diff --git a/drivers/Makefile.dep b/drivers/Makefile.dep
index c6d63a087a..25c564640e 100644
--- a/drivers/Makefile.dep
+++ b/drivers/Makefile.dep
@@ -693,11 +693,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter ws281x,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += xtimer
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter ws281x_vt100,$(USEMODULE)))
-  CFLAGS += -DWS281X_HAVE_PREPARE_TRANSMISSION
-  CFLAGS += -DWS281X_HAVE_END_TRANSMISSION
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter xbee,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_uart
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_gpio
diff --git a/drivers/include/ws281x.h b/drivers/include/ws281x.h
index 86d659dfaf..608ee82c89 100644
--- a/drivers/include/ws281x.h
+++ b/drivers/include/ws281x.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 
 #include "color.h"
 #include "periph/gpio.h"
+#include "ws281x_backend.h"
 #include "ws281x_constants.h"
 #include "xtimer.h"
 
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ typedef struct {
     ws281x_params_t params;   /**< Parameters of the LED chain */
 } ws281x_t;
 
+#if defined(WS281X_HAVE_INIT) || defined(DOXYGEN)
 /**
  * @brief   Initialize an WS281x RGB LED chain
  *
@@ -103,6 +105,12 @@ typedef struct {
  * @retval  -EIO    Failed to initialize the data GPIO pin
  */
 int ws281x_init(ws281x_t *dev, const ws281x_params_t *params);
+#else
+static inline int ws281x_init(ws281x_t *dev, const ws281x_params_t *params) {
+    dev->params = *params;
+    return 0;
+}
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @brief   Writes the color data of the user supplied buffer
diff --git a/drivers/ws281x/atmega.c b/drivers/ws281x/atmega.c
index f3076fa8b5..b549d39812 100644
--- a/drivers/ws281x/atmega.c
+++ b/drivers/ws281x/atmega.c
@@ -203,3 +203,19 @@ void ws281x_write_buffer(ws281x_t *dev, const void *buf, size_t size)
 #error "No low level WS281x implementation for ATmega CPUs for your CPU clock"
 #endif
 }
+
+int ws281x_init(ws281x_t *dev, const ws281x_params_t *params)
+{
+    if (!dev || !params || !params->buf) {
+        return -EINVAL;
+    }
+
+    memset(dev, 0, sizeof(ws281x_t));
+    dev->params = *params;
+
+    if (gpio_init(dev->params.pin, GPIO_OUT)) {
+        return -EIO;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/drivers/ws281x/include/ws281x_backend.h b/drivers/ws281x/include/ws281x_backend.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb396ca743
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/ws281x/include/ws281x_backend.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Marian Buschsieweke
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup     drivers_ws281x
+ *
+ * @{
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Backend configuration for WS2812/SK6812 RGB LEDs
+ *
+ * @author      Marian Buschsieweke <marian.buschsieweke@ovgu.de>
+ */
+
+#ifndef WS281X_BACKEND_H
+#define WS281X_BACKEND_H
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @name    Properties of the ATmega backend.
+ * @{
+ */
+#ifdef MODULE_WS281X_ATMEGA
+#define WS281X_HAVE_INIT                    (1)
+#endif
+/** @} */
+
+/**
+ * @name    Properties of the VT100 terminal backend.
+ * @{
+ */
+#ifdef MODULE_WS281X_VT100
+#define WS281X_HAVE_PREPARE_TRANSMISSION    (1)
+#define WS281X_HAVE_END_TRANSMISSION        (1)
+#endif
+/** @} */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* WS281X_BACKEND_H */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c b/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
index 9624d2395f..ef388bc5ea 100644
--- a/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
+++ b/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
@@ -31,25 +31,6 @@
 /* Default buffer used in ws281x_params.h. Will be optimized out if unused */
 uint8_t ws281x_buf[WS281X_PARAM_NUMOF * WS281X_BYTES_PER_DEVICE];
 
-/* Some backend will need a custom init function. Declaring this as weak symbol
- * allows them to provide their own. */
-int __attribute__((weak)) ws281x_init(ws281x_t *dev,
-                                      const ws281x_params_t *params)
-{
-    if (!dev || !params || !params->buf) {
-        return -EINVAL;
-    }
-
-    memset(dev, 0, sizeof(ws281x_t));
-    dev->params = *params;
-
-    if (gpio_init(dev->params.pin, GPIO_OUT)) {
-        return -EIO;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
 void ws281x_set_buffer(void *_dest, uint16_t n, color_rgb_t c)
 {
     uint8_t *dest = _dest;