diff --git a/drivers/ili9341/ili9341.c b/drivers/ili9341/ili9341.c
index 9490a41674..11f8ef9892 100644
--- a/drivers/ili9341/ili9341.c
+++ b/drivers/ili9341/ili9341.c
@@ -141,31 +141,7 @@ static int _init(lcd_t *dev, const lcd_params_t *params)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void _set_area(const lcd_t *dev, uint16_t x1, uint16_t x2,
-                      uint16_t y1, uint16_t y2)
-{
-    be_uint16_t params[2];
-
-    x1 += dev->params->offset_x;
-    x2 += dev->params->offset_x;
-    y1 += dev->params->offset_y;
-    y2 += dev->params->offset_y;
-
-    params[0] = byteorder_htons(x1);
-    params[1] = byteorder_htons(x2);
-
-    /* Function is called by a high level function of the LCD driver where
-     * the device is already acquired. So we don't must acquire it here.
-     * Therefore the low level write command function is called. */
-    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_CASET, (uint8_t *)params,
-                     sizeof(params));
-    params[0] = byteorder_htons(y1);
-    params[1] = byteorder_htons(y2);
-    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_PASET, (uint8_t *)params,
-                     sizeof(params));
-}
-
 const lcd_driver_t lcd_ili9341_driver = {
     .init = _init,
-    .set_area = _set_area,
+    .set_area = NULL, /* default implementation is used */
 };
diff --git a/drivers/include/lcd.h b/drivers/include/lcd.h
index a44d6bb7f6..a29163342f 100644
--- a/drivers/include/lcd.h
+++ b/drivers/include/lcd.h
@@ -126,6 +126,11 @@ struct lcd_driver {
     /**
      * @brief   Set area LCD work area
      *
+     * This function pointer can be NULL if the controller specific driver
+     * does not require anything special. In this case the default
+     * implementation is used which sets the column addresses and the row
+     * addresses of the area including the coordinates of the opposite corner.
+     *
      * @param[in] dev  Pointer to the selected driver
      * @param[in] x1   x coordinate of the first corner
      * @param[in] x2   x coordinate of the opposite corner
diff --git a/drivers/lcd/lcd.c b/drivers/lcd/lcd.c
index c903a1b94a..8abe505189 100644
--- a/drivers/lcd/lcd.c
+++ b/drivers/lcd/lcd.c
@@ -82,11 +82,39 @@ static void _lcd_cmd_start(const lcd_t *dev, uint8_t cmd, bool cont)
     gpio_set(dev->params->dcx_pin);
 }
 
+static void _lcd_set_area_default(const lcd_t *dev, uint16_t x1, uint16_t x2,
+                                  uint16_t y1, uint16_t y2)
+{
+    be_uint16_t params[2];
+
+    x1 += dev->params->offset_x;
+    x2 += dev->params->offset_x;
+    y1 += dev->params->offset_y;
+    y2 += dev->params->offset_y;
+
+    /* Function is called by a high level function of the LCD driver where
+     * the device is already acquired. So we don't must acquire it here.
+     * Therefore the low level write command function is called. */
+
+    params[0] = byteorder_htons(x1);
+    params[1] = byteorder_htons(x2);
+    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_CASET, (uint8_t *)params,
+                     sizeof(params));
+    params[0] = byteorder_htons(y1);
+    params[1] = byteorder_htons(y2);
+    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_PASET, (uint8_t *)params,
+                     sizeof(params));
+}
+
 static void _lcd_set_area(const lcd_t *dev, uint16_t x1, uint16_t x2,
                           uint16_t y1, uint16_t y2)
 {
-    assert(dev->driver->set_area);
-    dev->driver->set_area(dev, x1, x2, y1, y2);
+    if (dev->driver->set_area) {
+        dev->driver->set_area(dev, x1, x2, y1, y2);
+    }
+    else {
+        _lcd_set_area_default(dev, x1, x2, y1, y2);
+    }
 }
 
 void lcd_ll_acquire(const lcd_t *dev)
diff --git a/drivers/st7735/st7735.c b/drivers/st7735/st7735.c
index 6977091e0e..63ab9fb84b 100644
--- a/drivers/st7735/st7735.c
+++ b/drivers/st7735/st7735.c
@@ -173,31 +173,7 @@ static int _init(lcd_t *dev, const lcd_params_t *params)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void _set_area(const lcd_t *dev, uint16_t x1, uint16_t x2,
-                      uint16_t y1, uint16_t y2)
-{
-    be_uint16_t params[2];
-
-    x1 += dev->params->offset_x;
-    x2 += dev->params->offset_x;
-    y1 += dev->params->offset_y;
-    y2 += dev->params->offset_y;
-
-    params[0] = byteorder_htons(x1);
-    params[1] = byteorder_htons(x2);
-
-    /* Function is called by a high level function of the LCD driver where
-     * the device is already acquired. So we don't must acquire it here.
-     * Therefore the low level write command function is called. */
-    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_CASET, (uint8_t *)params,
-                     sizeof(params));
-    params[0] = byteorder_htons(y1);
-    params[1] = byteorder_htons(y2);
-    lcd_ll_write_cmd(dev, LCD_CMD_PASET, (uint8_t *)params,
-                     sizeof(params));
-}
-
 const lcd_driver_t lcd_st7735_driver = {
     .init = _init,
-    .set_area = _set_area,
+    .set_area = NULL, /* default implementation is used */
 };