diff --git a/drivers/enc28j60/enc28j60.c b/drivers/enc28j60/enc28j60.c
index 4034ecca75c8..202b50217c60 100644
--- a/drivers/enc28j60/enc28j60.c
+++ b/drivers/enc28j60/enc28j60.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "xtimer.h"
 #include "assert.h"
 #include "net/ethernet.h"
+#include "net/eui48.h"
 #include "net/netdev/eth.h"
 
 #include "enc28j60.h"
@@ -427,8 +428,8 @@ static int nd_init(netdev_t *netdev)
     /* set default MAC address */
     uint8_t macbuf[ETHERNET_ADDR_LEN];
     luid_get(macbuf, ETHERNET_ADDR_LEN);
-    macbuf[0] |= 0x02;      /* locally administered address */
-    macbuf[0] &= ~0x01;     /* unicast address */
+    eui48_set_local((eui48_t*)macbuf);      /* locally administered address */
+    eui48_clear_group((eui48_t*)macbuf);    /* unicast address */
     mac_set(dev, macbuf);
 
     /* PHY configuration */
diff --git a/sys/include/net/eui48.h b/sys/include/net/eui48.h
index 3bc7ad5aaea6..2a5fadfa9300 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/eui48.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/eui48.h
@@ -56,6 +56,24 @@ static inline void eui48_to_eui64(eui64_t *eui64, const eui48_t *addr)
     eui64->uint8[7] = addr->uint8[5];
 }
 
+/**
+ * @name EUI-48 bit flags contained in the first octet
+ *
+ * @see IEEE 802-2001 section 9.2
+ * @{
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @brief Locally administered address.
+ */
+#define EUI48_LOCAL_FLAG  0x02
+
+/**
+ * @brief Group type address.
+ */
+#define EUI48_GROUP_FLAG        0x01
+/** @} */
+
 /**
  * @brief   Generates an IPv6 interface identifier from a 48-bit device address
  *
@@ -88,6 +106,32 @@ static inline void eui48_from_ipv6_iid(eui48_t *addr, const eui64_t *iid)
     addr->uint8[5] = iid->uint8[7];
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Set the locally administrated bit in the EUI-48 address.
+ *
+ * @see IEEE 802-2001 section 9.2
+ *
+ * @param   addr    ethernet address
+ */
+static inline void eui48_set_local(eui48_t *addr)
+{
+    addr->uint8[0] |= EUI48_LOCAL_FLAG;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Clear the group address bit to signal the address as individual
+ * address
+ *
+ * @see IEEE 802-2001 section 9.2
+ *
+ * @param   addr    ethernet address
+ */
+static inline void eui48_clear_group(eui48_t *addr)
+{
+    addr->uint8[0] &= ~EUI48_GROUP_FLAG;
+}
+
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif