diff --git a/components/openthread/Kconfig b/components/openthread/Kconfig
index 219bd8b697..51af2e36ec 100644
--- a/components/openthread/Kconfig
+++ b/components/openthread/Kconfig
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ menu "OpenThread"
             string "OpenThread network name"
             default "OpenThread-ESP"
 
+        config OPENTHREAD_MESH_LOCAL_PREFIX
+            string "OpenThread mesh local prefix, format <address>/<plen>"
+            default "fd00:db8:a0:0::/64"
+            help
+                A string in the format "<address>/<plen>", where `<address>` is an IPv6
+                address and `<plen>` is a prefix length. For example "fd00:db8:a0:0::/64"
+
         config OPENTHREAD_NETWORK_CHANNEL
             int "OpenThread network channel"
             range 11 26
diff --git a/components/openthread/src/esp_openthread.cpp b/components/openthread/src/esp_openthread.cpp
index e907584b70..5c35003da9 100644
--- a/components/openthread/src/esp_openthread.cpp
+++ b/components/openthread/src/esp_openthread.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 #include "openthread/tasklet.h"
 #include "openthread/thread.h"
 
+#if CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_FTD
+#include "openthread/dataset_ftd.h"
+#endif
+
 static int hex_digit_to_int(char hex)
 {
     if ('A' <= hex && hex <= 'F') {
@@ -87,13 +91,14 @@ esp_err_t esp_openthread_auto_start(otOperationalDatasetTlvs *datasetTlvs)
     if (datasetTlvs) {
         ESP_RETURN_ON_FALSE(otDatasetSetActiveTlvs(instance, datasetTlvs) == OT_ERROR_NONE, ESP_FAIL, OT_PLAT_LOG_TAG,
                             "Failed to set OpenThread active dataset");
-    }
-    else {
+    } else {
         otOperationalDataset dataset;
         size_t len = 0;
-
+#if CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_FTD
+        otDatasetCreateNewNetwork(instance, &dataset);
+#else
         memset(&dataset, 0, sizeof(otOperationalDataset));
-
+#endif
         // Active timestamp
         dataset.mActiveTimestamp.mSeconds = 1;
         dataset.mActiveTimestamp.mTicks = 0;
@@ -117,6 +122,16 @@ esp_err_t esp_openthread_auto_start(otOperationalDatasetTlvs *datasetTlvs)
                             "Cannot convert OpenThread extended pan id");
         dataset.mComponents.mIsExtendedPanIdPresent = true;
 
+        // Mesh Local Prefix
+        otIp6Prefix prefix;
+        memset(&prefix, 0, sizeof(otIp6Prefix));
+        if (otIp6PrefixFromString(CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_MESH_LOCAL_PREFIX, &prefix) == OT_ERROR_NONE) {
+            memcpy(dataset.mMeshLocalPrefix.m8, prefix.mPrefix.mFields.m8, sizeof(dataset.mMeshLocalPrefix.m8));
+            dataset.mComponents.mIsMeshLocalPrefixPresent = true;
+        } else {
+            ESP_LOGE("Falied to parse mesh local prefix", CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_MESH_LOCAL_PREFIX);
+        }
+
         // Network Key
         len = hex_string_to_binary(CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_NETWORK_MASTERKEY, dataset.mNetworkKey.m8,
                                    sizeof(dataset.mNetworkKey.m8));
diff --git a/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/Kconfig.projbuild b/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/Kconfig.projbuild
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32146234e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/Kconfig.projbuild
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+menu "OpenThread CLI Example"
+
+    config OPENTHREAD_AUTO_START
+        bool 'Enable the automatic start mode.'
+        default False
+        help
+            If enabled, the Openthread Device will create or connect to thread network with pre-configured
+            network parameters automatically. Otherwise, user need to configure Thread via CLI command manually.
+endmenu
diff --git a/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/esp_ot_cli.c b/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/esp_ot_cli.c
index 9b7f29ec05..7baf80062d 100644
--- a/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/esp_ot_cli.c
+++ b/examples/openthread/ot_cli/main/esp_ot_cli.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021-2022 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021-2023 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
  *
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ static void ot_task_worker(void *aContext)
     // Run the main loop
 #if CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_CLI
     esp_openthread_cli_create_task();
+#endif
+#if CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_AUTO_START
+    otOperationalDatasetTlvs dataset;
+    otError error = otDatasetGetActiveTlvs(esp_openthread_get_instance(), &dataset);
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_openthread_auto_start((error == OT_ERROR_NONE) ? &dataset : NULL));
 #endif
     esp_openthread_launch_mainloop();