diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/README.txt b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/README.txt
index c1166ed74b..36c68ba45b 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/README.txt
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/README.txt
@@ -782,6 +782,18 @@ NOTES:
     Once booted the following command is used to mount a FAT file system:
         mount -t vfat /dev/mmcsd0 /mnt
 
+  spiflash:
+
+    This config tests the external SPI that comes with an ESP32 module connected
+    through SPI1.
+
+    By default a SmartFS file system is selected.
+    Once booted you can use the following commands to mount the file system:
+        mksmartfs /dev/smart0
+        mount -t smartfs /dev/smart0 /mnt
+
+    Note that mksmartfs is only needed the first time.
+
 Things to Do
 ============
 
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/configs/spiflash/defconfig b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/configs/spiflash/defconfig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4825b63db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-core/configs/spiflash/defconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#
+# This file is autogenerated: PLEASE DO NOT EDIT IT.
+#
+# You can use "make menuconfig" to make any modifications to the installed .config file.
+# You can then do "make savedefconfig" to generate a new defconfig file that includes your
+# modifications.
+#
+# CONFIG_NSH_ARGCAT is not set
+# CONFIG_NSH_CMDOPT_HEXDUMP is not set
+# CONFIG_NSH_CMDPARMS is not set
+CONFIG_ARCH="xtensa"
+CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD="esp32-core"
+CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD_ESP32CORE=y
+CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP="esp32"
+CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP_ESP32=y
+CONFIG_ARCH_STACKDUMP=y
+CONFIG_ARCH_XTENSA=y
+CONFIG_BOARD_LOOPSPERMSEC=16717
+CONFIG_BUILTIN=y
+CONFIG_ESP32_SPIFLASH=y
+CONFIG_ESP32_UART0=y
+CONFIG_FS_PROCFS=y
+CONFIG_FS_SMARTFS=y
+CONFIG_HAVE_CXX=y
+CONFIG_HAVE_CXXINITIALIZE=y
+CONFIG_IDLETHREAD_STACKSIZE=3072
+CONFIG_INTELHEX_BINARY=y
+CONFIG_MAX_TASKS=16
+CONFIG_MM_REGIONS=2
+CONFIG_MTD_SMART=y
+CONFIG_NFILE_DESCRIPTORS=8
+CONFIG_NSH_ARCHINIT=y
+CONFIG_NSH_BUILTIN_APPS=y
+CONFIG_NSH_DISABLE_LOSMART=y
+CONFIG_NSH_FILEIOSIZE=512
+CONFIG_NSH_LINELEN=64
+CONFIG_NSH_READLINE=y
+CONFIG_PREALLOC_TIMERS=4
+CONFIG_RAM_SIZE=114688
+CONFIG_RAM_START=0x20000000
+CONFIG_RAW_BINARY=y
+CONFIG_RR_INTERVAL=200
+CONFIG_SCHED_WAITPID=y
+CONFIG_SDCLONE_DISABLE=y
+CONFIG_SPI=y
+CONFIG_START_DAY=6
+CONFIG_START_MONTH=12
+CONFIG_START_YEAR=2011
+CONFIG_SYSTEM_NSH=y
+CONFIG_UART0_SERIAL_CONSOLE=y
+CONFIG_USER_ENTRYPOINT="nsh_main"