diff --git a/sys/include/net/netopt.h b/sys/include/net/netopt.h
index 5532a0c159..af334bfbf7 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/netopt.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/netopt.h
@@ -139,6 +139,17 @@ typedef enum {
     NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ,
     NETOPT_AUTOCCA,             /**< en/disable to check automatically
                                  *   before sending the channel is clear. */
+
+    /**
+     * @brief read-only check for a wired interface.
+     *
+     * If the interface is wireless this function will return -ENOTSUP, a
+     * positive value otherwise.
+     *
+     * @note Setting this option will always return -EONOTSUP.
+     */
+    NETOPT_IS_WIRED,
+
     /* add more options if needed */
 
     /**
diff --git a/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c b/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
index 6c05246642..84505c6ef6 100644
--- a/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
+++ b/sys/net/crosslayer/netopt/netopt.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ static const char *_netopt_strmap[] = {
     [NETOPT_TX_START_IRQ]    = "NETOPT_TX_START_IRQ",
     [NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ]      = "NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ",
     [NETOPT_AUTOCCA]         = "NETOPT_AUTOCCA",
+    [NETOPT_IS_WIRED]        = "NETOPT_IS_WIRED",
     [NETOPT_NUMOF]           = "NETOPT_NUMOF",
 };
 
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/netdev_eth/gnrc_netdev_eth.c b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/netdev_eth/gnrc_netdev_eth.c
index 04659180d5..8b78893689 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/netdev_eth/gnrc_netdev_eth.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/netdev_eth/gnrc_netdev_eth.c
@@ -273,6 +273,10 @@ static int _get(gnrc_netdev_t *dev, netopt_t opt, void *value, size_t max_len)
             DEBUG("promiscous mode\n");
             return _get_promiscousmode((gnrc_netdev_eth_t *)dev, value, max_len);
 
+        case NETOPT_IS_WIRED:
+            DEBUG("is wired\n");
+            return 1;
+
         default:
             DEBUG("[not supported: %d]\n", opt);
             return -ENOTSUP;