diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig b/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
index cca627a7d6..354468be41 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ config CPU_FAM_ESP8266
     select MODULE_ESP_SDK if TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_PERIPH_COMMON if TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_RTT_RTC if HAS_PERIPH_RTT && MODULE_PERIPH_RTC
+    select MODULE_ZTIMER_NO_PERIPH_RTT if MODULE_ESP_WIFI_ANY
 
 ## CPU Models
 config CPU_MODEL_ESP8266EX
diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.dep
index 4c3bf5e9b8..ae18a86e74 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.dep
@@ -23,3 +23,8 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter periph_rtc,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += rtt_rtc
 endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi_any,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # avoid that ztimer_periph_rtt is used as backend
+  USEMODULE += ztimer_no_periph_rtt
+endif