diff --git a/cpu/nrf52/cpu.c b/cpu/nrf52/cpu.c
index 1a0d6672d4..2d01ff28ff 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf52/cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/nrf52/cpu.c
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ void cpu_init(void)
     NVIC_SetPriority(SWI0_EGU0_IRQn, 6);
 #endif
 
+    /* enable wake up on events for __WFE CPU sleep */
+    SCB->SCR |= SCB_SCR_SEVONPEND_Msk;
+
     /* trigger static peripheral initialization */
     periph_init();
 }
diff --git a/cpu/nrf52/include/cpu_conf.h b/cpu/nrf52/include/cpu_conf.h
index 0ef8d767f5..32d9b9da65 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf52/include/cpu_conf.h
+++ b/cpu/nrf52/include/cpu_conf.h
@@ -75,6 +75,16 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif /* SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT */
 /** @} */
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Put the CPU in the low-power 'wait for event' state
+ */
+static inline void nrf52_sleep(void)
+{
+    __SEV();
+    __WFE();
+    __asm("nop");
+}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif