diff --git a/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/Makefile b/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/Makefile
index 86995d3119..4a943449c9 100644
--- a/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/Makefile
+++ b/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ APPLICATION = riotboot_dfu
 USEMODULE += riotboot_usb_dfu
 
 # Use xtimer for scheduled reboot
-USEMODULE += xtimer
+USEMODULE += ztimer
+USEMODULE += ztimer_auto_init
 
 # USB device vendor and product ID
 # pid.codes test VID/PID, not globally unique
diff --git a/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/main.c b/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/main.c
index ebf876042b..91606817b5 100644
--- a/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/main.c
+++ b/bootloaders/riotboot_dfu/main.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "panic.h"
 #include "riotboot/slot.h"
 #include "riotboot/usb_dfu.h"
+#include "ztimer.h"
 
 #include "bootloader_selection.h"
 
@@ -70,6 +71,9 @@ void kernel_init(void)
         riotboot_slot_jump(slot);
     }
 
+    /* Init ztimer before starting DFU mode */
+    ztimer_init();
+
     /* Nothing to boot, stay in DFU mode to flash a slot */
     riotboot_usb_dfu_init(1);
 }
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index 50112e29f3..a5a10a8e27 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter riotboot_usb_dfu, $(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += usbus_dfu
   USEMODULE += riotboot_flashwrite
+  USEMODULE += ztimer_sec
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += no_idle_thread
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_pm
 endif
diff --git a/sys/usb/usbus/dfu/dfu.c b/sys/usb/usbus/dfu/dfu.c
index ee1a26409b..37ea5de470 100644
--- a/sys/usb/usbus/dfu/dfu.c
+++ b/sys/usb/usbus/dfu/dfu.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include "riotboot/magic.h"
 #include "riotboot/usb_dfu.h"
 #ifdef MODULE_RIOTBOOT_USB_DFU
-#include "xtimer.h"
+#include "ztimer.h"
 #endif
 #include "periph/pm.h"
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void _init(usbus_t *usbus, usbus_handler_t *handler);
 
 #ifdef MODULE_RIOTBOOT_USB_DFU
 static void _reboot(void *arg);
-static xtimer_t scheduled_reboot = { .callback=_reboot };
+static ztimer_t scheduled_reboot = { .callback=_reboot };
 #define REBOOT_DELAY 2
 #endif
 
@@ -151,9 +151,6 @@ static void _init(usbus_t *usbus, usbus_handler_t *handler)
 
     /* attached alternate settings to their interface */
     usbus_add_interface_alt(&dfu->iface, &dfu->iface_alt_slot1);
-
-    /* Start xtimer for scheduled reboot after firmware upgrade */
-    xtimer_init();
 #endif
     /* Add interface to the stack */
     usbus_add_interface(usbus, &dfu->iface);
@@ -217,7 +214,7 @@ static void _dfu_class_control_req(usbus_t *usbus, usbus_dfu_device_t *dfu, usb_
                 /* Scheduled reboot, so we can answer back dfu-util before rebooting */
                 dfu->dfu_state = USB_DFU_STATE_DFU_DL_IDLE;
 #ifdef MODULE_RIOTBOOT_USB_DFU
-                xtimer_set(&scheduled_reboot, 1 * US_PER_SEC);
+                ztimer_set(ZTIMER_SEC, &scheduled_reboot, 1);
 #endif
             }
             memset(&buf, 0, sizeof(buf));
diff --git a/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c b/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
index 7dc2f2de2b..b24fdeb1fe 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/auto_init.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "kernel_defines.h"
-#if IS_USED(MODULE_AUTO_INIT_ZTIMER)
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_AUTO_INIT_ZTIMER) || RIOTBOOT
 
 #include "board.h"
 #include "ztimer.h"
@@ -302,4 +302,4 @@ void ztimer_init(void)
 #  endif
 #endif
 }
-#endif /* IS_USED(MODULE_AUTO_INIT_ZTIMER) */
+#endif /* IS_USED(MODULE_AUTO_INIT_ZTIMER) || RIOTBOOT*/