diff --git a/cpu/esp32/startup.c b/cpu/esp32/startup.c
index 5b4afb6f1311..50f21d1eb85f 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/startup.c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/startup.c
@@ -147,6 +147,14 @@ static NORETURN void IRAM system_startup_cpu0(void)
     puf_sram_init((uint8_t *)&_sheap, SEED_RAM_LEN);
 #endif
 
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP)
+    /* init heap */
+    heap_caps_init();
+    if (IS_ACTIVE(ENABLE_DEBUG)) {
+        ets_printf("Heap free: %u byte\n", get_free_heap_size());
+    }
+#endif
+
     /* initialize system call tables of ESP32x rom and newlib */
     syscalls_init();
 
@@ -206,14 +214,6 @@ static NORETURN void IRAM system_startup_cpu0(void)
 
     LOG_STARTUP("PRO cpu is up (single core mode, only PRO cpu is used)\n");
 
-#if IS_USED(MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP)
-    /* init heap */
-    heap_caps_init();
-    if (IS_ACTIVE(ENABLE_DEBUG)) {
-        ets_printf("Heap free: %u byte\n", get_free_heap_size());
-    }
-#endif
-
     /* init esp_timer implementation */
     esp_timer_early_init();
 
diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/freertos/task.c b/cpu/esp_common/freertos/task.c
index 285bab2298fc..1914504f90f6 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/freertos/task.c
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/freertos/task.c
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ void vTaskDelete(TaskHandle_t xTaskToDelete)
     DEBUG("%s pid=%d task=%p\n", __func__, thread_getpid(), xTaskToDelete);
 
     uint32_t pid = (uint32_t)xTaskToDelete;
+    if (pid == 0) {
+        pid = thread_getpid();
+    }
     assert(pid_is_valid(pid));
 
     /* remove the task from scheduling */