diff --git a/ports/espressif/mpconfigport.mk b/ports/espressif/mpconfigport.mk
index 502e7bf90fdce..c5c1198cd5b76 100644
--- a/ports/espressif/mpconfigport.mk
+++ b/ports/espressif/mpconfigport.mk
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ CIRCUITPY_ANALOGBUFIO ?= 1
 CIRCUITPY_AUDIOBUSIO ?= 1
 CIRCUITPY_AUDIOBUSIO_PDMIN ?= 0
 CIRCUITPY_AUDIOIO ?= 0
-CIRCUITPY_BLEIO ?= 1
 CIRCUITPY_BLEIO_HCI = 0
 CIRCUITPY_CANIO ?= 1
 CIRCUITPY_COUNTIO ?= 1
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ CIRCUITPY_ESP_USB_SERIAL_JTAG ?= 0
 
 # No room for _bleio on boards with 4MB flash
 ifeq ($(CIRCUITPY_ESP_FLASH_SIZE),4MB)
-CIRCUITPY_BLEIO = 0
+CIRCUITPY_BLEIO ?= 0
 endif
 
 endif
@@ -288,7 +287,7 @@ else
 CIRCUITPY_ALARM = 0
 endif
 CIRCUITPY_DUALBANK = 1
-CIRCUITPY_BLEIO = 0
+CIRCUITPY_BLEIO ?= 0
 CIRCUITPY_SETTABLE_PROCESSOR_FREQUENCY = 0
 else
 CIRCUITPY_SETTABLE_PROCESSOR_FREQUENCY = 1
@@ -299,7 +298,7 @@ ifeq ($(CIRCUITPY_ESP_FLASH_SIZE),2MB)
 CIRCUITPY_BITMAPFILTER ?= 0
 CIRCUITPY_DUALBANK = 0
 CIRCUITPY_AUDIOMP3 = 0
-CIRCUITPY_BLEIO = 0
+CIRCUITPY_BLEIO ?= 0
 endif
 
 # No room for _eve on boards with 4MB flash
@@ -307,6 +306,9 @@ ifeq ($(CIRCUITPY_ESP_FLASH_SIZE),4MB)
 CIRCUITPY__EVE = 0
 endif
 
+# default BLEIO after flash-size based defaults
+CIRCUITPY_BLEIO ?= 1
+
 # Modules dependent on other modules
 CIRCUITPY_ESPNOW ?= $(CIRCUITPY_WIFI)
 CIRCUITPY_GIFIO ?= $(CIRCUITPY_DISPLAYIO)