diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
index 1c7ba7e14..4ee539a3e 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
@@ -19,10 +19,25 @@ endif
 # SPECIAL module dependencies
 # cannot be done in Makefile.dep since Makefile.dep is included too late
 
-ifneq (, $(filter esp_now esp_wifi, $(USEMODULE)))
+ifneq (,$(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
+  endif
+endif
+
+ifneq (, $(filter esp_wifi, $(USEMODULE)))
     $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
-    CFLAGS += -DSCHED_PRIO_LEVELS=32
     USEMODULE += esp_wifi_any
+endif
+
+ifneq (, $(filter esp_now, $(USEMODULE)))
+    $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
+    USEMODULE += esp_wifi_any
+endif
+
+ifneq (, $(filter esp_wifi_any, $(USEMODULE)))
+    CFLAGS += -DSCHED_PRIO_LEVELS=32
     USEMODULE += netopt
     USEMODULE += xtimer
 endif