diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
index 9778b679c5..77db8c52cf 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@
 #  include "esp32_spi.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_LCD_BACKPACK
+#  include "esp32_lcd_backpack.h"
+#endif
+
 #include "esp32-devkitc.h"
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -158,6 +162,16 @@ int esp32_bringup(void)
     }
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_LCD_BACKPACK
+  /* slcd:0, i2c:0, rows=2, cols=16 */
+
+  ret = board_lcd_backpack_init(0, 0, 2, 16);
+  if (ret < 0)
+    {
+      syslog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to initialize PCF8574 LCD, error %d\n", ret);
+    }
+#endif
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_FS_TMPFS
   /* Mount the tmpfs file system */