diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/CMakeLists.txt b/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/CMakeLists.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 11856690835..00000000000
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-
-if(CONFIG_GPIO_ESP32)
-  zephyr_library()
-  zephyr_library_sources(board_init.c)
-endif()
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/board_init.c b/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/board_init.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 981799d739f..00000000000
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/board_init.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2021 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
- */
-
-#include <zephyr/drivers/gpio.h>
-
-#define LED_R_PIN  DT_GPIO_PIN(DT_ALIAS(led2), gpios)
-#define LED_G_PIN  DT_GPIO_PIN(DT_ALIAS(led1), gpios)
-#define LED_B_PIN  DT_GPIO_PIN(DT_ALIAS(led0), gpios)
-#define BL_PIN     5
-
-static int board_esp_wrover_kit_init(void)
-{
-	const struct device *gpio;
-
-	gpio = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_NODELABEL(gpio0));
-	if (!device_is_ready(gpio)) {
-		return -ENODEV;
-	}
-
-	/* turns red LED off */
-	gpio_pin_configure(gpio, LED_R_PIN, GPIO_OUTPUT);
-	gpio_pin_set(gpio, LED_R_PIN, 0);
-
-	/* turns green LED off */
-	gpio_pin_configure(gpio, LED_G_PIN, GPIO_OUTPUT);
-	gpio_pin_set(gpio, LED_G_PIN, 0);
-
-	/* turns blue LED off */
-	gpio_pin_configure(gpio, LED_B_PIN, GPIO_OUTPUT);
-	gpio_pin_set(gpio, LED_B_PIN, 0);
-
-	/* turns LCD backlight on */
-	gpio_pin_configure(gpio, BL_PIN, GPIO_OUTPUT);
-	gpio_pin_set(gpio, BL_PIN, 0);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-SYS_INIT(board_esp_wrover_kit_init, APPLICATION, CONFIG_GPIO_INIT_PRIORITY);
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/esp_wrover_kit.dts b/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/esp_wrover_kit.dts
index 05f7a00b2da..54ded2ac1b3 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/esp_wrover_kit.dts
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp_wrover_kit/esp_wrover_kit.dts
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@
 
 &gpio0 {
 	status = "okay";
+
+	/* FIXME: should be part of the display node */
+	lcd-backlight {
+		gpio-hog;
+		gpios = <5 GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>;
+		output-low;
+	};
 };
 
 &gpio1 {