_netif_conn_t *conn, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt)
     }
 
     /* copy the data into a newly allocated mbuf */
-    struct os_mbuf *sdu = os_mbuf_get_pkthdr(&_mbuf_pool, 0);
+    struct os_mbuf *sdu = os_msys_get_pkthdr(gnrc_pkt_len(pkt), 0);
     if (sdu == NULL) {
         return -ENOBUFS;
     }
@@ -229,7 +215,7 @@ static inline int _netdev_get(netdev_t *dev, netopt_t opt,
             break;
         case NETOPT_MAX_PDU_SIZE:
             assert(max_len >= sizeof(uint16_t));
-            *((uint16_t *)value) = MTU_SIZE;
+            *((uint16_t *)value) = NIMBLE_NETIF_MTU;
             res = sizeof(uint16_t);
             break;
         case NETOPT_PROTO:
@@ -320,7 +306,7 @@ static void _on_data(nimble_netif_conn_t *conn, struct ble_l2cap_event *event)
 end:
     /* free the mbuf and allocate a new one for receiving new data */
     os_mbuf_free_chain(rxb);
-    rxb = os_mbuf_get_pkthdr(&_mbuf_pool, 0);
+    rxb = os_msys_get_pkthdr(MYNEWT_VAL_BLE_L2CAP_COC_MPS, 0);
     /* due to buffer provisioning, there should always be enough space */
     assert(rxb != NULL);
     ble_l2cap_recv_ready(event->receive.chan, rxb);
@@ -395,7 +381,8 @@ static int _on_l2cap_server_evt(struct ble_l2cap_event *event, void *arg)
             conn->state &= ~NIMBLE_NETIF_L2CAP_CONNECTED;
             break;
         case BLE_L2CAP_EVENT_COC_ACCEPT: {
-            struct os_mbuf *sdu_rx = os_mbuf_get_pkthdr(&_mbuf_pool, 0);
+            struct os_mbuf *sdu_rx = os_msys_get_pkthdr(
+                                            MYNEWT_VAL_BLE_L2CAP_COC_MPS, 0);
             /* there should always be enough buffer space */
             assert(sdu_rx != NULL);
             ble_l2cap_recv_ready(event->accept.chan, sdu_rx);
@@ -445,13 +432,18 @@ static int _on_gap_master_evt(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
             _on_gap_connected(conn, event->connect.conn_handle);
             conn->state |= NIMBLE_NETIF_GAP_MASTER;
 
-            struct os_mbuf *sdu_rx = os_mbuf_get_pkthdr(&_mbuf_pool, 0);
-            /* we should never run out of buffer space... */
-            assert(sdu_rx != NULL);
+            struct os_mbuf *sdu_rx = os_msys_get_pkthdr(
+                                            MYNEWT_VAL_BLE_L2CAP_COC_MPS, 0);
+            /* in the rare case that we run out of buffers, we close the new
+             * connection right away */
+            if (sdu_rx == NULL) {
+                ble_gap_terminate(handle, BLE_ERR_REM_USER_CONN_TERM);
+                break;
+            }
             res = ble_l2cap_connect(event->connect.conn_handle,
-                                    NIMBLE_NETIF_CID, MTU_SIZE, sdu_rx,
+                                    NIMBLE_NETIF_CID, NIMBLE_NETIF_MTU, sdu_rx,
                                     _on_l2cap_client_evt, (void *)handle);
-            /* should always success as well */
+            /* should always be successful */
             assert(res == 0);
             break;
         }
@@ -530,12 +522,7 @@ void nimble_netif_init(void)
     /* setup the connection context table */
     nimble_netif_conn_init();
 
-    /* initialize of BLE related buffers */
-    res = mem_init_mbuf_pool(_mem, &_mem_pool, &_mbuf_pool,
-                             MBUF_CNT, MBUF_SIZE, "nim_gnrc");
-    assert(res == 0);
-
-    res = ble_l2cap_create_server(NIMBLE_NETIF_CID, MTU_SIZE,
+    res = ble_l2cap_create_server(NIMBLE_NETIF_CID, NIMBLE_NETIF_MTU,
                                   _on_l2cap_server_evt, NULL);
     assert(res == 0);
     (void)res;