diff --git a/.gitlab/CODEOWNERS b/.gitlab/CODEOWNERS
index e1f7f2186b..314aa362db 100644
--- a/.gitlab/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.gitlab/CODEOWNERS
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@
 /components/esp_trace/                @esp-idf-codeowners/debugging
 /components/esp_usb_cdc_rom_console/  @esp-idf-codeowners/system @esp-idf-codeowners/peripherals/usb
 /components/esp_wifi/                 @esp-idf-codeowners/wifi
+/components/esp_wifi/remote/          @esp-idf-codeowners/network
 /components/espcoredump/              @esp-idf-codeowners/debugging
 /components/esptool_py/               @esp-idf-codeowners/tools
 /components/fatfs/                    @esp-idf-codeowners/storage
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp_wifi/CMakeLists.txt
index 1a9e8094ba..e781dfd0b5 100644
--- a/components/esp_wifi/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 idf_build_get_property(idf_target IDF_TARGET)
 
 if(${idf_target} STREQUAL "linux")
-    return() # This component is not supported by the POSIX/Linux simulator
+    idf_component_register()    # Register empty component for first CMake pass for potential *Remote* functionality
+    add_subdirectory(remote)    # wifi-remote on linux host
+    return() # *Local* esp-wifi component is not supported by the POSIX/Linux simulator
 endif()
 
 if( NOT CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_ENABLED
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ if( NOT CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_ENABLED
     # (implementation supported optionally in a managed component esp_wifi_remote)
     idf_component_register(SRCS "${srcs}"
                     INCLUDE_DIRS "include" "wifi_apps/nan_app/include")
+    add_subdirectory(remote)    # wifi-remote on esp32p4/h2 (no wifi)
     return()
 endif()
 
@@ -113,3 +116,5 @@ endif()
 if(CONFIG_SPIRAM)
     idf_component_optional_requires(PRIVATE esp_psram)
 endif()
+
+add_subdirectory(remote)    # wifi-remote as a secondary wifi interface (on wifi targets)
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/Kconfig b/components/esp_wifi/Kconfig
index f1d7256957..acdbff6c45 100644
--- a/components/esp_wifi/Kconfig
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/Kconfig
@@ -884,3 +884,5 @@ menu "Wi-Fi"
     endif # wifi enabled
 
 endmenu # Wi-Fi
+
+rsource "remote/Kconfig.remote"
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/remote/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp_wifi/remote/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..54280152fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/remote/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# CMakeLists.txt remote functionality for esp_wifi component
+return()
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/remote/Kconfig.remote b/components/esp_wifi/remote/Kconfig.remote
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b2513ece49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/remote/Kconfig.remote
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Configuration of remote functionality for esp_wifi component
diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/remote/README.md b/components/esp_wifi/remote/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..abd21ef5dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/remote/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Placeholder for "remote" functionality of esp_wifi component.
+
+This functionality is currently provided by a standalone component "esp_wifi_remote" -- an external component developed in https://github.com/espressif/esp-wifi-remote repository