diff --git a/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215.c b/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215.c
index df78e98d707e4..97450a17a35a8 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215.c
@@ -30,22 +30,24 @@
 #define ENABLE_DEBUG (0)
 #include "debug.h"
 
-static void _setup_interface(at86rf215_t *dev, const at86rf215_params_t *params)
+static void _setup_interface(at86rf215_t *dev, const at86rf215_params_t *params, uint8_t index)
 {
     netdev_t *netdev = (netdev_t *)dev;
 
     netdev->driver = &at86rf215_driver;
     dev->params = *params;
     dev->state = AT86RF215_STATE_OFF;
+
+    netdev_register(netdev, NETDEV_AT86RF215, index);
 }
 
-void at86rf215_setup(at86rf215_t *dev_09, at86rf215_t *dev_24, const at86rf215_params_t *params)
+void at86rf215_setup(at86rf215_t *dev_09, at86rf215_t *dev_24, const at86rf215_params_t *params, uint8_t index)
 {
     /* configure the sub-GHz interface */
     if (dev_09) {
         dev_09->RF = &RF09_regs;
         dev_09->BBC = &BBC0_regs;
-        _setup_interface(dev_09, params);
+        _setup_interface(dev_09, params, 2 * index);
         dev_09->sibling = dev_24;
     }
 
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ void at86rf215_setup(at86rf215_t *dev_09, at86rf215_t *dev_24, const at86rf215_p
     if (dev_24) {
         dev_24->RF = &RF24_regs;
         dev_24->BBC = &BBC1_regs;
-        _setup_interface(dev_24, params);
+        _setup_interface(dev_24, params, 2 * index + 1);
         dev_24->sibling = dev_09;
     }
 }
diff --git a/drivers/include/at86rf215.h b/drivers/include/at86rf215.h
index 2171ac1272968..67a31e65b9645 100644
--- a/drivers/include/at86rf215.h
+++ b/drivers/include/at86rf215.h
@@ -292,8 +292,9 @@ typedef struct at86rf215 {
  * @param[out] dev_09       sub-GHz device descriptor
  * @param[out] dev_24       2.4 GHz device descriptor
  * @param[in]  params       parameters for device initialization
+ * @param[in]  index        Index of the device in the parameter struct
  */
-void at86rf215_setup(at86rf215_t *dev_09, at86rf215_t *dev_24, const at86rf215_params_t *params);
+void at86rf215_setup(at86rf215_t *dev_09, at86rf215_t *dev_24, const at86rf215_params_t *params, uint8_t index);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Trigger a hardware reset and configure radio with default values.
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf215.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf215.c
index 4d43ada3a59c7..983af645b5ada 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf215.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/init_devs/auto_init_at86rf215.c
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ static inline void _setup_netif(gnrc_netif_t *netif, void* netdev, void* stack,
 void auto_init_at86rf215(void)
 {
     unsigned i = 0;
-    unsigned j = 0;
-    while (j < AT86RF215_NUM) {
+    for (unsigned j = 0; j < AT86RF215_NUM; ++j) {
 
         at86rf215_t *dev_09 = NULL;
         at86rf215_t *dev_24 = NULL;
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ void auto_init_at86rf215(void)
             ++i;
         }
 
-        at86rf215_setup(dev_09, dev_24, &at86rf215_params[j++]);
+        at86rf215_setup(dev_09, dev_24, &at86rf215_params[j], j);
 
         /* setup sub-GHz interface */
         _setup_netif(netif_09, dev_09, stack_09, AT86RF215_MAC_PRIO_SUBGHZ);