diff --git a/boards/native/Makefile.include b/boards/native/Makefile.include
index adba4b127a..a9d4e54643 100644
--- a/boards/native/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/native/Makefile.include
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ ifeq (native,$(RIOT_TERMINAL))
   TERMPROG ?= $(FLASHFILE)
 else
   TERMFLAGS += -n $(FLASHFILE)
+  ifeq (1,$(USE_ZEP))
+    ZEP_IP ?= [::1]
+    ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
+    TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z $(ZEP_IP):$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
+  endif
+  ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
+    TERMFLAGS += --native-args '\-\-eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)'
+  endif
 endif
 
 export VALGRIND ?= valgrind
@@ -92,9 +100,7 @@ endif
 LINKFLAGS += -ffunction-sections
 
 # set the tap interface for term/valgrind
-ifneq (,$(filter netdev_tap,$(USEMODULE)))
-  PORT ?= tap0
-endif
+PORT ?= tap0
 
 # Configure default eeprom file
 EEPROM_FILE ?= $(BINDIR)/native.eeprom
diff --git a/examples/gcoap/Makefile b/examples/gcoap/Makefile
index b6b8f4fc19..93bfc25e1b 100644
--- a/examples/gcoap/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gcoap/Makefile
@@ -70,12 +70,7 @@ USE_ZEP ?= 0
 # set the ZEP port for native
 ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
 ifeq (1,$(USE_ZEP))
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
-
-  ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
-    TERMFLAGS += --native-args '\-\-eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)'
-  endif
 endif
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/gcoap_dtls/Makefile b/examples/gcoap_dtls/Makefile
index 647be9722a..ce1ee3396b 100644
--- a/examples/gcoap_dtls/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gcoap_dtls/Makefile
@@ -82,12 +82,7 @@ USE_ZEP ?= 0
 # set the ZEP port for native
 ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
 ifeq (1,$(USE_ZEP))
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
-
-  ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
-    TERMFLAGS += --native-args '\-\-eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)'
-  endif
 endif
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile.native.conf b/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile.native.conf
index 33279499dd..4c15e517c2 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile.native.conf
+++ b/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile.native.conf
@@ -40,10 +40,5 @@ TERMPROG ?= sudo $(RIOTTOOLS)/zep_dispatch/start_network.sh $(TERMPROG_FLAGS)
 # -z [::1]:$PORT for each ZEP device
 TERMFLAGS ?= $(patsubst %,-z [::1]:%, $(shell seq $(ZEP_PORT_BASE) $(ZEP_PORT_MAX)))
 
-# set optional ZEP l2 address
-ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '\-\-eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)'
-endif
-
 # native uses $PORT to specify the TAP interface
 PORT ?= $(TAP)
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
index 4eb45bdb51..e31b39635e 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
@@ -47,12 +47,7 @@ USE_ZEP ?= 0
 # set the ZEP port for native
 ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
 ifeq (1,$(USE_ZEP))
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
-
-  ifneq (,$(ZEP_MAC))
-    TERMFLAGS += --native-args '\-\-eui64=$(ZEP_MAC)'
-  endif
 endif
 
 # Uncomment the following 2 lines to specify static link lokal IPv6 address
diff --git a/tests/net/emcute/Makefile b/tests/net/emcute/Makefile
index c37c516072..65d2f98e69 100644
--- a/tests/net/emcute/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/emcute/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export TAP ?= tap0
 
 # use Ethernet as link-layer protocol
 ifeq (native,$(BOARD))
-  PORT += $(TAP)
+  PORT ?= $(TAP)
 else
   ETHOS_BAUDRATE ?= 115200
   CFLAGS += -DETHOS_BAUDRATE=$(ETHOS_BAUDRATE)
diff --git a/tests/net/gcoap_fileserver/Makefile b/tests/net/gcoap_fileserver/Makefile
index e3bcdbb10d..ad5900aa1b 100644
--- a/tests/net/gcoap_fileserver/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/gcoap_fileserver/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
   USEMODULE += socket_zep_hello
   USEMODULE += netdev
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z 127.0.0.1:17754' # Murdock has no IPv6 support
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS += -z 127.0.0.1:17754 # Murdock has no IPv6 support
   # make sure each instance gets their own fs
   CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_NATIVE_ISOLATE_FS=1
 else
diff --git a/tests/net/gnrc_dhcpv6_client_6lbr/Makefile b/tests/net/gnrc_dhcpv6_client_6lbr/Makefile
index bb1f054892..e9e6bb8006 100644
--- a/tests/net/gnrc_dhcpv6_client_6lbr/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/gnrc_dhcpv6_client_6lbr/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ USEMODULE += shell_cmds_default
 
 # use Ethernet as link-layer protocol
 ifeq (native,$(BOARD))
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:17754'
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS += -z [::1]:17754
 else
   ETHOS_BAUDRATE ?= 115200
   CFLAGS += -DETHOS_BAUDRATE=$(ETHOS_BAUDRATE)
diff --git a/tests/net/gnrc_netif_ieee802154/Makefile b/tests/net/gnrc_netif_ieee802154/Makefile
index 84b8d763ef..bce4d0cb12 100644
--- a/tests/net/gnrc_netif_ieee802154/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/gnrc_netif_ieee802154/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ include ../Makefile.net_common
 
 ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
-  TERMFLAGS ?= --native-args '-z "0.0.0.0:17755,localhost:17754"'
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS ?= -z "0.0.0.0:17755,localhost:17754"
   USEMODULE += netdev
   # somehow this breaks the test
   DISABLE_MODULE += test_utils_print_stack_usage
diff --git a/tests/net/gnrc_rpl/Makefile b/tests/net/gnrc_rpl/Makefile
index d8778e5a8a..29713f7099 100644
--- a/tests/net/gnrc_rpl/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/gnrc_rpl/Makefile
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
   USEMODULE += socket_zep_hello
   USEMODULE += netdev
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z 127.0.0.1:17754' # Murdock has no IPv6 support
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS += -z 127.0.0.1:17754 # Murdock has no IPv6 support
 else
   USEMODULE += netdev_default
   # automated test only works on native
diff --git a/tests/net/gnrc_sixlowpan_frag_sfr_congure_impl/Makefile b/tests/net/gnrc_sixlowpan_frag_sfr_congure_impl/Makefile
index 10e868266a..0a07d7f40f 100644
--- a/tests/net/gnrc_sixlowpan_frag_sfr_congure_impl/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/gnrc_sixlowpan_frag_sfr_congure_impl/Makefile
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
   USEMODULE += socket_zep_hello
   USEMODULE += netdev
-  TERMFLAGS = --native-args '-z 127.0.0.1:17754' # Murdock has no IPv6 support
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS = -z 127.0.0.1:17754 # Murdock has no IPv6 support
 else
   USEMODULE += netdev_default
   # automated test only works on native
diff --git a/tests/net/ieee802154_hal/Makefile b/tests/net/ieee802154_hal/Makefile
index 4233ca6a96..96c43d42eb 100644
--- a/tests/net/ieee802154_hal/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/ieee802154_hal/Makefile
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ BOARD_WHITELIST += adafruit-clue \
 
 ifeq ($(BOARD), native)
   ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
+  RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+  TERMFLAGS += -z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
   # the same for Kconfig
   ifeq (1,$(TEST_KCONFIG))
diff --git a/tests/net/ieee802154_submac/Makefile b/tests/net/ieee802154_submac/Makefile
index 688294937d..e4122afbc0 100644
--- a/tests/net/ieee802154_submac/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/ieee802154_submac/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ USEMODULE += ieee802154_submac
 USEMODULE += ztimer_usec
 
 ifeq ($(BOARD), native)
-  ZEP_PORT_BASE ?= 17754
-  TERMFLAGS += --native-args '-z [::1]:$(ZEP_PORT_BASE)'
+  USE_ZEP = 1
   USEMODULE += socket_zep
 endif
 
diff --git a/tests/net/socket_zep/Makefile b/tests/net/socket_zep/Makefile
index 7bb9d945f9..68dfb8d1e9 100644
--- a/tests/net/socket_zep/Makefile
+++ b/tests/net/socket_zep/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ USEMODULE += od
 USEMODULE += socket_zep
 USEMODULE += netdev
 
-TERMFLAGS ?= --native-args '-z [::1]:17754'
+RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+TERMFLAGS ?= -z [::1]:17754
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/net/socket_zep/tests/01-run.py b/tests/net/socket_zep/tests/01-run.py
index 1d4e4ca8fe..b72f66137b 100755
--- a/tests/net/socket_zep/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/net/socket_zep/tests/01-run.py
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ def testfunc(child):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    os.environ['TERMFLAGS'] = "--native-args '\\-\\-eui64=00:5a:45:50:0a:00:30:38' --native-args '-z [%s]:%d,[%s]:%d'"\
-            % (zep_params['local_addr'], zep_params['local_port'],
-               zep_params['remote_addr'], zep_params['remote_port'])
+    os.environ['TERMFLAGS'] = "--eui64=00:5a:45:50:0a:00:30:38 -z [%s]:%d,[%s]:%d" % (
+            zep_params['local_addr'], zep_params['local_port'],
+            zep_params['remote_addr'], zep_params['remote_port'])
     s = socket.socket(family=socket.AF_INET, type=socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
     s.bind(("127.0.0.1", zep_params['remote_port']))
     res = run(testfunc, timeout=1, echo=True, traceback=True)
diff --git a/tests/sys/shell_coreclk/Makefile b/tests/sys/shell_coreclk/Makefile
index 6e26e314be..9090db37c2 100644
--- a/tests/sys/shell_coreclk/Makefile
+++ b/tests/sys/shell_coreclk/Makefile
@@ -3,10 +3,4 @@ include ../Makefile.sys_common
 USEMODULE += shell
 USEMODULE += shell_cmd_coreclk
 
-# Use a terminal that does not introduce extra characters into the stream.
-RIOT_TERMINAL ?= socat
-
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
-
-# the test script skips tests if socat is not used
-$(call target-export-variables,$(RIOT_TERMINAL),RIOT_TERMINAL)