diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 208f60b11..eed659aa3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ Ports: STM32-F103RB Nucleo + CC256x port removed
 A2DP: fix events and use `a2dp_cid`, `local_seid,` `remote_seid` in A2DP subevents
 AVDTP/A2DP: use `avdtp_channel_mode_t` in `A2DP_SUBEVENT_SIGNALING_MEDIA_CODEC_SBC_CONFIGURATION`
 GAP: provide Link Type parameter to incoming connection filter for `gap_register_classic_connection_filter`
+ESP32: enabled wide-band speech, disable classic secure connections HSP/HFP demos
 
 ## Release v1.2.1
 
diff --git a/example/sco_demo_util.c b/example/sco_demo_util.c
index 56d3a3457..a078295e2 100644
--- a/example/sco_demo_util.c
+++ b/example/sco_demo_util.c
@@ -478,6 +478,12 @@ void sco_demo_set_codec(uint8_t codec){
 }
 
 void sco_demo_init(void){
+
+#ifdef ENABLE_CLASSIC_LEGACY_CONNECTIONS_FOR_SCO_DEMOS
+    printf("Disable BR/EDR Secure Connctions due to incompatibilities with SCO connections\n");
+    gap_secure_connections_enable(false);
+#endif
+
 	// status
 #if SCO_DEMO_MODE == SCO_DEMO_MODE_MICROPHONE
     printf("SCO Demo: Sending and receiving audio via btstack_audio.\n");
diff --git a/port/esp32/components/btstack/include/btstack_config.h b/port/esp32/components/btstack/include/btstack_config.h
index 7a68071a8..16764cb79 100644
--- a/port/esp32/components/btstack/include/btstack_config.h
+++ b/port/esp32/components/btstack/include/btstack_config.h
@@ -27,21 +27,26 @@
 #define ENABLE_LOG_ERROR
 #define ENABLE_LOG_INFO
 #define ENABLE_MICRO_ECC_FOR_LE_SECURE_CONNECTIONS
+#define ENABLE_HFP_WIDE_BAND_SPEECH
 #define ENABLE_SCO_OVER_HCI
 
+// work around to link layer issues in ESP32
+// https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/issues/5494
+#define ENABLE_CLASSIC_LEGACY_CONNECTIONS_FOR_SCO_DEMOS
+
 // BTstack configuration. buffers, sizes, ...
 #define HCI_ACL_PAYLOAD_SIZE (1691 + 4)
 
 // HCI Controller to Host Flow Control
 #define ENABLE_HCI_CONTROLLER_TO_HOST_FLOW_CONTROL
 
-// Interal ring buffer: 21 kB
+// Internal ring buffer: 21 kB
 #define HCI_HOST_ACL_PACKET_LEN 1024
 #define HCI_HOST_ACL_PACKET_NUM 20
 #define HCI_HOST_SCO_PACKET_LEN 60
 #define HCI_HOST_SCO_PACKET_NUM 10
 
-// Link Key DB and LE Device DB using TLV on top of Flash Sector interface
+// Link Key DB and LE Device DB using TLV
 #define NVM_NUM_DEVICE_DB_ENTRIES 16
 #define NVM_NUM_LINK_KEYS 16