diff --git a/arch/risc-v/src/esp32c3-legacy/Kconfig b/arch/risc-v/src/esp32c3-legacy/Kconfig
index 99d3140341..2d88a55334 100644
--- a/arch/risc-v/src/esp32c3-legacy/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/risc-v/src/esp32c3-legacy/Kconfig
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ config ESP32C3_HAVE_OTA_PARTITION
 menu "Bootloader and Image Configuration"
 
 config ESP32C3_APP_FORMAT_LEGACY
-	bool
+	bool "Enable legacy IDF bootloader format"
 	default y if !ESP32C3_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT
 	depends on !ESP32C3_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT
 	---help---
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Kconfig b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Kconfig
index be4846b3c8..6f603ebf1e 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32/Kconfig
@@ -2503,7 +2503,7 @@ config ESP32_HAVE_OTA_PARTITION
 menu "Bootloader and Image Configuration"
 
 config ESP32_APP_FORMAT_LEGACY
-	bool
+	bool "Enable legacy IDF bootloader format"
 	default y if !ESP32_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT
 	depends on !ESP32_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT
 	---help---
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s3/Kconfig b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s3/Kconfig
index ecf696b7e4..c2d0f63471 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s3/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/src/esp32s3/Kconfig
@@ -2275,11 +2275,12 @@ config ESP32S3_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT
 		Enables the Espressif port of MCUboot to be used as 2nd stage bootloader.
 
 config ESP32S3_APP_FORMAT_LEGACY
-	bool
+	bool "Enable legacy IDF bootloader format"
 	default y if BUILD_PROTECTED
 	---help---
 		This is the legacy application image format, as supported by the ESP-IDF
-		2nd stage bootloader.
+		2nd stage bootloader. Please note that this requires ESP-IDF toolchain
+		to be built properly.
 
 choice
 	prompt "Target slot for image flashing"