diff --git a/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c b/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
index 45a10c44a8..01f02f49c6 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/test/test_esp_netif.c
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ TEST_CASE("esp_netif: create and destroy default wifi interfaces", "[esp_netif][
     // Helper constants to refer default STA and AP's params
     static const esp_netif_inherent_config_t default_sta_cfg = ESP_NETIF_INHERENT_DEFAULT_WIFI_STA();
     static const esp_netif_inherent_config_t default_ap_cfg = ESP_NETIF_INHERENT_DEFAULT_WIFI_AP();
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_event_loop_create_default());
 
     // create default station
     esp_netif_t *sta = esp_netif_create_default_wifi_sta();
@@ -362,6 +363,7 @@ TEST_CASE("esp_netif: create and destroy default wifi interfaces", "[esp_netif][
     sta = esp_netif_create_default_wifi_sta();
     TEST_ASSERT_NOT_NULL(sta);
     esp_netif_destroy_default_wifi(sta);
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_event_loop_delete_default());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi_default.h b/components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi_default.h
index 79a176bfc0..45be8a640f 100644
--- a/components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi_default.h
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi_default.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2022 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019-2023 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ esp_err_t esp_wifi_clear_default_wifi_driver_and_handlers(void *esp_netif);
  * @brief Creates default WIFI AP. In case of any init error this API aborts.
  *
  * @note The API creates esp_netif object with default WiFi access point config,
- * attaches the netif to wifi and registers default wifi handlers.
+ * attaches the netif to wifi and registers wifi handlers to the default event loop.
+ * This API uses assert() to check for potential errors, so it could abort the program.
+ * (Note that the default event loop needs to be created prior to calling this API)
  *
  * @return pointer to esp-netif instance
  */
@@ -75,7 +77,9 @@ esp_netif_t* esp_netif_create_default_wifi_ap(void);
  * @brief Creates default WIFI STA. In case of any init error this API aborts.
  *
  * @note The API creates esp_netif object with default WiFi station config,
- * attaches the netif to wifi and registers default wifi handlers.
+ * attaches the netif to wifi and registers wifi handlers to the default event loop.
+ * This API uses assert() to check for potential errors, so it could abort the program.
+ * (Note that the default event loop needs to be created prior to calling this API)
  *
  * @return pointer to esp-netif instance
  */
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/src/wifi_default.c b/components/esp_wifi/src/wifi_default.c
index 21ff28f0b9..36a0d58415 100644
--- a/components/esp_wifi/src/wifi_default.c
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/src/wifi_default.c
@@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ esp_netif_t* esp_netif_create_default_wifi_ap(void)
     esp_netif_config_t cfg = ESP_NETIF_DEFAULT_WIFI_AP();
     esp_netif_t *netif = esp_netif_new(&cfg);
     assert(netif);
-    esp_netif_attach_wifi_ap(netif);
-    esp_wifi_set_default_wifi_ap_handlers();
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_netif_attach_wifi_ap(netif));
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_wifi_set_default_wifi_ap_handlers());
     return netif;
 }
 #endif
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@ esp_netif_t* esp_netif_create_default_wifi_sta(void)
     esp_netif_config_t cfg = ESP_NETIF_DEFAULT_WIFI_STA();
     esp_netif_t *netif = esp_netif_new(&cfg);
     assert(netif);
-    esp_netif_attach_wifi_station(netif);
-    esp_wifi_set_default_wifi_sta_handlers();
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_netif_attach_wifi_station(netif));
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_wifi_set_default_wifi_sta_handlers());
     return netif;
 }