diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index 299e441801..ba85bed880 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -87,8 +87,11 @@ endif
 # always select gpio (until explicit dependencies are sorted out)
 FEATURES_OPTIONAL += periph_gpio
 
-# always select power management if available
-FEATURES_OPTIONAL += periph_pm
+# always select power management unless building the bootloader
+# pm is not needed by the bootloader and omitting it saves some ROM
+ifneq (1, $(RIOTBOOT_BUILD))
+  FEATURES_OPTIONAL += periph_pm
+endif
 
 # always select provided architecture features
 FEATURES_REQUIRED += $(filter arch_%,$(FEATURES_PROVIDED))
diff --git a/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
index 0cb51653e7..6d8bd098b2 100644
--- a/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ endif
 # used for software reset
 ifneq (,$(filter board_software_reset,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_gpio_irq
+  FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_pm
 endif
 
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/nrf52/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile b/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
index c2695e8073..bc19fbe7e0 100644
--- a/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
+++ b/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ CFLAGS += -DRIOTBOOT
 CFLAGS += -DNDEBUG -DLOG_LEVEL=LOG_NONE
 DISABLE_MODULE += core_init core_msg core_panic
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init auto_init_%
+DISABLE_MODULE += pm_layered
 
 # avoid using stdio
 USEMODULE += stdio_null
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.default b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep
index 39bdd75366..d8489f01b0 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep
@@ -13,6 +13,4 @@ ifneq (,$(filter periph_uart_nonblocking,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += tsrb
 endif
 
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
-
 include $(RIOTCPU)/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/cpu/efm32/Makefile.default b/cpu/efm32/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/efm32/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/efm32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/efm32/Makefile.dep
index 2d83ee7ed5..b7f90bf5ae 100644
--- a/cpu/efm32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/efm32/Makefile.dep
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ endif
 # include Gecko SDK package
 USEPKG += gecko_sdk
 
-# include layered power management
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
-
 ifneq (,$(filter efm32_coretemp,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_adc
 endif
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.default b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
index 73630031f8..99a0fcb39c 100644
--- a/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/esp32/Makefile.dep
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ include $(RIOTCPU)/esp_common/Makefile.dep
 USEMODULE += esp_idf_driver
 USEMODULE += esp_idf_esp32
 USEMODULE += esp_idf_soc
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
 
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += newlib_nano
diff --git a/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.default b/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.dep b/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.dep
index 4b4eba3a72..309c3ffd60 100644
--- a/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/kinetis/Makefile.dep
@@ -21,6 +21,5 @@ else ifneq (,$(filter periph_mcg_lite,$(FEATURES_USED)))
 endif
 
 USEMODULE += periph_wdog
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
 
 include $(RIOTCPU)/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.default b/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.dep b/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.dep
index f0a929e7f1..849cc8d116 100644
--- a/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/lpc1768/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
-
 include $(RIOTCPU)/cortexm_common/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.default b/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.dep b/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.dep
index 2751e15f57..c72ba6ec12 100644
--- a/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/lpc23xx/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 USEMODULE += arm7_common
 USEMODULE += bitfield
 USEMODULE += periph
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
 
 ifneq (,$(filter mci,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += xtimer
diff --git a/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.default b/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.dep
index 276bd6531c..13b8a500fc 100644
--- a/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/sam0_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter periph_rtc periph_rtt,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += periph_rtc_rtt
 endif
 
-# All SAM0 based CPUs provide PM
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
-
 # include sam0 common periph drivers
 USEMODULE += sam0_common_periph
 
diff --git a/cpu/samd21/Makefile.default b/cpu/samd21/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..482f492884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/samd21/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTCPU)/sam0_common/Makefile.default
diff --git a/cpu/samd5x/Makefile.default b/cpu/samd5x/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..482f492884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/samd5x/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTCPU)/sam0_common/Makefile.default
diff --git a/cpu/saml1x/Makefile.default b/cpu/saml1x/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..482f492884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/saml1x/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTCPU)/sam0_common/Makefile.default
diff --git a/cpu/saml21/Makefile.default b/cpu/saml21/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..482f492884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/saml21/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTCPU)/sam0_common/Makefile.default
diff --git a/cpu/stm32/Makefile.default b/cpu/stm32/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..034f8c7848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/stm32/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DEFAULT_MODULE += pm_layered
diff --git a/cpu/stm32/Makefile.dep b/cpu/stm32/Makefile.dep
index 63b3ec9af9..a8fc68c9eb 100644
--- a/cpu/stm32/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/stm32/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 # All stm32 families provide pm support
-USEMODULE += pm_layered
 
 # include stm32 common periph drivers, clock configurations and vectors
 USEMODULE += periph stm32_clk stm32_vectors
diff --git a/cpu/stm32/include/periph_cpu.h b/cpu/stm32/include/periph_cpu.h
index e7c9808e8b..325eb13f24 100644
--- a/cpu/stm32/include/periph_cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/stm32/include/periph_cpu.h
@@ -98,11 +98,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define CPUID_ADDR          (UID_BASE)
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @brief   We provide our own pm_off() function for all STM32-based CPUs
- */
-#define PROVIDES_PM_LAYERED_OFF
-
 /**
  * @brief   All STM timers have 4 capture-compare channels
  */
diff --git a/cpu/stm32/periph/pm.c b/cpu/stm32/periph/pm.c
index 371c0f1604..91e72ca45e 100644
--- a/cpu/stm32/periph/pm.c
+++ b/cpu/stm32/periph/pm.c
@@ -151,9 +151,3 @@ void pm_set(unsigned mode)
 #endif
     }
 }
-
-void pm_off(void)
-{
-    irq_disable();
-    pm_set(0);
-}
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index c24137c409..0aeeaaa7f5 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -732,6 +732,10 @@ ifneq (,$(filter phydat,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += fmt
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter pm_layered,$(USEMODULE)))
+  FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_pm
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter evtimer_mbox,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += evtimer
   USEMODULE += core_mbox
@@ -1015,6 +1019,7 @@ ifneq (,$(filter riotboot_usb_dfu, $(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += usbus_dfu
   USEMODULE += riotboot_flashwrite
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += no_idle_thread
+  FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_pm
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter irq_handler,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/sys/include/pm_layered.h b/sys/include/pm_layered.h
index 4cba7ee6a0..cc4ab6ea1e 100644
--- a/sys/include/pm_layered.h
+++ b/sys/include/pm_layered.h
@@ -62,14 +62,22 @@ typedef union {
  *
  * @param[in]   mode      power mode to block
  */
+#ifdef MODULE_PM_LAYERED
 void pm_block(unsigned mode);
+#else
+static inline void pm_block(unsigned mode) { (void)mode; }
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @brief   Unblock a power mode
  *
  * @param[in]   mode      power mode to unblock
  */
+#ifdef MODULE_PM_LAYERED
 void pm_unblock(unsigned mode);
+#else
+static inline void pm_unblock(unsigned mode) { (void)mode; }
+#endif
 
 /**
  * @brief   Switches the MCU to a new power mode