diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index a36fb6ae9f..d99771e9d5 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -42,9 +42,16 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_gdbstub,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # use esp_now as default netdev if no other netdev module is enabled
-  ifeq (,$(filter esp_wifi esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
-    USEMODULE += esp_now
+  ifneq (,$(filter lwip,$(USEMODULE)))
+    # for lwip, use esp_wifi as default netdev if no other netdev is enabled
+    ifeq (,$(filter esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
+      USEMODULE += esp_wifi
+    endif
+  else
+    # otherwise use esp_now as default netdev if no other netdev is enabled
+    ifeq (,$(filter esp_wifi esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
+      USEMODULE += esp_now
+    endif
   endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
index 4bf032f592..11f06920a0 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
@@ -20,9 +20,14 @@ endif
 # cannot be done in Makefile.dep since Makefile.dep is included too late
 
 ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # use esp_now as default netdev if no other netdev module is enabled
-  ifeq (,$(filter esp_wifi esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
-    USEMODULE += esp_now
+  ifneq (,$(filter lwip,$(USEMODULE)))
+    # for lwip, use esp_wifi as default netdev if no other netdev is enabled
+      USEMODULE += esp_wifi
+  else
+    # otherwise use esp_now as default netdev if no other netdev is enabled
+    ifeq (,$(filter esp_wifi esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
+      USEMODULE += esp_now
+    endif
   endif
 endif