diff --git a/boards/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
index 5472bf8b8d..3c6d2aa12b 100644
--- a/boards/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+USEMODULE += boards_common_esp8266
+
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
 endif
diff --git a/boards/esp8266-esp-12x/Makefile.dep b/boards/esp8266-esp-12x/Makefile.dep
index c87ee73360..c60e4b8da1 100644
--- a/boards/esp8266-esp-12x/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/esp8266-esp-12x/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-USEMODULE += boards_common_esp8266
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep b/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
index c87ee73360..c60e4b8da1 100644
--- a/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/esp8266-olimex-mod/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-USEMODULE += boards_common_esp8266
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/esp8266-sparkfun-thing/Makefile.dep b/boards/esp8266-sparkfun-thing/Makefile.dep
index c87ee73360..c60e4b8da1 100644
--- a/boards/esp8266-sparkfun-thing/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/esp8266-sparkfun-thing/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-USEMODULE += boards_common_esp8266
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/esp8266/Makefile.dep