diff --git a/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01.py b/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01.py
index 7274a79278..a95d2b5cac 100644
--- a/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01.py
+++ b/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01.py
@@ -62,12 +62,11 @@ class NRF24L01:
 
         # init the SPI bus and pins
         self.init_spi(4000000)
-        cs.init(cs.OUT, value=1)
-        ce.init(ce.OUT, value=0)
 
         # reset everything
-        self.ce(0)
-        self.cs(1)
+        ce.init(ce.OUT, value=0)
+        cs.init(cs.OUT, value=1)
+
         self.payload_size = payload_size
         self.pipe0_read_addr = None
         utime.sleep_ms(5)
@@ -215,7 +214,7 @@ class NRF24L01:
 
     # blocking wait for tx complete
     def send(self, buf, timeout=500):
-        send_nonblock = self.send_start(buf)
+        self.send_start(buf)
         start = utime.ticks_ms()
         result = None
         while result is None and utime.ticks_diff(utime.ticks_ms(), start) < timeout:
diff --git a/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01test.py b/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01test.py
index 5413511c3b..876b2bbfa2 100644
--- a/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01test.py
+++ b/drivers/nrf24l01/nrf24l01test.py
@@ -1,14 +1,38 @@
-"""Test for nrf24l01 module."""
+"""Test for nrf24l01 module.  Portable between MicroPython targets."""
 
-import struct
+import sys
+import ustruct as struct
 import utime
 from machine import Pin, SPI
 from nrf24l01 import NRF24L01
+from micropython import const
+
+# Slave pause between receiving data and checking for further packets.
+_RX_POLL_DELAY = const(15)
+# Slave pauses an additional _SLAVE_SEND_DELAY ms after receiving data and before
+# transmitting to allow the (remote) master time to get into receive mode. The
+# master may be a slow device. Value tested with Pyboard, ESP32 and ESP8266.
+_SLAVE_SEND_DELAY = const(10)
+
+if sys.platform == 'pyboard':
+    cfg = {'spi': 2, 'miso': 'Y7', 'mosi': 'Y8', 'sck': 'Y6', 'csn': 'Y5', 'ce': 'Y4'}
+elif sys.platform == 'esp8266':  # Hardware SPI
+    cfg = {'spi': 1, 'miso': 12, 'mosi': 13, 'sck': 14, 'csn': 4, 'ce': 5}
+elif sys.platform == 'esp32':  # Software SPI
+    cfg = {'spi': -1, 'miso': 32, 'mosi': 33, 'sck': 25, 'csn': 26, 'ce': 27}
+else:
+    raise ValueError('Unsupported platform {}'.format(sys.platform))
 
 pipes = (b'\xf0\xf0\xf0\xf0\xe1', b'\xf0\xf0\xf0\xf0\xd2')
 
 def master():
-    nrf = NRF24L01(SPI(2), Pin('Y5'), Pin('Y4'), payload_size=8)
+    csn = Pin(cfg['csn'], mode=Pin.OUT, value=1)
+    ce = Pin(cfg['ce'], mode=Pin.OUT, value=0)
+    if cfg['spi'] == -1:
+        spi = SPI(-1, sck=Pin(cfg['sck']), mosi=Pin(cfg['mosi']), miso=Pin(cfg['miso']))
+        nrf = NRF24L01(spi, csn, ce, payload_size=8)
+    else:
+        nrf = NRF24L01(SPI(cfg['spi']), csn, ce, payload_size=8)
 
     nrf.open_tx_pipe(pipes[0])
     nrf.open_rx_pipe(1, pipes[1])
@@ -60,7 +84,13 @@ def master():
     print('master finished sending; successes=%d, failures=%d' % (num_successes, num_failures))
 
 def slave():
-    nrf = NRF24L01(SPI(2), Pin('Y5'), Pin('Y4'), payload_size=8)
+    csn = Pin(cfg['csn'], mode=Pin.OUT, value=1)
+    ce = Pin(cfg['ce'], mode=Pin.OUT, value=0)
+    if cfg['spi'] == -1:
+        spi = SPI(-1, sck=Pin(cfg['sck']), mosi=Pin(cfg['mosi']), miso=Pin(cfg['miso']))
+        nrf = NRF24L01(spi, csn, ce, payload_size=8)
+    else:
+        nrf = NRF24L01(SPI(cfg['spi']), csn, ce, payload_size=8)
 
     nrf.open_tx_pipe(pipes[1])
     nrf.open_rx_pipe(1, pipes[0])
@@ -69,7 +99,6 @@ def slave():
     print('NRF24L01 slave mode, waiting for packets... (ctrl-C to stop)')
 
     while True:
-        machine.idle()
         if nrf.any():
             while nrf.any():
                 buf = nrf.recv()
@@ -81,8 +110,10 @@ def slave():
                     else:
                         led.off()
                     led_state >>= 1
-                utime.sleep_ms(15)
+                utime.sleep_ms(_RX_POLL_DELAY)
 
+            # Give master time to get into receive mode.
+            utime.sleep_ms(_SLAVE_SEND_DELAY)
             nrf.stop_listening()
             try:
                 nrf.send(struct.pack('i', millis))
@@ -99,9 +130,9 @@ except:
 
 print('NRF24L01 test module loaded')
 print('NRF24L01 pinout for test:')
-print('    CE on Y4')
-print('    CSN on Y5')
-print('    SCK on Y6')
-print('    MISO on Y7')
-print('    MOSI on Y8')
+print('    CE on', cfg['ce'])
+print('    CSN on', cfg['csn'])
+print('    SCK on', cfg['sck'])
+print('    MISO on', cfg['miso'])
+print('    MOSI on', cfg['mosi'])
 print('run nrf24l01test.slave() on slave, then nrf24l01test.master() on master')