diff --git a/pkg/lvgl/Makefile.dep b/pkg/lvgl/Makefile.dep
index 68c08e03a9..7aa99187c1 100644
--- a/pkg/lvgl/Makefile.dep
+++ b/pkg/lvgl/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+USEMODULE += lvgl
 USEMODULE += lvgl_core
 USEMODULE += lvgl_draw
 USEMODULE += lvgl_font
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter lvgl_contrib_touch,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += touch_dev
 endif
 
+DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_screen
+
 # lvgl is not compatible with non 32bit platforms
 # Building lv_misc triggers the error:
 # "left shift count >= width of type [-Werror=shift-count-overflow]"
diff --git a/pkg/lvgl/contrib/lvgl.c b/pkg/lvgl/contrib/lvgl.c
index 7ad4d66155..94546e72c0 100644
--- a/pkg/lvgl/contrib/lvgl.c
+++ b/pkg/lvgl/contrib/lvgl.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <assert.h>
 
+#include "kernel_defines.h"
 #include "thread.h"
 
 #include "xtimer.h"
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ static void _disp_map(lv_disp_drv_t *drv, const lv_area_t *area, lv_color_t *col
     lv_disp_flush_ready(drv);
 }
 
-#ifdef MODULE_TOUCH_DEV
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_TOUCH_DEV)
 /* adapted from https://github.com/lvgl/lvgl/tree/v6.1.2#add-littlevgl-to-your-project */
 static bool _touch_read(lv_indev_drv_t *indev_driver, lv_indev_data_t *data)
 {
@@ -145,13 +146,14 @@ void lvgl_init(screen_dev_t *screen_dev)
     lv_disp_drv_register(&disp_drv);
     lv_disp_buf_init(&disp_buf, buf, NULL, LVGL_COLOR_BUF_SIZE);
 
-#ifdef MODULE_TOUCH_DEV
-    assert(screen_dev->touch);
-    lv_indev_drv_t indev_drv;
-    lv_indev_drv_init(&indev_drv);
-    indev_drv.type = LV_INDEV_TYPE_POINTER;
-    indev_drv.read_cb = _touch_read;
-    lv_indev_drv_register(&indev_drv);
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_TOUCH_DEV)
+    if (screen_dev->touch) {
+        lv_indev_drv_t indev_drv;
+        lv_indev_drv_init(&indev_drv);
+        indev_drv.type = LV_INDEV_TYPE_POINTER;
+        indev_drv.read_cb = _touch_read;
+        lv_indev_drv_register(&indev_drv);
+    }
 #endif
 
     lv_task_handler();
diff --git a/sys/auto_init/screen/auto_init_lvgl.c b/sys/auto_init/screen/auto_init_lvgl.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cc6876e20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/auto_init/screen/auto_init_lvgl.c
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020 Inria
+ *
+ * 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
+ * @{
+ * @file
+ * @brief       initializes lvgl high level GUI api
+ *
+ * @author      Alexandre Abadie <alexandre.abadie@inria.fr>
+ * @}
+ */
+
+#include "log.h"
+#include "kernel_defines.h"
+
+#include "lvgl_riot.h"
+
+#include "screen_dev.h"
+#include "disp_dev.h"
+
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_TOUCH_DEV)
+#include "touch_dev.h"
+#endif
+
+static screen_dev_t s_screen;
+extern disp_dev_reg_t *disp_dev_reg;
+
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_TOUCH_DEV)
+static void _touch_event_callback(void *arg)
+{
+    (void)arg;
+    lvgl_wakeup();
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_LVGL_SCREEN_DEFAULT
+#define CONFIG_LVGL_SCREEN_DEFAULT  0   /**< Default screen ID used by LVGL */
+#endif
+
+void auto_init_lvgl(void)
+{
+    LOG_DEBUG("[auto_init_screen] initializing lvgl\n");
+
+    /* Only a single screen is supported by lvgl */
+    disp_dev_reg_t *disp_dev = disp_dev_reg_find_screen(CONFIG_LVGL_SCREEN_DEFAULT);
+    s_screen.display = disp_dev->dev;
+
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_TOUCH_DEV)
+    touch_dev_reg_t *touch_dev = touch_dev_reg_find_screen(CONFIG_LVGL_SCREEN_DEFAULT);
+    if (touch_dev) {
+        s_screen.touch = touch_dev->dev;
+        touch_dev_set_touch_event_callback(touch_dev->dev, _touch_event_callback, NULL);
+    }
+#endif
+
+    /* Initialize lvgl with the generic screen */
+    lvgl_init(&s_screen);
+}