diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/include/board_qencoder.h b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/include/board_qencoder.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..97c3915991b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/include/board_qencoder.h
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * boards/xtensa/esp32/common/include/board_qencoder.h
+ *
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.  The
+ * ASF licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+ * License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef __BOARDS_XTENSA_ESP32_COMMON_INCLUDE_BOARD_QENCODER_H
+#define __BOARDS_XTENSA_ESP32_COMMON_INCLUDE_BOARD_QENCODER_H
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Included Files
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#include <nuttx/config.h>
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Pre-processor Definitions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Types
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Data
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+#define EXTERN extern "C"
+extern "C"
+{
+#else
+#define EXTERN extern
+#endif
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Inline Functions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Function Prototypes
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: board_qencoder_initialize
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Initialize the quadrature encoder driver for the given timer
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+int board_qencoder_initialize(int devno, int timerno);
+
+#undef EXTERN
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __BOARDS_XTENSA_ESP32_COMMON_INCLUDE_BOARD_QENCODER_H */
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/Make.defs b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/Make.defs
index 84b6e11c972..b62c3ac229a 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/Make.defs
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/Make.defs
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_ESP32_I2S),y)
   CSRCS += esp32_board_i2sdev.c
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_ESP32_PCNT_AS_QE),y)
+  CSRCS += esp32_qencoder.c
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_AUDIO_CS4344),y)
   CSRCS += esp32_cs4344.c
 endif
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_qencoder.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_qencoder.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cf1ecdd3d6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_qencoder.c
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/****************************************************************************
+ * boards/xtensa/esp32/common/src/esp32_qencoder.c
+ *
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+ * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.  The
+ * ASF licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+ * License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Included Files
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+#include <nuttx/config.h>
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <debug.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include <nuttx/sensors/qencoder.h>
+#include <arch/board/board.h>
+
+#include "esp32_qencoder.h"
+#include "chip.h"
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Public Functions
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: board_qencoder_initialize
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Initialize the quadrature encoder driver for the given timer
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+int board_qencoder_initialize(int devno, int pcntno)
+{
+  int ret;
+  char devpath[12];
+
+  /* Initialize a quadrature encoder interface. */
+
+  sninfo("Initializing the quadrature encoder using PCNT%d\n", pcntno);
+  snprintf(devpath, sizeof(devpath), "/dev/qe%d", devno);
+  ret = esp32_qeinitialize(devpath, pcntno);
+  if (ret < 0)
+    {
+      snerr("ERROR: esp32_qeinitialize failed: %d\n", ret);
+    }
+
+  return ret;
+}
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32-devkitc.h b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32-devkitc.h
index d173179f5a6..fae556a816d 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32-devkitc.h
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32-devkitc.h
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 
 #define GPIO_LED1             2
 
+/* PCNT Quadrature Encoder IDs */
+
+#define PCNT_QE0_ID           0
+
 /* MCP2515 Interrupt pin */
 
 #define GPIO_MCP2515_IRQ      22
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
index 2566b5af0e4..2335a31a1b0 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/src/esp32_bringup.c
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@
 #  include "esp32_i2s.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ESP32_PCNT_AS_QE
+#  include "board_qencoder.h"
+#endif
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_I2CMULTIPLEXER_TCA9548A
 #  include "esp32_tca9548a.h"
 #endif
@@ -398,6 +402,19 @@ int esp32_bringup(void)
     }
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SENSORS_QENCODER
+  /* Initialize and register the qencoder driver */
+
+  ret = board_qencoder_initialize(0, PCNT_QE0_ID);
+  if (ret != OK)
+    {
+      syslog(LOG_ERR,
+             "ERROR: Failed to register the qencoder: %d\n",
+             ret);
+      return ret;
+    }
+#endif
+
   /* Register the TCA9548A Multiplexer before others I2C drivers to allow it
    * be used by other drivers. Look at esp32_ms5611.c how to use it.
    */