diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index 91c3b44ad1..bef6be9770 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -129,6 +129,12 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi_any esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
   CFLAGS += -DSCHED_PRIO_LEVELS=32
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter lwip,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # The thread for handling the WiFi hardware has the priority. The priority
+  # of the lwIP TCP/IP thread should be lower than this priority.
+  CFLAGS += -DTCPIP_THREAD_PRIO=2
+endif
+
 CFLAGS  += -DSDK_NOT_USED -DCONFIG_FREERTOS_UNICORE=1 -DESP_PLATFORM
 CFLAGS  += -DLOG_TAG_IN_BRACKETS
 CFLAGS  += -Wno-unused-parameter -Wformat=0
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/include/lwipopts.h b/pkg/lwip/include/lwipopts.h
index 20a1e5193b..7b42705f9d 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/include/lwipopts.h
+++ b/pkg/lwip/include/lwipopts.h
@@ -145,15 +145,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define TCPIP_THREAD_STACKSIZE  (THREAD_STACKSIZE_DEFAULT)
 #endif
 
-#if defined(CPU_ESP32) && !defined(DOXYGEN)
-/**
- * In ESP32, the thread that is dealing with hardware interrupts of the WiFi
- * interface has a priority of 1. This thread should have a higher priority
- * than lwIP's TCP/IP thread.
- */
-#define TCPIP_THREAD_PRIO       (2)
-#endif
-
 #define MEM_ALIGNMENT           (4)
 #ifndef MEM_SIZE
 /* packet buffer size of GNRC + stack for TCP/IP */