diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 3f23ccc089..329f44f8d9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ build_template_app:
   script:
     - git clone https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf-template.git
     - cd esp-idf-template
+    - make defconfig
     - make all
 
 test_nvs_on_host:
diff --git a/make/project.mk b/make/project.mk
index bfc9a2f7f6..99fa1c1a15 100644
--- a/make/project.mk
+++ b/make/project.mk
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 # Makefile is located.
 #
 
-.PHONY: build-components menuconfig all build clean all_binaries
+.PHONY: build-components menuconfig defconfig all build clean all_binaries
 all: all_binaries # other components will add dependencies to 'all_binaries'
 	@echo "To flash all build output, run 'make flash' or:"
 	@echo $(ESPTOOLPY_WRITE_FLASH) $(ESPTOOL_ALL_FLASH_ARGS)
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ help:
 	@echo "Welcome to Espressif IDF build system. Some useful make targets:"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "make menuconfig - Configure IDF project"
+	@echo "make defconfig - Set defaults for all new configuration options"
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "make all - Build app, bootloader, partition table"
 	@echo "make flash - Flash all components to a fresh chip"
diff --git a/make/project_config.mk b/make/project_config.mk
index b8808180c1..c813ac5849 100644
--- a/make/project_config.mk
+++ b/make/project_config.mk
@@ -28,10 +28,18 @@ ifeq ("$(wildcard $(PROJECT_PATH)/sdkconfig)","")
 $(PROJECT_PATH)/sdkconfig: menuconfig
 endif
 
+defconfig: $(KCONFIG_TOOL_DIR)/mconf $(IDF_PATH)/Kconfig $(BUILD_DIR_BASE)
+	$(vecho) DEFCONFIG
+	$(Q) mkdir -p $(PROJECT_PATH)/build/include/config
+	$(Q) KCONFIG_AUTOHEADER=$(PROJECT_PATH)/build/include/sdkconfig.h \
+	KCONFIG_CONFIG=$(PROJECT_PATH)/sdkconfig \
+	COMPONENT_KCONFIGS="$(COMPONENT_KCONFIGS)" \
+	COMPONENT_KCONFIGS_PROJBUILD="$(COMPONENT_KCONFIGS_PROJBUILD)" \
+	$(KCONFIG_TOOL_DIR)/conf --olddefconfig $(IDF_PATH)/Kconfig
 
 # Work out of whether we have to build the Kconfig makefile
 # (auto.conf), or if we're in a situation where we don't need it
-NON_CONFIG_TARGETS := clean %-clean get_variable help
+NON_CONFIG_TARGETS := clean %-clean get_variable help menuconfig defconfig
 AUTO_CONF_REGEN_TARGET := $(PROJECT_PATH)/build/include/config/auto.conf
 
 # disable AUTO_CONF_REGEN_TARGET if all targets are non-config targets