diff --git a/contrib/examples/example_app/lwipopts.h b/contrib/examples/example_app/lwipopts.h
index 994460f2e..b4ab028ce 100644
--- a/contrib/examples/example_app/lwipopts.h
+++ b/contrib/examples/example_app/lwipopts.h
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ void lwip_example_app_platform_assert(const char *msg, int line, const char *fil
 #define ESP_LWIP LWIP_NETCONN_FULLDUPLEX
 #define ESP_LWIP_IGMP_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ESP_LWIP
 #define ESP_LWIP_MLD6_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ESP_LWIP
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ESP_LWIP
 #define ESP_DNS ESP_LWIP
 #define ESP_LWIP_ARP ESP_LWIP
 
diff --git a/src/core/ipv4/dhcp.c b/src/core/ipv4/dhcp.c
index c09319091..e9712238a 100644
--- a/src/core/ipv4/dhcp.c
+++ b/src/core/ipv4/dhcp.c
@@ -80,9 +80,24 @@
 #include "lwip/etharp.h"
 #include "lwip/prot/dhcp.h"
 #include "lwip/prot/iana.h"
+#include "lwip/timeouts.h"
 
 #include <string.h>
 
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+#include <stdbool.h>
+static bool is_tmr_start = false;
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE() if (!is_tmr_start) {      \
+        sys_timeout(DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS, dhcp_fine_timeout_cb, NULL); \
+        is_tmr_start = true; }
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_CLOSE() if (is_tmr_start) {      \
+        sys_untimeout(dhcp_fine_timeout_cb, NULL);          \
+        is_tmr_start = false; }
+#else
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE()
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_CLOSE()
+#endif /* ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND */
+
 #ifdef LWIP_HOOK_FILENAME
 #include LWIP_HOOK_FILENAME
 #endif
@@ -308,6 +323,14 @@ dhcp_dec_pcb_refcount(void)
   }
 }
 
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+void dhcp_fine_timeout_cb(void *arg)
+{
+  LWIP_UNUSED_ARG(arg);
+  dhcp_fine_tmr();
+}
+#endif
+
 /**
  * Back-off the DHCP client (because of a received NAK response).
  *
@@ -368,6 +391,8 @@ dhcp_conflict_callback(struct netif *netif, acd_callback_enum_t state)
        msecs = 10 * 1000;
        dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
        LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE, ("dhcp_decline(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+       ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
+
       break;
     case ACD_DECLINE:
       /* remove IP address from interface
@@ -499,6 +524,7 @@ dhcp_select(struct netif *netif)
   msecs = (u16_t)((dhcp->tries < 6 ? 1 << dhcp->tries : 60) * 1000);
   dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
   LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_select(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -544,10 +570,15 @@ dhcp_coarse_tmr(void)
  * A DHCP server is expected to respond within a short period of time.
  * This timer checks whether an outstanding DHCP request is timed out.
  */
+
 void
 dhcp_fine_tmr(void)
 {
   struct netif *netif;
+
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+  bool tmr_restart = false;
+#endif /* ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND */
   /* loop through netif's */
   NETIF_FOREACH(netif) {
     struct dhcp *dhcp = netif_dhcp_data(netif);
@@ -556,13 +587,27 @@ dhcp_fine_tmr(void)
       /* timer is active (non zero), and is about to trigger now */
       if (dhcp->request_timeout > 1) {
         dhcp->request_timeout--;
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+        tmr_restart = true;
+#endif
       } else if (dhcp->request_timeout == 1) {
         dhcp->request_timeout--;
         /* { dhcp->request_timeout == 0 } */
         LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_fine_tmr(): request timeout\n"));
         /* this client's request timeout triggered */
         dhcp_timeout(netif);
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+        tmr_restart = true;
+#endif
       }
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+  if (tmr_restart) {
+    sys_timeout(DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS, dhcp_fine_timeout_cb, NULL);
+  } else {
+    sys_untimeout(dhcp_fine_timeout_cb, NULL);
+    is_tmr_start = false;
+  }
+#endif
     }
   }
 }
@@ -1086,6 +1131,7 @@ dhcp_discover(struct netif *netif)
   msecs = DHCP_REQUEST_BACKOFF_SEQUENCE(dhcp->tries);
   dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
   LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_discover(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -1158,6 +1204,7 @@ dhcp_bind(struct netif *netif)
   /* netif is now bound to DHCP leased address - set this before assigning the address
      to ensure the callback can use dhcp_supplied_address() */
   dhcp_set_state(dhcp, DHCP_STATE_BOUND);
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_CLOSE();
 
   netif_set_addr(netif, &dhcp->offered_ip_addr, &sn_mask, &gw_addr);
   /* interface is used by routing now that an address is set */
@@ -1217,6 +1264,7 @@ dhcp_renew(struct netif *netif)
   msecs = (u16_t)(dhcp->tries < 10 ? dhcp->tries * 2000 : 20 * 1000);
   dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
   LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_renew(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -1271,6 +1319,7 @@ dhcp_rebind(struct netif *netif)
   msecs = (u16_t)(dhcp->tries < 10 ? dhcp->tries * 1000 : 10 * 1000);
   dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
   LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_rebind(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -1328,6 +1377,7 @@ dhcp_reboot(struct netif *netif)
   msecs = (u16_t)(dhcp->tries < 10 ? dhcp->tries * 1000 : 10 * 1000);
   dhcp->request_timeout = (u16_t)((msecs + DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS - 1) / DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
   LWIP_DEBUGF(DHCP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_TRACE | LWIP_DBG_STATE, ("dhcp_reboot(): set request timeout %"U16_F" msecs\n", msecs));
+  ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMER_START_ONCE();
   return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/timeouts.c b/src/core/timeouts.c
index c04cc2d18..5ba672c38 100644
--- a/src/core/timeouts.c
+++ b/src/core/timeouts.c
@@ -89,8 +89,10 @@ const struct lwip_cyclic_timer lwip_cyclic_timers[] = {
 #endif /* LWIP_ARP */
 #if LWIP_DHCP
   {DHCP_COARSE_TIMER_MSECS, HANDLER(dhcp_coarse_tmr)},
-  {DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS, HANDLER(dhcp_fine_tmr)},
 #endif /* LWIP_DHCP */
+#if LWIP_DHCP && !ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+  {DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS, HANDLER(dhcp_fine_tmr)},
+#endif /*  LWIP_DHCP && !ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND */
 #if LWIP_ACD
   {ACD_TMR_INTERVAL, HANDLER(acd_tmr)},
 #endif /* LWIP_ACD */
diff --git a/src/include/lwip/dhcp.h b/src/include/lwip/dhcp.h
index b413fa63f..a4d1e7638 100644
--- a/src/include/lwip/dhcp.h
+++ b/src/include/lwip/dhcp.h
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ u8_t dhcp_supplied_address(const struct netif *netif);
 void dhcp_coarse_tmr(void);
 /* to be called every half second */
 void dhcp_fine_tmr(void);
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+void dhcp_fine_timeout_cb(void *arg);
+#endif
 
 #if LWIP_DHCP_GET_NTP_SRV
 /** This function must exist, in other to add offered NTP servers to
diff --git a/src/include/lwip/opt.h b/src/include/lwip/opt.h
index c4973bba2..41938ea27 100644
--- a/src/include/lwip/opt.h
+++ b/src/include/lwip/opt.h
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@
  * The number of sys timeouts used by the core stack (not apps)
  * The default number of timeouts is calculated here for all enabled modules.
  */
-#define LWIP_NUM_SYS_TIMEOUT_INTERNAL   (LWIP_TCP + IP_REASSEMBLY + LWIP_ARP + (2*LWIP_DHCP) + LWIP_ACD + (ESP_LWIP_IGMP_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ? 0 : LWIP_IGMP) + LWIP_DNS + PPP_NUM_TIMEOUTS + (LWIP_IPV6 * (1 + LWIP_IPV6_REASS + (ESP_LWIP_MLD6_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ? 0 : LWIP_IPV6_MLD) + LWIP_IPV6_DHCP6)))
+#define LWIP_NUM_SYS_TIMEOUT_INTERNAL   (LWIP_TCP + IP_REASSEMBLY + LWIP_ARP + (ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ? LWIP_DHCP : 2*LWIP_DHCP) + LWIP_ACD + (ESP_LWIP_IGMP_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ? 0 : LWIP_IGMP) + LWIP_DNS + PPP_NUM_TIMEOUTS + (LWIP_IPV6 * (1 + LWIP_IPV6_REASS + (ESP_LWIP_MLD6_TIMERS_ONDEMAND ? 0 : LWIP_IPV6_MLD) + LWIP_IPV6_DHCP6)))
 
 /**
  * MEMP_NUM_SYS_TIMEOUT: the number of simultaneously active timeouts.
diff --git a/test/unit/dhcp/test_dhcp.c b/test/unit/dhcp/test_dhcp.c
index 130e01581..8eb442958 100644
--- a/test/unit/dhcp/test_dhcp.c
+++ b/test/unit/dhcp/test_dhcp.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "lwip/prot/iana.h"
 #include "lwip/etharp.h"
 #include "lwip/inet.h"
+#include "lwip/timeouts.h"
 #include "netif/ethernet.h"
 
 #if LWIP_ACD
@@ -156,6 +157,9 @@ static void tick_lwip(void)
   acd_tmr();
 #endif
   if (tick % 5 == 0) {
+#if ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+    sys_untimeout(dhcp_fine_timeout_cb, NULL);
+#endif
     dhcp_fine_tmr();
   }
   if (tick % (DHCP_COARSE_TIMER_SECS * 10) == 0) {
diff --git a/test/unit/lwipopts.h b/test/unit/lwipopts.h
index a8cae3085..6754ede93 100644
--- a/test/unit/lwipopts.h
+++ b/test/unit/lwipopts.h
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ u32_t esp_random(void);
 #define ESP_LWIP_IGMP_TIMERS_ONDEMAND           1
 #define ESP_LWIP_MLD6_TIMERS_ONDEMAND           1
 #define DNS_FALLBACK_SERVER_INDEX       (DNS_MAX_SERVERS - 1)
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND      1
 
 #else
 #define ESP_LWIP                                0
@@ -170,6 +171,10 @@ u32_t esp_random(void);
 #define ESP_LWIP_IGMP_TIMERS_ONDEMAND           0
 #define ESP_LWIP_MLD6_TIMERS_ONDEMAND           0
 
+#ifndef ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND
+#define ESP_LWIP_DHCP_FINE_TIMERS_ONDEMAND      0
+#endif
+
 #endif /* ESP_LWIP */
 
 #endif /* LWIP_HDR_LWIPOPTS_H */