diff --git a/components/esp_eth/include/esp_eth.h b/components/esp_eth/include/esp_eth.h
index 5d7d6d66dd..48f364f8b4 100644
--- a/components/esp_eth/include/esp_eth.h
+++ b/components/esp_eth/include/esp_eth.h
@@ -116,6 +116,21 @@ typedef struct {
 */
 esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_install(const esp_eth_config_t *config, esp_eth_handle_t *out_hdl);
 
+/**
+* @brief Start ethernet driver **ONLY** in standalone mode, i.e. without TCP/IP stack
+*
+* Note that ethernet driver is typically started as soon as it is attached to esp-netif.
+* This API should only be called if ethernet is used separately without esp-netif, for example
+* when esp_eth_config_t.stack_input is not NULL.
+*
+* @param[in] eth_handle handle of Ethernet driver
+*
+* @return
+*       - ESP_OK: starts ethernet driver
+*       - ESP_ERR_INVALID_STATE: if event loop hasn't been initialized
+*/
+esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_start(esp_eth_handle_t eth_handle);
+
 /**
 * @brief Uninstall Ethernet driver
 *
diff --git a/components/esp_eth/src/esp_eth.c b/components/esp_eth/src/esp_eth.c
index 475becb45f..dd4f369a25 100644
--- a/components/esp_eth/src/esp_eth.c
+++ b/components/esp_eth/src/esp_eth.c
@@ -151,16 +151,9 @@ static void eth_check_link_timer_cb(TimerHandle_t xTimer)
     phy->get_link(phy);
 }
 
-////////////////////////////////User face APIs////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// User has to pass the handle of Ethernet driver to each API.
-// Different Ethernet driver instance is identified with a unique handle.
-// It's helpful for us to support multiple Ethernet port on ESP32.
-//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-static esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_start(esp_netif_t * esp_netif, void * args)
+static esp_err_t esp_eth_post_attach_driver_start(esp_netif_t * esp_netif, void * args)
 {
     uint8_t eth_mac[6];
-    esp_err_t ret = ESP_OK;
     esp_eth_driver_t *eth_driver = args;
     eth_driver->base.netif = esp_netif;
 
@@ -177,6 +170,18 @@ static esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_start(esp_netif_t * esp_netif, void * args)
 
     esp_netif_set_mac(esp_netif, eth_mac);
     ESP_LOGI(TAG, "ETH netif started");
+    return esp_eth_driver_start(eth_driver);
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////User face APIs////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// User has to pass the handle of Ethernet driver to each API.
+// Different Ethernet driver instance is identified with a unique handle.
+// It's helpful for us to support multiple Ethernet port on ESP32.
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_start(esp_eth_handle_t eth_handle)
+{
+    esp_err_t ret = ESP_OK;
+    esp_eth_driver_t *eth_driver = eth_handle;
 
     ETH_CHECK(esp_event_post(ETH_EVENT, ETHERNET_EVENT_START, &eth_driver, sizeof(eth_driver), 0) == ESP_OK,
               "send ETHERNET_EVENT_START event failed", err_event, ESP_FAIL);
@@ -216,7 +221,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_eth_driver_install(const esp_eth_config_t *config, esp_eth_handle_
                                    eth_driver, eth_check_link_timer_cb);
     ETH_CHECK(eth_driver->check_link_timer, "create eth_link_timer failed", err_create_timer, ESP_FAIL);
     ETH_CHECK(xTimerStart(eth_driver->check_link_timer, 0) == pdPASS, "start eth_link_timer failed", err_start_timer, ESP_FAIL);
-    eth_driver->base.post_attach = esp_eth_driver_start;
+    eth_driver->base.post_attach = esp_eth_post_attach_driver_start;
     *out_hdl = (esp_eth_handle_t)eth_driver;
     tcpip_adapter_start_eth(eth_driver);
     return ESP_OK;
diff --git a/examples/ethernet/eth2ap/main/ethernet_example_main.c b/examples/ethernet/eth2ap/main/ethernet_example_main.c
index 7d65a5bff2..78c04b1e8b 100644
--- a/examples/ethernet/eth2ap/main/ethernet_example_main.c
+++ b/examples/ethernet/eth2ap/main/ethernet_example_main.c
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ static void initialize_ethernet(void)
     config.stack_input = pkt_eth2wifi;
     ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_eth_driver_install(&config, &s_eth_handle));
     esp_eth_ioctl(s_eth_handle, ETH_CMD_S_PROMISCUOUS, (void *)true);
+    esp_eth_driver_start(s_eth_handle);
 }
 
 static void initialize_wifi(void)