diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
index cc230f5cb4d36..2cedf51a273bd 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ USEMODULE += netstats_l2
 USEMODULE += netstats_ipv6
 USEMODULE += netstats_rpl
 USEMODULE += gnrc_netif_pktq
+USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154_submac
 
 # Comment this out to disable code in RIOT that does safety checking
 # which is not needed in a production environment but helps in the