diff --git a/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf.mk b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf.mk
index 4d2a2b7e31..92cd2315c2 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf.mk
+++ b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # common definitions for all ESP-IDF modules
 
-# additional include pathes required by als ESP-IDF module
+# additional include pathes required by ESP-IDF module
 INCLUDES += -I$(ESP32_SDK_DIR)/components/bootloader_support/include
 INCLUDES += -I$(ESP32_SDK_DIR)/components/bootloader_support/include_bootloader
 INCLUDES += -I$(ESP32_SDK_DIR)/components/driver/$(CPU_FAM)/include
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf_cflags.mk b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf_cflags.mk
index 3e7ac6b896..a78bccfe0b 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf_cflags.mk
+++ b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/esp_idf_cflags.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # common definitions for all ESP-IDF modules
 
+# indicate that ESP-IDF code is compiled
+CFLAGS += -DESP_IDF_CODE
+
 # shortcuts used by ESP-IDF
 CFLAGS += -Dasm=__asm
 CFLAGS += -Dtypeof=__typeof__
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/include/driver/gpio.h b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/include/driver/gpio.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..154519993c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/esp32/esp-idf/include/driver/gpio.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#ifndef DRIVER_GPIO_H
+#define DRIVER_GPIO_H
+
+#ifdef ESP_IDF_CODE
+
+#include_next "driver/gpio.h"
+
+#else
+
+#include "hal/gpio_types.h"
+
+#define GPIO_PIN_COUNT  (SOC_GPIO_PIN_COUNT)
+
+#endif
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* DRIVER_GPIO_H */