diff --git a/.murdock b/.murdock
index 5549b63b0802..4f07b4f999ff 100755
--- a/.murdock
+++ b/.murdock
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ cc1352-launchpad
 cc2650-launchpad
 derfmega128
 dwm1001
+esp32-ci
 esp32-heltec-lora32-v2
+esp8266-ci
 esp8266-esp-12x
 hamilton
 hifive1
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ tests/driver_s*
 tests/driver_t*
 tests/driver_u*
 tests/driver_v*
+tests/external_board_dirs
 tests/periph_*
 tests/pkg_elk
 tests/pkg_uzlib
diff --git a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep
index e899893606d7..c79cb6fdc28e 100644
--- a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep
@@ -5,34 +5,4 @@ endif
 # Sets up configuration for openocd
 USEMODULE += esp_jtag
 
-# if compiled in CI, optional modules are selected for compile tests
-ifneq (,$(RIOT_CI_BUILD))
-  USEMODULE += esp_idf_heap
-  USEMODULE += esp_log_startup
-  USEMODULE += esp_log_tagged
-  USEMODULE += esp_qemu
-  USEMODULE += esp_spi_ram
-
-  ifneq (,$(filter periph_i2c,$(USEMODULE)))
-    USEMODULE += esp_i2c_hw
-  endif
-
-  ifneq (,$(filter periph_timer,$(USEMODULE)))
-    USEMODULE += esp_hw_counter
-  endif
-
-  ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-    # if netdev_default is used, we use gnrc modules that are enabled
-    # in different examples to use different esp_wifi modules
-    ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netif_single,$(USEMODULE)))
-      # if gnrc_netif_single module is enabled, esp_wifi_enterprise is used
-      USEMODULE += esp_wifi_enterprise
-    else
-      # in all other case esp_wifi_ap is enabled
-      USEMODULE += esp_wifi_ap
-    endif
-  endif
-
-endif
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp32/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.features b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.features
index c3a06b4d0fbb..4061dc907cb4 100644
--- a/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.features
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@ FEATURES_PROVIDED += arduino
 # This configuration enables modules that are only available when using Kconfig
 # module modelling
 ifeq (1, $(TEST_KCONFIG))
-  KCONFIG_BOARD_CONFIG += $(BOARDDIR)/esp32-wrover-kit.config
+  KCONFIG_BOARD_CONFIG += $(BOARDDIR)/$(BOARD).config
 endif
diff --git a/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep b/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
index 9de1a432c0a6..c60e4b8da17c 100644
--- a/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,22 +1 @@
-# if compiled in CI, optional modules are selected for compile tests
-ifneq (,$(RIOT_CI_BUILD))
-  USEMODULE += esp_log_tagged
-  USEMODULE += esp_log_startup
-  USEMODULE += esp_qemu
-
-  ifneq (,$(filter periph_timer,$(USEMODULE)))
-    USEMODULE += esp_sw_timer
-  endif
-
-  ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-    # if netdev_default is used, we use gnrc modules that are enabled
-    # in different examples to use different esp_wifi modules
-    ifeq (,$(filter gnrc_netif_single,$(USEMODULE)))
-      # if gnrc_netif_single module is not enabled, esp_wifi_ap is used
-      USEMODULE += esp_wifi_ap
-    endif
-  endif
-
-endif
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig b/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig
index d9beb65cac34..ec121a59e278 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig
@@ -27,4 +27,8 @@ config MODULE_PERIPH_RTT_HW_RTC
     bool
     default y if MODULE_PERIPH_RTT
 
+config MODULE_ESP_HW_COUNTER
+    bool "Use hardware counter"
+    depends on MODULE_PERIPH_TIMER
+
 endif # TEST_KCONFIG
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig.i2c b/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig.i2c
index fbbce1598b04..fb4daba14b01 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig.i2c
+++ b/cpu/esp32/periph/Kconfig.i2c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 if TEST_KCONFIG
 
-choice
+choice ESP32_I2C_IMPLEMENTATION
     bool "I2C implementation"
     depends on MODULE_PERIPH_I2C
     help
diff --git a/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig b/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
index 076fb9256175..175c85b9dc4d 100644
--- a/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp8266/Kconfig
@@ -84,5 +84,9 @@ config MODULE_ESP_I2C_SW
     default y if MODULE_PERIPH_I2C
     select MODULE_PERIPH_I2C_SW
 
+config MODULE_ESP_SW_TIMER
+    bool "Use software timer"
+    depends on MODULE_PERIPH_TIMER
+
 rsource "sdk/Kconfig"
 rsource "vendor/Kconfig"
diff --git a/cpu/esp_common/Kconfig b/cpu/esp_common/Kconfig
index aef54697a07b..c6668b1f6cd6 100644
--- a/cpu/esp_common/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/esp_common/Kconfig
@@ -111,6 +111,9 @@ config MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP
 
 endmenu
 
+config MODULE_ESP_QEMU
+    bool "Simulate ESP with QEMU"
+
 endif # TEST_KCONFIG
 
 rsource "freertos/Kconfig"
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/Makefile b/tests/external_board_dirs/Makefile
index ccece4711903..ffe3d946b8b1 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/Makefile
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/Makefile
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ FEATURES_REQUIRED += arch_native
 # Set without '?=' to also verify the docker integration when set with =
 EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS = $(CURDIR)/external_board_dir_1
 EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS += $(CURDIR)/external_board_dir_2
+EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS += $(CURDIR)/esp-ci-boards
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Kconfig b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5406aa99aa3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2020 HAW Hamburg
+#
+# This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+# General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+# directory for more details.
+
+config BOARD
+    default "esp32-ci" if BOARD_ESP32_CI
+
+config BOARD_ESP32_CI
+    bool
+    default y
+    select BOARD_COMMON_ESP32
+    select CPU_MODEL_ESP32_WROVER
+    select HAS_ARDUINO
+    select HAS_ESP_RTC_TIMER_32K
+    select HAS_ESP_JTAG
+    select HAS_PERIPH_ADC
+    select HAS_PERIPH_I2C
+    select HAS_PERIPH_PWM
+    select HAS_PERIPH_SPI
+    select HAS_SDCARD_SPI
+
+    select HAVE_ILI9341
+
+if TEST_KCONFIG
+
+choice ESP32_I2C_IMPLEMENTATION
+    default MODULE_ESP_I2C_HW
+endchoice
+
+config MODULE_ESP_HW_COUNTER
+    default y
+    depends on MODULE_PERIPH_TIMER
+
+endif # TEST_KCONFIG
+
+source "$(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp32/Kconfig"
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..dec9a827f4f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# This must be a different name than 'board' as it is implemented by 'esp32-wrover-kit'
+MODULE = board_esp32-ci
+
+DIRS += $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..53c688865188
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# This must be a different name than 'board' as it is implemented by 'esp32-wrover-kit'
+USEMODULE += board_esp32-ci
+
+USEMODULE += esp_idf_heap
+USEMODULE += esp_log_startup
+USEMODULE += esp_log_tagged
+USEMODULE += esp_qemu
+USEMODULE += esp_spi_ram
+
+ifneq (,$(filter periph_i2c,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += esp_i2c_hw
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter periph_timer,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += esp_hw_counter
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # if netdev_default is used, we use gnrc modules that are enabled
+  # in different examples to use different esp_wifi modules
+  ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netif_single,$(USEMODULE)))
+    # if gnrc_netif_single module is enabled, esp_wifi_enterprise is used
+    USEMODULE += esp_wifi_enterprise
+  else
+    # in all other case esp_wifi_ap is enabled
+    USEMODULE += esp_wifi_ap
+  endif
+endif
+
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.features b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ef014adbd782
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.features
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.include b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c2608e102b12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# We must duplicate the include done by $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
+# to also include the main board header
+INCLUDES += $(addprefix -I,$(wildcard $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit/include))
+
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4586b7c1587f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Sets up configuration for openocd
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_JTAG=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_QEMU=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_SPI_RAM=y
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Kconfig b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f791329e25ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2020 HAW Hamburg
+#
+# This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+# General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+# directory for more details.
+
+config BOARD
+    default "esp8266-ci" if BOARD_ESP8266_CI
+
+config BOARD_ESP8266_CI
+    bool
+    default y
+    select BOARD_COMMON_ESP8266
+    select CPU_MODEL_ESP8266_ESP_12X
+
+config MODULE_ESP_SW_TIMER
+    default y
+    depends on TEST_KCONFIG
+    depends on MODULE_PERIPH_TIMER
+
+source "$(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp8266/Kconfig"
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..af94ee48c228
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# This must be a different name than 'board' as it is implemented by 'esp8266-olimex-mod'
+MODULE = board_esp32-ci
+
+DIRS += $(RIOTBOARD)/esp8266-olimex-mod
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1386be6607bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+USEMODULE += esp_log_tagged
+USEMODULE += esp_log_startup
+USEMODULE += esp_qemu
+
+ifneq (,$(filter periph_timer,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += esp_sw_timer
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  # if netdev_default is used, we use gnrc modules that are enabled
+  # in different examples to use different esp_wifi modules
+  ifeq (,$(filter gnrc_netif_single,$(USEMODULE)))
+    # if gnrc_netif_single module is not enabled, esp_wifi_ap is used
+    USEMODULE += esp_wifi_ap
+  endif
+endif
+
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.features b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2ad25ff5c4cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.features
+
+ifeq (1, $(TEST_KCONFIG))
+  KCONFIG_ADD_CONFIG += $(BOARDDIR)/$(BOARD).config
+endif
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.include b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fcd817d21b0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# We must duplicate the include done by $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
+# to also include the main board header
+INCLUDES += $(addprefix -I,$(wildcard $(RIOTBOARD)/esp8266-olimex-mod/include))
+
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/esp8266-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/esp8266-ci.config
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e846e7274f36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp8266-ci/esp8266-ci.config
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Sets up configuration for openocd
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_QEMU=y
diff --git a/tests/periph_i2c/Makefile b/tests/periph_i2c/Makefile
index bafa06c4a255..f2d15953753b 100644
--- a/tests/periph_i2c/Makefile
+++ b/tests/periph_i2c/Makefile
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@ USEMODULE += xtimer
 # avoid running Kconfig by default
 SHOULD_RUN_KCONFIG ?=
 
+EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS += $(CURDIR)/../external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards
+
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include