diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index 4f9704264c..a371093516 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += netdev_eth
     USEMODULE += netopt
     USEMODULE += riot_freertos
+    USEMODULE += xtimer
     INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/vendor/esp-idf/include/ethernet
     INCLUDES += -I$(ESP32_SDK_DIR)/components/ethernet/include
 endif
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi_any,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += esp_idf_wpa_supplicant_port
     USEMODULE += esp_idf_nvs_flash
     USEMODULE += riot_freertos
+    USEMODULE += xtimer
 
     # crypto and hashes produce symbol conflicts with esp_idf_wpa_supplicant_crypto
     DISABLE_MODULE += crypto
@@ -50,11 +52,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_idf_nvs_flash,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += pthread
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter riot_freertos,$(USEMODULE)))
-    # add additional modules required by riot_freertos
-    USEMODULE += xtimer
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter periph_i2c,$(USEMODULE)))
     ifneq (,$(filter esp_i2c_hw,$(USEMODULE)))
         USEMODULE += core_thread_flags
@@ -89,7 +86,6 @@ endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter shell,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += ps
-    USEMODULE += xtimer
 endif
 
 # if SPI RAM is enabled, ESP-IDF heap and quot flash mode have to be used
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/freertos/timers.c b/cpu/esp32/freertos/timers.c
index ef4a2f135a..8ecf2779e6 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/freertos/timers.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/freertos/timers.c
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 #ifndef DOXYGEN
 
+#ifdef MODULE_XTIMER
+
 #define ENABLE_DEBUG 0
 #include "debug.h"
 
@@ -103,4 +105,6 @@ BaseType_t xTimerStop  (TimerHandle_t xTimer, TickType_t xBlockTime)
     return pdTRUE;
 }
 
+#endif /* MODULE_XTIMER */
+
 #endif /* DOXYGEN */