diff --git a/ampel-firmware/ampel-firmware.ino b/ampel-firmware/ampel-firmware.ino
index e4dacdbfbe7a7a6c8a10f19b86c8d81940754c40..00a8986511a6f49924a233e157c21d754070afe2 100644
--- a/ampel-firmware/ampel-firmware.ino
+++ b/ampel-firmware/ampel-firmware.ino
@@ -57,11 +57,12 @@
 
 
 /*****************************************************************
- * PreInit                                                         *
+ * PreInit                                                       *
  *****************************************************************/
 void preinit() {
-#ifndef AMPEL_WIFI
-  // Disable wifi as default
+#if !defined(AMPEL_WIFI) && defined(ESP8266)
+  // WiFi would be initialized otherwise (on ESP8266), even if unused.
+  // see https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/issues/2111#issuecomment-224251391
   ESP8266WiFiClass::preinitWiFiOff();
 #endif
 }