diff --git a/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig.h b/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig.h
index 536a5c716307..93cab5f7f700 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig.h
+++ b/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig.h
@@ -85,7 +85,25 @@ extern "C" {
  * Bootloader output baudrate, defined by the app settings as BAUD or
  * BOOTLOADER_BAUD.
  */
-#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE (RIOT_BOOTLOADER_BAUD)
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE    (RIOT_BOOTLOADER_BAUD)
+
+/*
+ * If custom TX and RX are defined, use custom UART configuration for 2nd stage
+ * bootloader.
+ */
+#if defined(CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_RX) && defined(CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_RX)
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_CUSTOM      1
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_TX_GPIO     CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_TX
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_RX_GPIO     CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_RX
+#else
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_DEFAULT     1
+#endif
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM)
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM         CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
+#else
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM         0
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig_default_common.h b/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig_default_common.h
index ed2e75999872..9dcdd78d9328 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig_default_common.h
+++ b/cpu/esp32/bootloader/sdkconfig_default_common.h
@@ -33,11 +33,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_FLASH_XMC_SUPPORT 1
 
 #define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART 1
-#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_DEFAULT 1
-#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM 0
-
-#define CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
-#define CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_DEFAULT CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_DEFAULT
 
 #define CONFIG_LOG_DEFAULT_LEVEL 3
 #define CONFIG_LOG_TIMESTAMP_SOURCE_RTOS 1
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/include/periph_cpu.h b/cpu/esp32/include/periph_cpu.h
index f813dfeefcb4..e90f857e4f6f 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/include/periph_cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/esp32/include/periph_cpu.h
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @brief   UART device used for STDIO
+ */
+#define STDIO_UART_DEV  CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
+
 /**
  * @name    Power management configuration
  * @{
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/include/sdkconfig.h b/cpu/esp32/include/sdkconfig.h
index e412962ab86f..d7a91d0d5d3d 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/include/sdkconfig.h
+++ b/cpu/esp32/include/sdkconfig.h
@@ -55,15 +55,15 @@
 /**
  * Default console configuration
  *
- * STDIO_UART_BAUDRATE is used as CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE and
+ * STDIO_UART_BAUDRATE is used as CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE and
  * can be overridden by an application specific configuration.
  */
-#define CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM 0
-#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM     CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
-
-#ifndef CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE
-#define CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE    STDIO_UART_BAUDRATE
+#ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM         CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM
+#else
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM         0
 #endif
+#define CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_BAUDRATE    STDIO_UART_BAUDRATE
 
 /**
  * Log output configuration (DO NOT CHANGE)
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/startup.c b/cpu/esp32/startup.c
index 344bbae44ba0..9455f4033aeb 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/startup.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/startup.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ static NORETURN void IRAM system_startup_cpu0(void)
 #endif
 
     /* initialize stdio */
-    esp_rom_uart_tx_wait_idle(CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM);
+    esp_rom_uart_tx_wait_idle(CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM);
     stdio_init();
 
     RESET_REASON reset_reason = rtc_get_reset_reason(PRO_CPU_NUM);
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ static NORETURN void IRAM system_init (void)
     /* starting RIOT */
 #if IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP)
     LOG_STARTUP("Starting RIOT kernel on PRO cpu\n");
-    esp_rom_uart_tx_wait_idle(CONFIG_CONSOLE_UART_NUM);
+    esp_rom_uart_tx_wait_idle(CONFIG_ESP_CONSOLE_UART_NUM);
 #else
     puts("");
 #endif
diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/periph/uart.c b/cpu/esp_common/periph/uart.c
index d6f836d253a1..021bf2a3d024 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/periph/uart.c
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/periph/uart.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 
 #else /* defined(MCU_ESP8266) */
 
+#include "esp_rom_gpio.h"
 #include "hal/interrupt_controller_types.h"
 #include "hal/interrupt_controller_ll.h"
 #include "soc/gpio_reg.h"
@@ -164,53 +165,33 @@ int uart_init(uart_t uart, uint32_t baudrate, uart_rx_cb_t rx_cb, void *arg)
     assert(uart < UART_NUMOF_MAX);
     assert(uart < UART_NUMOF);
 
-    /* UART1 and UART2 have configurable pins */
-    if ((UART_NUMOF > 1 && uart == UART_DEV(1)) ||
-        (UART_NUMOF > 2 && uart == UART_DEV(2))) {
-
-        /* reset the pins when they were already used as UART pins */
-        if (gpio_get_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd) == _UART) {
-            gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd, _GPIO);
-        }
-        if (gpio_get_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd) == _UART) {
-            gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd, _GPIO);
-        }
-
-        /* try to initialize the pins as GPIOs first */
-        if ((uart_config[uart].txd != GPIO_UNDEF &&
-             gpio_init(uart_config[uart].txd, GPIO_OUT)) ||
-            (uart_config[uart].rxd != GPIO_UNDEF &&
-             gpio_init(uart_config[uart].rxd, GPIO_IN))) {
-            return -1;
-        }
+#ifndef MCU_ESP8266
+    /* reset the pins when they were already used as UART pins */
+    if (gpio_get_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd) == _UART) {
+        gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd, _GPIO);
+    }
+    if (gpio_get_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd) == _UART) {
+        gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd, _GPIO);
+    }
 
-        /* store the usage type in GPIO table */
-        gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd, _UART);
-        gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd, _UART);
+    /* try to initialize the pins as GPIOs first */
+    if ((uart_config[uart].txd != GPIO_UNDEF &&
+         gpio_init(uart_config[uart].txd, GPIO_OUT)) ||
+        (uart_config[uart].rxd != GPIO_UNDEF &&
+         gpio_init(uart_config[uart].rxd, GPIO_IN_PU))) {
+        return -1;
+    }
 
-#ifdef MCU_ESP8266
-        if (uart_config[uart].txd != GPIO_UNDEF) {
-            uint8_t mux = _gpio_to_iomux[uart_config[uart].txd];
-            IOMUX.PIN[mux] = (IOMUX.PIN[mux] & ~IOMUX_PIN_FUNC_MASK) |
-                             IOMUX_FUNC(uart_config[uart].txd == GPIO2 ? 2 : 4);
-        }
-        if (uart_config[uart].rxd != GPIO_UNDEF) {
-            /* There's really only GPIO8 / FUNC(4) for this, but it is normally
-             * unusable because it is used by the internal flash. */
-            uint8_t mux = _gpio_to_iomux[uart_config[uart].rxd];
-            IOMUX.PIN[mux] = (IOMUX.PIN[mux] & ~IOMUX_PIN_FUNC_MASK) |
-                             IOMUX_FUNC(4);
-        }
-#else /* MCU_ESP8266 */
-        /* connect TxD pin to the TxD output signal through the GPIO matrix */
-        GPIO.func_out_sel_cfg[uart_config[uart].txd].func_sel = _uarts[uart].signal_txd;
+    /* store the usage type in GPIO table */
+    gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].txd, _UART);
+    gpio_set_pin_usage(uart_config[uart].rxd, _UART);
 
-        /* connect RxD input signal to the RxD pin through the GPIO matrix */
-        GPIO.func_in_sel_cfg[_uarts[uart].signal_rxd].sig_in_sel = 1;
-        GPIO.func_in_sel_cfg[_uarts[uart].signal_rxd].sig_in_inv = 0;
-        GPIO.func_in_sel_cfg[_uarts[uart].signal_rxd].func_sel = uart_config[uart].rxd;
+    esp_rom_gpio_connect_out_signal(uart_config[uart].txd,
+                                    _uarts[uart].signal_txd, false, false);
+    esp_rom_gpio_connect_in_signal(uart_config[uart].rxd,
+                                   _uarts[uart].signal_rxd, false);
 #endif /* MCU_ESP8266 */
-    }
+
     _uarts[uart].baudrate = baudrate;
 
     /* register interrupt context */