diff --git a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
index 8ec4a9f12e..e51ed6e8a5 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 #include "debug.h"
 
 
-void at86rf2xx_setup(at86rf2xx_t *dev, const at86rf2xx_params_t *params)
+void at86rf2xx_setup(at86rf2xx_t *dev, const at86rf2xx_params_t *params, uint8_t index)
 {
     netdev_t *netdev = (netdev_t *)dev;
 
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ void at86rf2xx_setup(at86rf2xx_t *dev, const at86rf2xx_params_t *params)
     /* initialize device descriptor */
     dev->params = *params;
 #endif
+
+    netdev_register(netdev, NETDEV_AT86RF2XX, index);
 }
 
 static void at86rf2xx_disable_clock_output(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
diff --git a/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h b/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
index aefad4cd4a..6632119f71 100644
--- a/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
+++ b/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
@@ -294,8 +294,10 @@ typedef struct {
  *
  * @param[out] dev          device descriptor
  * @param[in]  params       parameters for device initialization
+ * @param[in]  index        index of @p params in a global parameter struct array.
+ *                          If initialized manually, pass a unique identifier instead.
  */
-void at86rf2xx_setup(at86rf2xx_t *dev, const at86rf2xx_params_t *params);
+void at86rf2xx_setup(at86rf2xx_t *dev, const at86rf2xx_params_t *params, uint8_t index);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Trigger a hardware reset and configure radio with default values
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
index d1f6c2c950..a345bffe58 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ void lwip_bootstrap(void)
     }
 #elif defined(MODULE_AT86RF2XX)
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF; i++) {
-        at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_devs[i], &at86rf2xx_params[i]);
+        at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_devs[i], &at86rf2xx_params[i], i);
         if (netif_add(&netif[i], &at86rf2xx_devs[i], lwip_netdev_init,
                       tcpip_6lowpan_input) == NULL) {
             DEBUG("Could not add at86rf2xx device\n");
diff --git a/pkg/openthread/contrib/openthread.c b/pkg/openthread/contrib/openthread.c
index c6b23b465c..3dc83fea79 100644
--- a/pkg/openthread/contrib/openthread.c
+++ b/pkg/openthread/contrib/openthread.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void openthread_bootstrap(void)
 
     /* setup netdev modules */
 #ifdef MODULE_AT86RF2XX
-    at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0]);
+    at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0], 0);
     netdev_t *netdev = (netdev_t *) &at86rf2xx_dev;
 #endif
 #ifdef MODULE_KW41ZRF
diff --git a/pkg/openwsn/contrib/openwsn.c b/pkg/openwsn/contrib/openwsn.c
index 4f9c578b41..5fc7bf1c62 100644
--- a/pkg/openwsn/contrib/openwsn.c
+++ b/pkg/openwsn/contrib/openwsn.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ int openwsn_bootstrap(void)
 
 #ifdef MODULE_AT86RF2XX
     netdev_t *netdev = (netdev_t *)&at86rf2xx_dev.netdev.netdev;
-    at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0]);
+    at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0], 0);
     (void) netdev;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf2xx.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf2xx.c
index 4e00f2806c..a108a56838 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf2xx.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf2xx.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void auto_init_at86rf2xx(void)
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < AT86RF2XX_NUM; i++) {
         LOG_DEBUG("[auto_init_netif] initializing at86rf2xx #%u\n", i);
 
-        at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_devs[i], &at86rf2xx_params[i]);
+        at86rf2xx_setup(&at86rf2xx_devs[i], &at86rf2xx_params[i], i);
 #if defined(MODULE_GNRC_GOMACH)
         gnrc_netif_gomach_create(&_netif[i], _at86rf2xx_stacks[i],
                                  AT86RF2XX_MAC_STACKSIZE,
diff --git a/tests/driver_at86rf2xx/main.c b/tests/driver_at86rf2xx/main.c
index 7edab95bb5..41a7d67d88 100644
--- a/tests/driver_at86rf2xx/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_at86rf2xx/main.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int main(void)
         netdev_t *dev = (netdev_t *)(&devs[i]);
 
         printf("Initializing AT86RF2xx radio at SPI_%d\n", p->spi);
-        at86rf2xx_setup(&devs[i], p);
+        at86rf2xx_setup(&devs[i], p, i);
         dev->event_callback = _event_cb;
         if (dev->driver->init(dev) < 0) {
             continue;
diff --git a/tests/driver_at86rf2xx_aes/main.c b/tests/driver_at86rf2xx_aes/main.c
index b51eeddf20..55fe4f5cb3 100644
--- a/tests/driver_at86rf2xx_aes/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_at86rf2xx_aes/main.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ int main(void)
 {
     at86rf2xx_t dev;
     bool success = true;
-    at86rf2xx_setup(&dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0]);
+    at86rf2xx_setup(&dev, &at86rf2xx_params[0], 0);
     dev.netdev.netdev.event_callback = _event_cb;
     if (dev.netdev.netdev.driver->init(&dev.netdev.netdev) != 0) {
         return EXIT_FAILURE;