diff --git a/src/WiFiConnectionHandler.cpp b/src/WiFiConnectionHandler.cpp
index a736f29..699a895 100644
--- a/src/WiFiConnectionHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/WiFiConnectionHandler.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #ifdef BOARD_HAS_WIFI /* Only compile if the board has WiFi */
 #include "WiFiConnectionHandler.h"
+#include "connectionHandlerUtils/wifiSupport.h"
 
 /******************************************************************************
   CONSTANTS
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ NetworkConnectionState WiFiConnectionHandler::update_handleInit()
 #endif
 
 #if !defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP8266) && !defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32)
-  if (WiFi.status() == NETWORK_HARDWARE_ERROR)
+  if (!isWifiModulePresent() || WiFi.status() == NETWORK_HARDWARE_ERROR)
   {
 #if !defined(__AVR__)
     DEBUG_ERROR(F("WiFi Hardware failure.\nMake sure you are using a WiFi enabled board/shield."));
diff --git a/src/connectionHandlerUtils/wifiSupport.h b/src/connectionHandlerUtils/wifiSupport.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f29e9cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/connectionHandlerUtils/wifiSupport.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) Arduino SA
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "ConnectionHandlerDefinitions.h"
+
+#if defined(ARDUINO_OPTA) && !defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ZEPHYR)
+#include <opta_info.h>
+extern uint8_t* boardInfo();
+#endif
+
+/* Depending on the board there may be hardware differences that cannot be established at compile
+ * time, for instance opta have factory variants without wifi module present.
+ * in order to check for this, we need to check variant configuration at runtime
+ */
+inline bool isWifiModulePresent() {
+#if defined(ARDUINO_OPTA) && !defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ZEPHYR)
+    OptaBoardInfo* info = reinterpret_cast<OptaBoardInfo*>(boardInfo());
+    return info->_board_functionalities.wifi == 1;
+#elif defined(BOARD_HAS_WIFI)
+    return true;
+#else
+    return false;
+#endif
+}