diff --git a/examples/system/gcov/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/system/gcov/CMakeLists.txt
index 9f13094314..86e9ff2539 100644
--- a/examples/system/gcov/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/system/gcov/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 file(TO_NATIVE_PATH "$ENV{IDF_PATH}/tools/cmake/project.cmake" _project_path)
 
 include(${_project_path})
+# "Trim" the build. Include the minimal set of components, main, and anything it depends on.
+idf_build_set_property(MINIMAL_BUILD ON)
 project(gcov_example)
 
 file(TO_NATIVE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/coverage_report" _coverage_path)
diff --git a/examples/system/gcov/main/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/system/gcov/main/CMakeLists.txt
index e2548349ac..338953e328 100644
--- a/examples/system/gcov/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/system/gcov/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 idf_component_register(SRCS "gcov_example_main.c"
                             "gcov_example_func.c"
-                    INCLUDE_DIRS ".")
+                    INCLUDE_DIRS "."
+                    PRIV_REQUIRES "sample" "esp_driver_gpio")
 
 set_source_files_properties(gcov_example_main.c
                             gcov_example_func.c
diff --git a/examples/system/gcov/sdkconfig.defaults b/examples/system/gcov/sdkconfig.defaults
index bdb2055bf8..b144d1fbf2 100644
--- a/examples/system/gcov/sdkconfig.defaults
+++ b/examples/system/gcov/sdkconfig.defaults
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@ CONFIG_APPTRACE_ENABLE=y
 CONFIG_APPTRACE_LOCK_ENABLE=y
 CONFIG_APPTRACE_ONPANIC_HOST_FLUSH_TMO=-1
 CONFIG_APPTRACE_POSTMORTEM_FLUSH_THRESH=0
+
+CONFIG_ESP_GCOV_ENABLE=y