diff --git a/boards/esp32-olimex-evb/Makefile.include b/boards/esp32-olimex-evb/Makefile.include
index 020c145151..6367a3f004 100644
--- a/boards/esp32-olimex-evb/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/esp32-olimex-evb/Makefile.include
@@ -2,14 +2,10 @@ PSEUDOMODULES += olimex_esp32_gateway
 
 USEMODULE += boards_common_esp32
 
-# enables esp_eth as network device
+# enables esp_eth as default network device
+# cannot be done in Makefile.dep since Makefile.dep is included too late
 ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-    # avoid multiple definitions when package depenedencies are resolved recursively
-    ifndef MODULE_ESP_ETH_ADDED
-        MODULE_ESP_ETH_ADDED = 1
-        USEMODULE += esp_eth
-        $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
-    endif
+  USEMODULE += esp_eth
 endif
 
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp32/Makefile.include
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index f28699be1a..6a87a62685 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += esp_wifi_any
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter esp_eth,$(USEMODULE)))
+  $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter spiffs,$(USEMODULE)))
   export RIOT_TEST_TIMEOUT = 300
 endif