diff --git a/mbed-trace/mbed_trace.h b/mbed-trace/mbed_trace.h
index c0cef6a888..02196e39cc 100644
--- a/mbed-trace/mbed_trace.h
+++ b/mbed-trace/mbed_trace.h
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@ extern "C" {
 #define MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_ENABLE 0
 #endif
 
-#ifndef MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6
+#ifndef MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_LIBSERVICE_PRESENT
+/* if libservice presence is not configured, enable it by default */
+#define MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_LIBSERVICE_PRESENT 1
+#endif
+
+#if !defined(MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6) && MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_LIBSERVICE_PRESENT
 #define MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6 1
 #endif
 
diff --git a/source/mbed_trace.c b/source/mbed_trace.c
index f90e0ea5d9..eba23ef2c7 100644
--- a/source/mbed_trace.c
+++ b/source/mbed_trace.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #undef MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_ENABLE
 #endif
 #define MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_ENABLE 1
-#ifndef MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6
+#if !defined(MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6) && MBED_CONF_NANOSTACK_LIBSERVICE_PRESENT
 #define MBED_CONF_MBED_TRACE_FEA_IPV6 1
 #endif