diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 720501151b..72b1039274 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -397,11 +397,13 @@ include $(BOARDDIR)/Makefile.include
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/include
 include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.include
 
-# Include emulator code if available and if emulate target is used
-ifneq (,$(filter emulate%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
+# Include emulator code when required and if available
+ifeq (1,$(EMULATE))
   # Use renode as default emulator
   RIOT_EMULATOR ?= renode
   -include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/$(RIOT_EMULATOR).inc.mk
+  TERMDEPS += $(EMULATORDEPS)
+  DEBUGDEPS += $(EMULATORDEPS)
 endif
 
 # Include common serial logic to define TERMPROG, TERMFLAGS variables based on
@@ -746,20 +748,10 @@ debug-server:
 	$(call check_cmd,$(DEBUGSERVER),Debug server program)
 	$(DEBUGSERVER) $(DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS)
 
-emulate: all $(EMULATORDEPS)
-ifeq (,$(filter term cleanterm debug%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
+ifeq (1,$(EMULATE))
+emulate:
 	$(call check_cmd,$(EMULATOR),Emulation program)
 	$(EMULATOR) $(EMULATOR_FLAGS)
-else
-	@:
-endif
-
-emulate-only: $(EMULATORDEPS)
-ifeq (,$(filter term cleanterm debug%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
-	$(call check_cmd,$(EMULATOR),Emulation program)
-	$(EMULATOR) $(EMULATOR_FLAGS)
-else
-	@:
 endif
 
 reset:
diff --git a/dist/tools/emulator/debug.sh b/dist/tools/emulator/debug.sh
index efd5d90423..0b8e457f9f 100755
--- a/dist/tools/emulator/debug.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/emulator/debug.sh
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ trap '' INT
 # start emulator GDB server
 sh -c "\
     GDB_PORT=${GDB_PORT} \
+    EMULATE=1 \
     EMULATOR_PIDFILE=${EMULATOR_PIDFILE} \
     BOARD=${BOARD} \
-    make -C ${APPDIR} emulate-only debug-server & \
+    make -C ${APPDIR} debug-server & \
     echo \$! > ${EMULATOR_PIDFILE}" &
 # Start the debugger and connect to the GDB server
 sh -c "${DBG} ${DBG_FLAGS} ${ELFFILE}"
diff --git a/dist/tools/emulator/term.sh b/dist/tools/emulator/term.sh
index 0a1b183145..7b8f260eb2 100755
--- a/dist/tools/emulator/term.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/emulator/term.sh
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ trap "cleanup terminal for ${EMULATOR} emulator" EXIT
 # start emulator in background
 sh -c "\
     EMULATOR_PIDFILE=${EMULATOR_PIDFILE} \
+    EMULATE=1 \
     BOARD=${BOARD} \
-    make -C ${APPDIR} emulate-only & \
+    make -C ${APPDIR} emulate & \
     echo \$! > ${EMULATOR_PIDFILE}" &
 
 # with qemu, start socat redirector in background
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
index b013ea103f..a1aa6cb598 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
@@ -4,17 +4,19 @@ EMULATOR_MONITOR_PORT ?= 45454
 EMULATOR_MONITOR_FLAGS ?= telnet::$(EMULATOR_MONITOR_PORT),server,nowait
 FLASHFILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
 
+QEMU_SERIAL_TCP_PORT ?= 5555
 EMULATOR_FLAGS = -machine $(EMULATOR_MACHINE) -device loader,file=$(ELFFILE) \
-                 -serial telnet::5555,server,nowait,nodelay \
+                 -serial telnet::$(QEMU_SERIAL_TCP_PORT),server,nowait,nodelay \
                  -monitor $(EMULATOR_MONITOR_FLAGS) \
                  -nographic
 
 # Configure the qemu terminal access
-PORT = /tmp/riot_$(APPLICATION)_$(BOARD)_uart
+EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT ?= /tmp/riot_$(APPLICATION)_$(BOARD)_uart
+PORT = $(EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT)
 RIOT_TERMPROG := $(TERMPROG)
 RIOT_TERMFLAGS := $(TERMFLAGS)
 TERMPROG := $(RIOTTOOLS)/emulator/term.sh
-TERMFLAGS := $(RIOT_EMULATOR) $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(RIOT_TERMPROG) '$(RIOT_TERMFLAGS)' $(PORT)
+TERMFLAGS := $(RIOT_EMULATOR) $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(RIOT_TERMPROG) '$(RIOT_TERMFLAGS)' $(EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT)
 
 # Configure the debugger
 GDB_PORT ?= 3333
@@ -26,3 +28,7 @@ DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS ?= $(QEMU_DEBUG_FLAGS)
 
 DEBUGGER_FLAGS ?= $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(ELFFILE) $(GDB_PORT)
 DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/emulator/debug.sh
+
+# No flasher available with qemu emulator
+FLASHER ?=
+FFLAGS ?=
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
index efc8d6a394..0351c5f95c 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
@@ -30,19 +30,21 @@ ifneq (1,$(RENODE_SHOW_GUI))
 endif
 
 # Configure local serial port
-PORT = /tmp/riot_$(APPLICATION)_$(BOARD)_uart
-RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "emulation CreateUartPtyTerminal \"term\" \"$(PORT)\" true"
-RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "connector Connect sysbus.uart0 term"
+RENODE_SYSBUS_UART ?= sysbus.uart0
+EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT ?= /tmp/riot_$(APPLICATION)_$(BOARD)_uart
+RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "emulation CreateUartPtyTerminal \"term\" \"$(EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT)\" true"
+RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "connector Connect $(RENODE_SYSBUS_UART) term"
 
 # Set emulator variables
 EMULATOR_FLAGS ?= $(RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS) -e start
 EMULATOR ?= $(RENODE)
 
 # Configure the terminal
+PORT = $(EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT)
 RIOT_TERMPROG := $(TERMPROG)
 RIOT_TERMFLAGS := $(TERMFLAGS)
 TERMPROG := $(RIOTTOOLS)/emulator/term.sh
-TERMFLAGS := $(RIOT_EMULATOR) $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(RIOT_TERMPROG) '$(RIOT_TERMFLAGS)' $(PORT)
+TERMFLAGS := $(RIOT_EMULATOR) $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(RIOT_TERMPROG) '$(RIOT_TERMFLAGS)' $(EMULATOR_SERIAL_PORT)
 
 # Configure the debugger
 GDB_PORT ?= 3333
@@ -54,3 +56,7 @@ DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS ?= $(RENODE_DEBUG_FLAGS)
 
 DEBUGGER_FLAGS ?= $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(ELFFILE) $(GDB_PORT) "-ex \"monitor start\""
 DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/emulator/debug.sh
+
+# No flasher available with renode emulator
+FLASHER ?=
+FFLAGS ?=