diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
index b554ba56e746..83fbf7f2a5eb 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.include
@@ -38,10 +38,12 @@ ifneq (,$(filter esp_gdbstub,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_now,$(USEMODULE)))
+    $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
     USEMODULE += esp_wifi_any
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter esp_wifi,$(USEMODULE)))
+    $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
     USEMODULE += esp_wifi_any
 endif
 
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c b/cpu/esp32/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
index eb971f2d9893..551937f38152 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ static wifi_config_t wifi_config_sta = {
     .sta = {
         .ssid = ESP_WIFI_SSID,
         .password = ESP_WIFI_PASS,
+        .bssid_set = 0,
         .channel = 0,
         .scan_method = WIFI_ALL_CHANNEL_SCAN,
         .sort_method = WIFI_CONNECT_AP_BY_SIGNAL,
@@ -205,25 +206,32 @@ static void esp_wifi_setup (esp_wifi_netdev_t* dev)
 {
     DEBUG("%s: %p\n", __func__, dev);
 
+    /* initialize buffer */
+    dev->rx_len = 0;
+
+    /* set the event handler */
+    esp_system_event_add_handler(_esp_system_event_handler, NULL);
+
     /*
      * Init the WiFi driver. TODO It is not only required before ESP_WIFI is
      * initialized but also before other WiFi functions are used. Once other
      * WiFi functions are realized it has to be moved to a more common place.
      */
+    esp_err_t result;
+
+#ifndef MODULE_ESP_NOW
+    /* if esp_now is used, the following part is already done */
     extern portMUX_TYPE g_intr_lock_mux;
     mutex_init(&g_intr_lock_mux);
 
-    esp_system_event_add_handler (_esp_system_event_handler, NULL);
-
-    esp_err_t result;
-    #if CONFIG_ESP32_WIFI_NVS_ENABLED
+#if CONFIG_ESP32_WIFI_NVS_ENABLED
     result = nvs_flash_init();
     if (result != ESP_OK) {
         LOG_TAG_ERROR("esp_wifi", "nfs_flash_init failed "
                       "with return value %d\n", result);
         return;
     }
-    #endif
+#endif /* CONFIG_ESP32_WIFI_NVS_ENABLED */
 
     /* initialize the WiFi driver with default configuration */
     wifi_init_config_t cfg = WIFI_INIT_CONFIG_DEFAULT();
@@ -242,9 +250,9 @@ static void esp_wifi_setup (esp_wifi_netdev_t* dev)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    #ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_COUNTRY
+#ifdef CONFIG_WIFI_COUNTRY
     /* TODO */
-    #endif
+#endif /* CONFIG_WIFI_COUNTRY */
 
     result = esp_wifi_set_mode(WIFI_MODE_STA);
     if (result != ESP_OK) {
@@ -252,6 +260,7 @@ static void esp_wifi_setup (esp_wifi_netdev_t* dev)
                       "with return value %d\n", result);
         return;
     }
+#endif /* MODULE_ESP_NOW */
 
     /* set the Station configuration */
     result = esp_wifi_set_config(ESP_IF_WIFI_STA, &wifi_config_sta);
@@ -474,8 +483,12 @@ void auto_init_esp_wifi (void)
     esp_wifi_setup(&_esp_wifi_dev);
     _esp_wifi_dev.event = SYSTEM_EVENT_MAX; /* no event */
     _esp_wifi_dev.netif = gnrc_netif_ethernet_create(_esp_wifi_stack,
-                                                    ESP_WIFI_STACKSIZE, ESP_WIFI_PRIO,
-                                                    "netdev-esp-wifi",
+                                                    ESP_WIFI_STACKSIZE,
+#ifdef MODULE_ESP_NOW
+                                                    ESP_WIFI_PRIO - 1,
+#else
+                                                    ESP_WIFI_PRIO,
+#endif
                                                     "esp-wifi",
                                                     (netdev_t *)&_esp_wifi_dev);
 }
diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
index f60655f46245..469f86cb8333 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Makefile.include
@@ -33,7 +33,13 @@ ifneq (, $(filter esp_sw_timer, $(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += esp_sdk
 endif
 
-ifneq (, $(filter esp_now esp_wifi, $(USEMODULE)))
+ifneq (, $(filter esp_wifi, $(USEMODULE)))
+    $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
+    USEMODULE += esp_sdk
+    USEMODULE += netopt
+endif
+
+ifneq (, $(filter esp_now, $(USEMODULE)))
     $(eval GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(shell echo $$(($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)+1))))
     USEMODULE += esp_sdk
     USEMODULE += netopt
diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c b/cpu/esp8266/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
index 5b08c05f0b3c..b57bb2408cf0 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/esp-wifi/esp_wifi_netdev.c
@@ -356,12 +356,14 @@ static int IRAM _send(netdev_t *netdev, const iolist_t *iolist)
         return -EIO;
     }
 
+#ifndef MODULE_ESP_NOW
     if (wifi_get_opmode() != ESP_WIFI_MODE) {
         ESP_WIFI_DEBUG("WiFi is not in correct mode, cannot send");
         _in_send = false;
         critical_exit();
         return -EIO;
     }
+#endif
 
     const iolist_t *iol = iolist;
     size_t iol_len = 0;
@@ -688,7 +690,12 @@ void auto_init_esp_wifi(void)
 
     /* create netif */
     gnrc_netif_ethernet_create(_esp_wifi_stack, ESP_WIFI_STACKSIZE,
-                               ESP_WIFI_PRIO, "esp_wifi",
+#ifdef MODULE_ESP_NOW
+                               ESP_WIFI_PRIO - 1,
+#else
+                               ESP_WIFI_PRIO,
+#endif
+                               "esp-wifi",
                                (netdev_t *)&_esp_wifi_dev);
 }
 
diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/esp-now/esp_now_netdev.c b/cpu/esp_common/esp-now/esp_now_netdev.c
index 00b5b48cefdd..e1ef709565f2 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/esp-now/esp_now_netdev.c
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/esp-now/esp_now_netdev.c
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@
 
 #endif /* MCU_ESP8266 */
 
+#if MODULE_ESP_WIFI && !ESP_NOW_UNICAST
+#error If module esp_wifi is used, module esp_now has to be used in unicast mode
+#endif
 
 /**
  * There is only one ESP-NOW device. We define it as static device variable
@@ -404,13 +407,6 @@ esp_now_netdev_t *netdev_esp_now_setup(void)
     }
 
 #ifdef MCU_ESP32
-    /*
-     * Init the WiFi driver. TODO It is not only required before ESP_NOW is
-     * initialized but also before other WiFi functions are used. Once other
-     * WiFi functions are realized it has to be moved to a more common place.
-     */
-    extern portMUX_TYPE g_intr_lock_mux;
-    mutex_init(&g_intr_lock_mux);
 
     /* initialize buffer */
     dev->rx_len = 0;
@@ -418,7 +414,12 @@ esp_now_netdev_t *netdev_esp_now_setup(void)
     /* set the event handler */
     esp_system_event_add_handler(_esp_system_event_handler, NULL);
 
+    /* init the WiFi driver */
+    extern portMUX_TYPE g_intr_lock_mux;
+    mutex_init(&g_intr_lock_mux);
+
     esp_err_t result;
+
 #if CONFIG_ESP32_WIFI_NVS_ENABLED
     result = nvs_flash_init();
     if (result != ESP_OK) {
@@ -504,7 +505,8 @@ esp_now_netdev_t *netdev_esp_now_setup(void)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    /* start the WiFi driver */
+#ifndef MODULE_ESP_WIFI
+    /* start WiFi if esp_wifi is not used, otherwise it is done by esp_wifi */
     result = esp_wifi_start();
     if (result != ESP_OK) {
         LOG_TAG_ERROR("esp_now",
@@ -516,6 +518,8 @@ esp_now_netdev_t *netdev_esp_now_setup(void)
     esp_wifi_set_mac(ESP_IF_WIFI_STA, (uint8_t*)_esp_now_mac);
 #endif
 
+#endif /* MODULE_ESP_WIFI */
+
 #else /* MCU_ESP32 */
 
     int result;
diff --git a/sys/auto_init/auto_init.c b/sys/auto_init/auto_init.c
index dba857606724..874ce21a8e55 100644
--- a/sys/auto_init/auto_init.c
+++ b/sys/auto_init/auto_init.c
@@ -226,11 +226,13 @@ void auto_init(void)
     auto_init_esp_eth();
 #endif
 
+/* don't change the order of auto_init_esp_now and auto_init_esp_wifi */
 #ifdef MODULE_ESP_NOW
     extern void auto_init_esp_now(void);
     auto_init_esp_now();
 #endif
 
+/* don't change the order of auto_init_esp_now and auto_init_esp_wifi */
 #ifdef MODULE_ESP_WIFI
     extern void auto_init_esp_wifi(void);
     auto_init_esp_wifi();