diff --git a/Makefile.features b/Makefile.features
index b26495ab38..2c744e96a4 100644
--- a/Makefile.features
+++ b/Makefile.features
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@
 
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.features
 
+# Transitional conditional include until all boards define 'CPU'
+ifneq (,$(CPU))
+  include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.features
+endif
+
 
 # Resolve FEATURES_ variables
 # Their value will only be complete after resolving dependencies
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 62f9b39895..4011cb0d8a 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.include
 # The check is only done after 'include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.include'
 # because we need to have the 'CPU' variable defined
 ifeq (,$(filter $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.features,$(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
-  $(error $$(RIOTCPU)/$$(CPU)/Makefile.features must have been included by the board / board common Makefile.features)
+  $(error $$(RIOTCPU)/$$(CPU)/Makefile.features must have been included by the board / board common Makefile.features or Makefile.features)
 endif
 
 # Assume GCC/GNU as supported toolchain if CPU's Makefile.include doesn't