diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile b/cpu/esp32/Makefile
index 9a1b42f0ff..6f1b6440cc 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ MODULE = cpu
 # Add a list of subdirectories, that should also be built:
 DIRS += $(RIOTCPU)/esp_common
 DIRS += periph
-DIRS += freertos
 DIRS += vendor
 
 ifneq (, $(filter esp_cxx, $(USEMODULE)))
@@ -23,4 +22,8 @@ ifneq (, $(filter esp_wifi, $(USEMODULE)))
     DIRS += esp-wifi
 endif
 
+ifneq (, $(filter riot_freertos, $(USEMODULE)))
+    DIRS += freertos
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index 1b2c85c7ff..0197450624 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ USEMODULE += periph_hwrng
 USEMODULE += periph_flash
 USEMODULE += periph_rtc
 USEMODULE += periph_uart
+USEMODULE += riot_freertos
 USEMODULE += random
 USEMODULE += stdio_uart
 USEMODULE += xtensa
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/freertos/task.c b/cpu/esp32/freertos/task.c
index e5d4a1bac9..11f754aee6 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/freertos/task.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/freertos/task.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 #ifndef DOXYGEN
 
-#define ENABLE_DEBUG 0
+#define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
 #include "debug.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
@@ -139,8 +139,14 @@ void vTaskEnterCritical( portMUX_TYPE *mux )
     /* disable interrupts */
     uint32_t state = irq_disable();
 
-    /* aquire the mutex with interrupts disabled */
-    mutex_lock(mux); /* TODO should be only a spin lock */
+    /* Locking the given mutex does not work here, as this function can also
+       be called in the interrupt context. Therefore, the given mutex is not
+       used. Instead, the basic default FreeRTOS mechanism for critical
+       sections is used by simply disabling interrupts. Since context
+       switches for the ESP32 are also based on interrupts, there is no
+       possibility that another thread will enter the critical section
+       once the interrupts are disabled. */
+    /* mutex_lock(mux); */ /* TODO should be only a spin lock */
 
     /* increment nesting counter and save old interrupt level */
     threads_arch_exts[my_pid].critical_nesting++;
@@ -157,8 +163,9 @@ void vTaskExitCritical( portMUX_TYPE *mux )
     DEBUG("%s pid=%d prio=%d mux=%p\n", __func__,
           my_pid, sched_threads[my_pid]->priority, mux);
 
-    /* release the mutex with interrupts disabled */
-    mutex_unlock(mux); /* TODO should be only a spin lock */
+    /* The given mutex is not used (see vTaskEnterCritical) and has not to
+       be unlocked here. */
+    /* mutex_unlock(mux); */ /* TODO should be only a spin lock */
 
     /* decrement nesting counter and restore old interrupt level */
     if (threads_arch_exts[my_pid].critical_nesting) {
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/include/freertos/portmacro.h b/cpu/esp32/include/freertos/portmacro.h
index 9e94a2ae9b..f4f6f4b70d 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/include/freertos/portmacro.h
+++ b/cpu/esp32/include/freertos/portmacro.h
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #define portMUX_TYPE                    mutex_t
 #define portMUX_INITIALIZER_UNLOCKED    MUTEX_INIT
 
-#define portENTER_CRITICAL(pm)          mutex_lock(pm)
-#define portEXIT_CRITICAL(pm)           mutex_unlock(pm)
+#define portENTER_CRITICAL(mux)         vTaskEnterCritical(mux)
+#define portEXIT_CRITICAL(mux)          vTaskExitCritical(mux)
 #define portENTER_CRITICAL_NESTED       irq_disable
 #define portEXIT_CRITICAL_NESTED        irq_restore
 
@@ -39,15 +39,18 @@ extern "C" {
 #define portEXIT_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)      vTaskExitCritical(mux)
 
 #define taskENTER_CRITICAL(mux)         portENTER_CRITICAL(mux)
-#define taskENTER_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)        portENTER_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)
+#define taskENTER_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)     portENTER_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)
 #define taskEXIT_CRITICAL(mux)          portEXIT_CRITICAL(mux)
-#define taskEXIT_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)        portEXIT_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)
+#define taskEXIT_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)      portEXIT_CRITICAL_ISR(mux)
 
 #define portYIELD_FROM_ISR              thread_yield_higher
 #define portNUM_PROCESSORS              2
 
 #define xPortGetCoreID()                PRO_CPU_NUM
 
+extern void vTaskEnterCritical(portMUX_TYPE *mux);
+extern void vTaskExitCritical(portMUX_TYPE *mux);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif