diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 5407b390de..f2bdb9ff93 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ 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)))
+ifneq (,$(filter emulate%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
   # Use renode as default emulator
   RIOT_EMULATOR ?= renode
   -include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/$(RIOT_EMULATOR).inc.mk
@@ -742,9 +742,21 @@ debug-server:
 	$(call check_cmd,$(DEBUGSERVER),Debug server program)
 	$(DEBUGSERVER) $(DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS)
 
-emulate:
+emulate: all $(EMULATORDEPS)
+ifeq (,$(filter debug%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
 	$(call check_cmd,$(EMULATOR),Emulation program)
 	$(EMULATOR) $(EMULATOR_FLAGS)
+else
+	@:
+endif
+
+emulate-only: $(EMULATORDEPS)
+ifeq (,$(filter debug%,$(MAKECMDGOALS)))
+	$(call check_cmd,$(EMULATOR),Emulation program)
+	$(EMULATOR) $(EMULATOR_FLAGS)
+else
+	@:
+endif
 
 reset:
 	$(call check_cmd,$(RESET),Reset program)
diff --git a/boards/cc2538dk/dist/board.resc b/boards/cc2538dk/dist/board.resc
index 3ec9edd893..f077d1d945 100644
--- a/boards/cc2538dk/dist/board.resc
+++ b/boards/cc2538dk/dist/board.resc
@@ -27,4 +27,3 @@ macro reset
 """
 
 runMacro $reset
-start
diff --git a/boards/firefly/dist/board.resc b/boards/firefly/dist/board.resc
index 6496d10f1b..b73b022795 100644
--- a/boards/firefly/dist/board.resc
+++ b/boards/firefly/dist/board.resc
@@ -29,4 +29,3 @@ macro reset
 """
 
 runMacro $reset
-start
diff --git a/boards/hifive1/dist/board.resc b/boards/hifive1/dist/board.resc
index 0e90f854f2..9db3a1c3bc 100644
--- a/boards/hifive1/dist/board.resc
+++ b/boards/hifive1/dist/board.resc
@@ -21,4 +21,3 @@ macro reset
 """
 
 runMacro $reset
-start
diff --git a/boards/hifive1b/dist/board.resc b/boards/hifive1b/dist/board.resc
index 7c08b025a5..9a52b02a3e 100644
--- a/boards/hifive1b/dist/board.resc
+++ b/boards/hifive1b/dist/board.resc
@@ -21,4 +21,3 @@ macro reset
 """
 
 runMacro $reset
-start
diff --git a/dist/tools/renode/renode-debug.sh b/dist/tools/renode/renode-debug.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..4db5c24253
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/tools/renode/renode-debug.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# This script wraps Renode emulator GDB server and a debugger
+# client in a single command and takes 4 arguments: the board to emulate,
+# the application directory of the the current application, the elffile
+# containing the firmware to debug, the debugger port and custom debugger client
+# arguments
+
+# This script is supposed to be called from RIOTs make system when using the
+# "debug" target.
+
+# @author       Alexandre Abadie <alexandre.abadie@inria.fr>
+
+BOARD=$1
+APPDIR=$2
+ELFFILE=$3
+
+# GDB command, usually a separate command for each platform (e.g. arm-none-eabi-gdb)
+: ${GDB:=gdb-multiarch}
+# Debugger client command, can be used to wrap GDB in a front-end
+: ${DBG:=${GDB}}
+# Default GDB port, set to 0 to disable, required != 0 for debug and debug-server targets
+: ${GDB_PORT:=$4}
+# Default debugger flags,
+: ${DBG_DEFAULT_FLAGS:=-q -ex \"target remote :${GDB_PORT}\"}
+# Custom extra debugger flags, depends on the emulator
+: ${DBG_CUSTOM_FLAGS:=$5}
+# Debugger flags, will be passed to sh -c, remember to escape any quotation signs.
+# Use ${DBG_DEFAULT_FLAGS} to insert the default flags anywhere in the string
+: ${DBG_FLAGS:=${DBG_DEFAULT_FLAGS} ${DBG_CUSTOM_FLAGS}}
+
+# temporary file that contains the emulator pid
+EMULATOR_PIDFILE=$(mktemp -t "emulator_pid.XXXXXXXXXX")
+# will be called by trap
+cleanup() {
+    kill "$(cat ${EMULATOR_PIDFILE})"
+    rm -f "${EMULATOR_PIDFILE}"
+    exit 0
+}
+# cleanup after script terminates
+trap "cleanup ${EMULATOR_PIDFILE}" EXIT
+# don't trap on Ctrl+C, because GDB keeps running
+trap '' INT
+
+# start Renode GDB server
+sh -c "\
+    GDB_PORT=${GDB_PORT} \
+    EMULATOR_PIDFILE=${EMULATOR_PIDFILE} \
+    BOARD=${BOARD} \
+    make -C ${APPDIR} emulate-only 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/renode/run-renode.sh b/dist/tools/renode/run-renode.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 8b20e6be14..0000000000
--- a/dist/tools/renode/run-renode.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,84 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-#
-# Unified Renode script for RIOT
-#
-# This script is supposed to be called from RIOTs make system,
-# as it depends on certain environment variables.
-#
-# It will start the Renode emulator, providing it with several environment
-# variables:
-# $image_file          Full path to the image file (see $IMAGE_FILE below)
-#
-# Global environment variables used:
-# RENODE:              Renode command name, default: "renode"
-# RENODE_CONFIG:       Renode configuration file name,
-#                      default: "${BOARDSDIR}/${BOARD}/dist/board.resc"
-# RENODE_BIN_CONFIG:   Renode intermediate configuration file name,
-#                      default: "${BINDIR}/board.resc"
-#
-# @author       Bas Stottelaar <basstottelaar@gmail.com>
-
-# Default path to Renode configuration file
-: ${RENODE_CONFIG:=${BOARDSDIR}/${BOARD}/dist/board.resc}
-# Default path to Renode intermediate configuration file
-: ${RENODE_BIN_CONFIG:=${BINDIR}/board.resc}
-# Default Renode command
-: ${RENODE:=renode}
-# Image file used for emulation
-# Default is to use $ELFFILE
-: ${IMAGE_FILE:=${ELFFILE}}
-
-#
-# config test section.
-#
-test_config() {
-    if [ ! -f "${RENODE_CONFIG}" ]; then
-        echo "Error: Unable to locate Renode board file"
-        echo "       (${RENODE_CONFIG})"
-        exit 1
-    fi
-}
-
-#
-# helper section.
-#
-write_config() {
-    echo "\$image_file = '${IMAGE_FILE}'" > "${RENODE_BIN_CONFIG}"
-    echo "include @${RENODE_CONFIG}" >> "${RENODE_BIN_CONFIG}"
-}
-
-#
-# now comes the actual actions
-#
-do_write() {
-    test_config
-    write_config
-    echo "Script written to '${RENODE_BIN_CONFIG}'"
-}
-
-do_start() {
-    test_config
-    write_config
-    sh -c "${RENODE} '${RENODE_BIN_CONFIG}'"
-}
-
-#
-# parameter dispatching
-#
-ACTION="$1"
-
-case "${ACTION}" in
-  write)
-    echo "### Writing emulation script ###"
-    do_write
-    ;;
-  start)
-    echo "### Starting Renode ###"
-    do_start
-    ;;
-  *)
-    echo "Usage: $0 {write|start}"
-    exit 2
-    ;;
-esac
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/adafruit-nrfutil.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/adafruit-nrfutil.inc.mk
index eea4ba8024..73c395faf2 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/adafruit-nrfutil.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/adafruit-nrfutil.inc.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASHFILE = $(HEXFILE)
 FLASHDEPS += $(HEXFILE).zip
-FLASHER = adafruit-nrfutil
+FLASHER ?= adafruit-nrfutil
 FFLAGS = dfu serial --port=${PORT} --baudrate=${BAUD} --touch=1200 --package=$(HEXFILE).zip --singlebank
 
 %.hex.zip: %.hex
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/avrdude.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/avrdude.inc.mk
index 85bb78492f..29f9371f10 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/avrdude.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/avrdude.inc.mk
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-FLASHER = avrdude
+FLASHER ?= avrdude
 DIST_PATH = $(BOARDDIR)/dist
 AVARICE_PATH = $(RIOTTOOLS)/avarice
 DEBUGSERVER_PORT = 4242
-DEBUGSERVER = $(AVARICE_PATH)/debug_srv.sh
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(AVARICE_PATH)/debug_srv.sh
 # Allow choosing debugger hardware via AVR_DEBUGDEVICE, default to Atmel ICE,
 # which is compatible to all AVR devices and since the AVR Dragon is no longer
 # produced, the least expensive option
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ else
   # Use JTAG as protocol for debugging
   DEBUGPROTO := -j $(AVR_DEBUGINTERFACE)
 endif
-DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS = "$(AVR_DEBUGDEVICE) $(DEBUGPROTO) :$(DEBUGSERVER_PORT)"
-DEBUGGER_FLAGS = "-x $(AVARICE_PATH)/gdb.conf $(ELFFILE)"
+DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS ?= "$(AVR_DEBUGDEVICE) $(DEBUGPROTO) :$(DEBUGSERVER_PORT)"
+DEBUGGER_FLAGS ?= "-x $(AVARICE_PATH)/gdb.conf $(ELFFILE)"
 DEBUGGER = "$(AVARICE_PATH)/debug.sh" $(DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS) $(AVARICE_PATH) $(DEBUGSERVER_PORT)
 
 AVRDUDE_PROGRAMMER_FLAGS = -p $(subst atmega,m,$(CPU))
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/bmp.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/bmp.inc.mk
index 208793e211..47503b9722 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/bmp.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/bmp.inc.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 FLASHER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/bmp/bmp.py
-DEBUGGER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/bmp/bmp.py
+DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/bmp/bmp.py
 RESET ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/bmp/bmp.py
 
 FLASHFILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/cc2538-bsl.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/cc2538-bsl.inc.mk
index cb9bcf7c36..6b55640338 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/cc2538-bsl.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/cc2538-bsl.inc.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 FLASHFILE ?= $(BINFILE)
-FLASHER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/cc2538-bsl/cc2538-bsl.py
+FLASHER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/cc2538-bsl/cc2538-bsl.py
 FFLAGS_OPTS ?=
 PROG_BAUD ?= 500000	# default value in cc2538-bsl
 
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/jlink.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/jlink.inc.mk
index 149a6183d6..83a7c0c482 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/jlink.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/jlink.inc.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASHER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
-DEBUGGER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
-DEBUGSERVER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
+DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
 RESET ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/jlink/jlink.sh
 
 FLASHFILE ?= $(BINFILE)
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
index e2c4324db5..a67db84f1b 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASHER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
-DEBUGGER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
-DEBUGSERVER = $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
+DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
 RESET ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/openocd/openocd.sh
 
 FLASHFILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/pyocd.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/pyocd.inc.mk
index c23ff60057..087ab9b118 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/pyocd.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/pyocd.inc.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASHER ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
-DEBUGGER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
-DEBUGSERVER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
+DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
 RESET ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyocd/pyocd.sh
 
 FLASH_TARGET_TYPE ?=
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
index 9644dfcee5..9e5732b784 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/qemu.inc.mk
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ EMULATOR ?= qemu-system-arm
 EMULATOR_MACHINE ?= $(BOARD)
 EMULATOR_MONITOR_PORT ?= 45454
 EMULATOR_MONITOR_FLAGS ?= telnet::$(EMULATOR_MONITOR_PORT),server,nowait
+FLASHFILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
 
 EMULATOR_FLAGS = -machine $(EMULATOR_MACHINE) -device loader,file=$(ELFFILE) \
                  -serial stdio \
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
index ecd82f4132..0335fe0372 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/renode.inc.mk
@@ -1,2 +1,31 @@
-EMULATOR ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/renode/run-renode.sh
-EMULATOR_FLAGS ?= start
+RENODE ?= renode
+RENODE_IMAGE_FILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
+RENODE_BOARD_CONFIG ?= $(BOARDDIR)/dist/board.resc
+
+# Global build system configurations
+FLASHFILE ?= $(ELFFILE)
+EMULATORDEPS += $(RENODE_BOARD_CONFIG)
+
+# Use renode interactive commands to specify the image file and board config
+RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "set image_file '$(RENODE_IMAGE_FILE)'"
+RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += -e "include @$(RENODE_BOARD_CONFIG)"
+
+# Set emulator variables
+EMULATOR_FLAGS ?= $(RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS) -e start
+EMULATOR ?= $(RENODE)
+
+# Configure the debugger
+GDB_PORT ?= 3333
+EMULATOR_PIDFILE ?=
+ifneq (,$(EMULATOR_PIDFILE))
+  $(info Using Renode pid file $(EMULATOR_PIDFILE))
+  RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS += --pid-file $(EMULATOR_PIDFILE)
+endif
+RENODE_DEBUG_FLAGS += $(RENODE_CONFIG_FLAGS)
+RENODE_DEBUG_FLAGS += -e "machine StartGdbServer $(GDB_PORT) true"
+
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(EMULATOR)
+DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS ?= $(RENODE_DEBUG_FLAGS)
+
+DEBUGGER_FLAGS ?= $(BOARD) $(APPDIR) $(ELFFILE) $(GDB_PORT) "-ex \"monitor start\""
+DEBUGGER ?= $(RIOTTOOLS)/renode/renode-debug.sh
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/uniflash.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/uniflash.inc.mk
index 5845044063..2e66f3d921 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/uniflash.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/uniflash.inc.mk
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ endif
 
 CCS_PATH ?= "CCS_PATH unconfigured"
 # configure the debug server
-DEBUGSERVER = $(CCS_PATH)/ccs/ccs_base/common/uscif/gdb_agent_console
-DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS = -p 3333 $(UNIFLASH_CONFIG_DAT)
+DEBUGSERVER ?= $(CCS_PATH)/ccs/ccs_base/common/uscif/gdb_agent_console
+DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS ?= -p 3333 $(UNIFLASH_CONFIG_DAT)
 
 # configure the debugging tool
-DEBUGGER = $(PREFIX)gdb
-DEBUGGER_FLAGS = -x $(UNIFLASH_CONFIG_GDB) $(ELFFILE)
+DEBUGGER ?= $(PREFIX)gdb
+DEBUGGER_FLAGS ?= -x $(UNIFLASH_CONFIG_GDB) $(ELFFILE)