diff --git a/Documentation/platforms/xtensa/esp32/index.rst b/Documentation/platforms/xtensa/esp32/index.rst
index b92e9fe50c..fb4e9020e8 100644
--- a/Documentation/platforms/xtensa/esp32/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/platforms/xtensa/esp32/index.rst
@@ -631,8 +631,6 @@ Get or build QEMU from `here <https://github.com/espressif/qemu/wiki>`__.
 
 Enable the ``ESP32_QEMU_IMAGE`` config found in :menuselection:`Board Selection --> ESP32 binary image for QEMU`.
 
-Enable ``ESP32_APP_FORMAT_LEGACY``.
-
 Build and generate the QEMU image::
 
  $ make bootloader
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/configs/qemu_openeth/defconfig b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/configs/qemu_openeth/defconfig
index 928f0e2bc8..a256b849c2 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/configs/qemu_openeth/defconfig
+++ b/boards/xtensa/esp32/esp32-devkitc/configs/qemu_openeth/defconfig
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ CONFIG_ARCH_STACKDUMP=y
 CONFIG_ARCH_XTENSA=y
 CONFIG_BOARD_LOOPSPERMSEC=16717
 CONFIG_BUILTIN=y
-CONFIG_ESP32_APP_FORMAT_LEGACY=y
+CONFIG_ESP32_APP_FORMAT_MCUBOOT=y
 CONFIG_ESP32_OPENETH=y
 CONFIG_ESP32_QEMU_IMAGE=y
 CONFIG_ESP32_UART0=y