diff --git a/cpu/native/include/socket_zep.h b/cpu/native/include/socket_zep.h
index 7529e7d8ef..4731cb0a6a 100644
--- a/cpu/native/include/socket_zep.h
+++ b/cpu/native/include/socket_zep.h
@@ -98,8 +98,10 @@ typedef struct {
  *
  * @param[in] dev       the preallocated socket_zep_t device handle to setup
  * @param[in] params    initialization parameters
+ * @param[in] index     index of @p params in a global parameter struct array.
+ *                      If initialized manually, pass a unique identifier instead.
  */
-void socket_zep_setup(socket_zep_t *dev, const socket_zep_params_t *params);
+void socket_zep_setup(socket_zep_t *dev, const socket_zep_params_t *params, uint8_t index);
 
 /**
  * @brief Cleanup socket resources
diff --git a/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c b/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
index 1291961a05..9d1ae2f0e9 100644
--- a/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
+++ b/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ static void _send_zep_hello(socket_zep_t *dev)
     }
 }
 
-void socket_zep_setup(socket_zep_t *dev, const socket_zep_params_t *params)
+void socket_zep_setup(socket_zep_t *dev, const socket_zep_params_t *params, uint8_t index)
 {
     int res;
 
@@ -418,6 +418,8 @@ void socket_zep_setup(socket_zep_t *dev, const socket_zep_params_t *params)
     memset(dev, 0, sizeof(socket_zep_t));
     dev->netdev.netdev.driver = &socket_zep_driver;
 
+    netdev_register(&dev->netdev.netdev, NETDEV_SOCKET_ZEP, index);
+
     res = _bind_local(params);
 
     if (res < 0) {
diff --git a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
index e5d3623d6a..2a1b2b040d 100644
--- a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
+++ b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
@@ -317,6 +317,7 @@ typedef enum {
     NETDEV_SAM0_ETH,
     NETDEV_ESP_NOW,
     NETDEV_NRF24L01P_NG,
+    NETDEV_SOCKET_ZEP,
     /* add more if needed */
 } netdev_type_t;
 /** @} */
diff --git a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
index 3d6d3da994..a2d8eac3da 100644
--- a/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
+++ b/pkg/lwip/contrib/lwip.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ void lwip_bootstrap(void)
     }
 #elif defined(MODULE_SOCKET_ZEP)
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < LWIP_NETIF_NUMOF; i++) {
-        socket_zep_setup(&socket_zep_devs[i], &socket_zep_params[i]);
+        socket_zep_setup(&socket_zep_devs[i], &socket_zep_params[i], i);
         if (netif_add(&netif[i], &socket_zep_devs[i], lwip_netdev_init,
                       tcpip_6lowpan_input) == NULL) {
             DEBUG("Could not add socket_zep device\n");
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_socket_zep.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_socket_zep.c
index b509bb0bdb..c57ba7de33 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_socket_zep.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_socket_zep.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void auto_init_socket_zep(void)
     for (int i = 0; i < SOCKET_ZEP_MAX; i++) {
         LOG_DEBUG("[auto_init_netif: initializing socket ZEP device #%u\n", i);
         /* setup netdev device */
-        socket_zep_setup(&_socket_zeps[i], &socket_zep_params[i]);
+        socket_zep_setup(&_socket_zeps[i], &socket_zep_params[i], i);
         gnrc_netif_ieee802154_create(&_netif[i], _socket_zep_stacks[i],
                                      SOCKET_ZEP_MAC_STACKSIZE,
                                      SOCKET_ZEP_MAC_PRIO, "socket_zep",
diff --git a/tests/socket_zep/main.c b/tests/socket_zep/main.c
index 4f0ef80084..3243584525 100644
--- a/tests/socket_zep/main.c
+++ b/tests/socket_zep/main.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static void test_init(void)
 
     printf("Initializing socket ZEP with (local: [%s]:%s, remote: [%s]:%s)\n",
            p->local_addr, p->local_port, p->remote_addr, p->remote_port);
-    socket_zep_setup(&_dev, p);
+    socket_zep_setup(&_dev, p, 0);
     netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
     expect(netdev->driver->init(netdev) >= 0);
     _print_info(netdev);