diff --git a/tests/driver_ws281x/Makefile b/tests/driver_ws281x/Makefile
index 94b8cfdb6e24..4859d3ada13f 100644
--- a/tests/driver_ws281x/Makefile
+++ b/tests/driver_ws281x/Makefile
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ USEMODULE += xtimer
 # is clocked at 14.7456 MHz :-/
 BOARD_BLACKLIST := waspmote-pro
 
+EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS += $(RIOTBASE)/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards
+
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
 
 ifneq (, $(PIN))
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep
index 4b5fcc49216b..dc71b3709ff7 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -28,4 +28,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter ws281x,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += ws281x_esp32_sw
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32-wrover-kit/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config
index c30b516e1fd6..44653e261c4d 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32-ci/esp32-ci.config
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_QEMU=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_SPI_RAM=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_WS281X_ESP32_HW=n
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/Makefile.dep
index 991cc2548789..1dc284cf648b 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/Makefile.dep
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -22,4 +22,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter ws281x,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += ws281x_esp32_sw
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32c3-devkit/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/esp32c3-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/esp32c3-ci.config
index 6bf62c20c7f1..e3b2ed67739a 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/esp32c3-ci.config
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32c3-ci/esp32c3-ci.config
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_JTAG=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_IDF_HEAP=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_WS281X_ESP32_HW=n
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/Makefile.dep
index 87b1758911db..d97d035edc1a 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/Makefile.dep
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -27,4 +27,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter ws281x,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += ws281x_esp32_sw
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32s2-devkit/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/esp32s2-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/esp32s2-ci.config
index f44438949b5e..7f09f6bcb35b 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/esp32s2-ci.config
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s2-ci/esp32s2-ci.config
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_JTAG=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_SPI_RAM=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_WS281X_ESP32_HW=n
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/Makefile.dep b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/Makefile.dep
index 9a0717f802ac..224eb42c03c4 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/Makefile.dep
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/Makefile.dep
@@ -27,4 +27,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter ws281x,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += ws281x_esp32_sw
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/esp32s3-devkit/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/esp32s3-ci.config b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/esp32s3-ci.config
index f44438949b5e..7f09f6bcb35b 100644
--- a/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/esp32s3-ci.config
+++ b/tests/external_board_dirs/esp-ci-boards/esp32s3-ci/esp32s3-ci.config
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_JTAG=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_STARTUP=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_LOG_TAGGED=y
 CONFIG_MODULE_ESP_SPI_RAM=y
+CONFIG_MODULE_WS281X_ESP32_HW=n