diff --git a/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c b/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
index 0a6d196814..38a1eb33d0 100644
--- a/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
+++ b/pkg/nimble/netif/nimble_netif.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void _notify(int handle, nimble_netif_event_t event, uint8_t *addr)
     }
 }
 
-static void _netif_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+static int _netif_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     (void)netif;
 
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ static void _netif_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
      * of this */
     _netif.sixlo.max_frag_size = 0;
 #endif  /* IS_USED(MODULE_GNRC_NETIF_6LO) */
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static int _send_pkt(nimble_netif_conn_t *conn, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt)
diff --git a/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif.h b/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif.h
index 6bfc214fdd..2a3b515a48 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif.h
@@ -194,21 +194,26 @@ typedef struct {
  */
 struct gnrc_netif_ops {
     /**
-     * @brief   Initializes network interface beyond the default settings
+     * @brief   Initializes network interface.
      *
      * @pre `netif != NULL`
      *
      * @param[in] netif The network interface.
      *
-     * This is called after the network device's initial configuration, right
-     * before the interface's thread starts receiving messages. It is not
-     * necessary to lock the interface's mutex gnrc_netif_t::mutex, since it is
-     * already locked. Set to @ref gnrc_netif_default_init() if you do not need
-     * any special initialization. If you do need special initialization, it is
-     * recommended to call @ref gnrc_netif_default_init() at the start of the
-     * custom initialization function set here.
+     * This function should init the device driver or MAC underlying MAC layer.
+     * This is called right before the interface's thread starts receiving
+     * messages. It is not necessary to lock the interface's mutex
+     * gnrc_netif_t::mutex, since it is already locked. Set to @ref
+     * gnrc_netif_default_init() if you do not need any special initialization.
+     * If you do need special initialization, it is recommended to call @ref
+     * gnrc_netif_default_init() at the start of the custom initialization
+     * function set here.
+     *
+     * @return 0 if the initialization of the device or MAC layer was
+     * successful
+     * @return negative errno on error.
      */
-    void (*init)(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+    int (*init)(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 
     /**
      * @brief   Send a @ref net_gnrc_pkt "packet" over the network interface
@@ -537,7 +542,7 @@ static inline int gnrc_netif_ipv6_group_leave(const gnrc_netif_t *netif,
  *
  * @param[in] netif     The network interface.
  */
-void gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+int gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Default operation for gnrc_netif_ops_t::get()
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/gomach/gomach.c b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/gomach/gomach.c
index e16ec867f6..1c119e8e30 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/gomach/gomach.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/gomach/gomach.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
  */
 static kernel_pid_t gomach_pid;
 
-static void _gomach_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+static int _gomach_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static int _send(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt);
 static gnrc_pktsnip_t *_recv(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static void _gomach_msg_handler(gnrc_netif_t *netif, msg_t *msg);
@@ -2115,7 +2115,7 @@ static void _gomach_event_cb(netdev_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
     }
 }
 
-static void _gomach_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+static int _gomach_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     netdev_t *dev;
 
@@ -2216,4 +2216,6 @@ static void _gomach_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
         gnrc_gomach_set_update(netif, false);
         gomach_update(netif);
     }
+
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lwmac/lwmac.c b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lwmac/lwmac.c
index 1f6db58212..e4de75b6ef 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lwmac/lwmac.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lwmac/lwmac.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static void rtt_cb(void *arg);
 static void lwmac_set_state(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_lwmac_state_t newstate);
 static void lwmac_schedule_update(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static void rtt_handler(uint32_t event, gnrc_netif_t *netif);
-static void _lwmac_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+static int _lwmac_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static int _send(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt);
 static gnrc_pktsnip_t *_recv(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static void _lwmac_msg_handler(gnrc_netif_t *netif, msg_t *msg);
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ static void _lwmac_msg_handler(gnrc_netif_t *netif, msg_t *msg)
     }
 }
 
-static void _lwmac_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+static int _lwmac_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     netdev_t *dev;
 
@@ -984,4 +984,6 @@ static void _lwmac_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
     netif->mac.prot.lwmac.awake_duration_sum_ticks = 0;
     netif->mac.prot.lwmac.lwmac_info |= GNRC_LWMAC_RADIO_IS_ON;
 #endif
+
+    return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
index c0f1dd8bc8..f39752fc3b 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
@@ -1577,7 +1577,7 @@ static void _test_options(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 }
 #endif /* DEVELHELP */
 
-void gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+int gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     _init_from_device(netif);
 #ifdef DEVELHELP
@@ -1590,6 +1590,7 @@ void gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 #ifdef MODULE_GNRC_IPV6_NIB
     gnrc_ipv6_nib_init_iface(netif);
 #endif
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static void _send(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt, bool push_back);
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/lorawan/gnrc_netif_lorawan.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/lorawan/gnrc_netif_lorawan.c
index 17cca566a7..33314fe837 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/lorawan/gnrc_netif_lorawan.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/lorawan/gnrc_netif_lorawan.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static gnrc_pktsnip_t *_recv(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static void _msg_handler(gnrc_netif_t *netif, msg_t *msg);
 static int _get(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_netapi_opt_t *opt);
 static int _set(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const gnrc_netapi_opt_t *opt);
-static void _init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+static int _init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 
 static const gnrc_netif_ops_t lorawan_ops = {
     .init = _init,
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ netdev_t *gnrc_lorawan_get_netdev(gnrc_lorawan_t *mac)
     return netif->dev;
 }
 
-static void _init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+static int _init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     gnrc_netif_default_init(netif);
     netif->dev->event_callback = _driver_cb;
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@ static void _init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
     ztimer_set_msg(ZTIMER_MSEC, &netif->lorawan.backoff_timer,
                    GNRC_LORAWAN_BACKOFF_WINDOW_TICK / 1000,
                    &backoff_msg, thread_getpid());
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int gnrc_netif_lorawan_create(gnrc_netif_t *netif, char *stack, int stacksize,
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_netif/main.c b/tests/gnrc_netif/main.c
index 9a72758e31..120fb89193 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_netif/main.c
+++ b/tests/gnrc_netif/main.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static bool init_called = false;
 static uint8_t ethernet_groups[ETHERNET_GROUPS_MAX][ETHERNET_ADDR_LEN];
 static BITFIELD(ethernet_groups_set, ETHERNET_GROUPS_MAX);
 
-static inline void _test_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
+static inline int _test_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
 static inline int _mock_netif_send(gnrc_netif_t *netif, gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt);
 static inline gnrc_pktsnip_t *_mock_netif_recv(gnrc_netif_t * netif);
 static int _get_netdev_address(netdev_t *dev, void *value, size_t max_len);
@@ -113,11 +113,13 @@ static void _set_up(void)
     while (msg_try_receive(&msg) > 0) {}
 }
 
-static inline void _test_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
+static inline int _test_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
 {
     (void)netif;
     gnrc_netif_default_init(netif);
     init_called = true;
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 static void test_creation(void)