diff --git a/src/include/lwip/netifapi.h b/src/include/lwip/netifapi.h
index 1013080f..546f03fa 100644
--- a/src/include/lwip/netifapi.h
+++ b/src/include/lwip/netifapi.h
@@ -41,50 +41,12 @@
 #include "lwip/dhcp.h"
 #include "lwip/autoip.h"
 #include "lwip/priv/tcpip_priv.h"
+#include "lwip/priv/api_msg.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#if LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE
-#define NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(type, m)  type m
-#else /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
-#define NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(type, m)  const type * m
-#endif /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
-
-typedef void (*netifapi_void_fn)(struct netif *netif);
-typedef err_t (*netifapi_errt_fn)(struct netif *netif);
-
-struct netifapi_msg {
-  struct tcpip_api_call_data call;
-  struct netif *netif;
-  union {
-    struct {
-#if LWIP_IPV4
-      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, ipaddr);
-      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, netmask);
-      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, gw);
-#endif /* LWIP_IPV4 */
-      void *state;
-      netif_init_fn init;
-      netif_input_fn input;
-    } add;
-    struct {
-      netifapi_void_fn voidfunc;
-      netifapi_errt_fn errtfunc;
-    } common;
-    struct {
-#if LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE
-      char name[NETIF_NAMESIZE];
-#else /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
-      char *name;
-#endif /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
-      u8_t index;
-    } ifs;
-  } msg;
-};
-
-
 /* API for application */
 err_t netifapi_netif_add(struct netif *netif,
 #if LWIP_IPV4
@@ -105,17 +67,29 @@ err_t netifapi_netif_name_to_index(const char *name, u8_t *index);
 /** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
 err_t netifapi_netif_index_to_name(u8_t index, char *name);
 
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_remove()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_remove(n)        netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_remove, NULL)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_set_up()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_set_up(n)        netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_set_up, NULL)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_set_down()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_set_down(n)      netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_set_down, NULL)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_set_default()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_set_default(n)   netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_set_default, NULL)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_set_link_up()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_set_link_up(n)   netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_set_link_up, NULL)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_netif */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_netif
+  * @see netif_set_link_down()
+  */
 #define netifapi_netif_set_link_down(n) netifapi_netif_common(n, netif_set_link_down, NULL)
 
 /**
@@ -155,9 +129,13 @@ err_t netifapi_netif_index_to_name(u8_t index, char *name);
  * @ingroup netifapi
  * To be called from non-TCPIP threads
  */
-/** @ingroup netifapi_autoip */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_autoip
+  * @see autoip_start()
+  */
 #define netifapi_autoip_start(n)      netifapi_netif_common(n, NULL, autoip_start)
-/** @ingroup netifapi_autoip */
+/** @ingroup netifapi_autoip
+  * @see autoip_stop()
+  */
 #define netifapi_autoip_stop(n)       netifapi_netif_common(n, NULL, autoip_stop)
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/include/lwip/priv/api_msg.h b/src/include/lwip/priv/api_msg.h
index d1bc009f..f29c5a8e 100644
--- a/src/include/lwip/priv/api_msg.h
+++ b/src/include/lwip/priv/api_msg.h
@@ -214,6 +214,46 @@ void lwip_netconn_do_gethostbyname(void *arg);
 struct netconn* netconn_alloc(enum netconn_type t, netconn_callback callback);
 void netconn_free(struct netconn *conn);
 
+/* netifapi related lwIP internal definitions */
+
+#if LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE
+#define NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(type, m)  type m
+#else /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
+#define NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(type, m)  const type * m
+#endif /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
+
+typedef void (*netifapi_void_fn)(struct netif *netif);
+typedef err_t (*netifapi_errt_fn)(struct netif *netif);
+
+struct netifapi_msg {
+  struct tcpip_api_call_data call;
+  struct netif *netif;
+  union {
+    struct {
+#if LWIP_IPV4
+      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, ipaddr);
+      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, netmask);
+      NETIFAPI_IPADDR_DEF(ip4_addr_t, gw);
+#endif /* LWIP_IPV4 */
+      void *state;
+      netif_init_fn init;
+      netif_input_fn input;
+    } add;
+    struct {
+      netifapi_void_fn voidfunc;
+      netifapi_errt_fn errtfunc;
+    } common;
+    struct {
+#if LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE
+      char name[NETIF_NAMESIZE];
+#else /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
+      char *name;
+#endif /* LWIP_MPU_COMPATIBLE */
+      u8_t index;
+    } ifs;
+  } msg;
+};
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif