diff --git a/boards/cc2538dk/Makefile.dep b/boards/cc2538dk/Makefile.dep
index dd120c6dfa..74949a8288 100644
--- a/boards/cc2538dk/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/cc2538dk/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += netif
+ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += cc2538_rf
-  USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154
 endif
diff --git a/boards/common/remote/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/remote/Makefile.dep
index a1872e87c3..35ca54d655 100644
--- a/boards/common/remote/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/remote/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += netif
+ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += cc2538_rf
-  USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/boards/openmote-b/Makefile.dep b/boards/openmote-b/Makefile.dep
index 13aa44f144..df94179725 100644
--- a/boards/openmote-b/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/openmote-b/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
+ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += cc2538_rf
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
   USEMODULE += si7006
 endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += netif
-  USEMODULE += cc2538_rf
-  USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154
-endif
diff --git a/boards/openmote-cc2538/Makefile.dep b/boards/openmote-cc2538/Makefile.dep
index dd120c6dfa..74949a8288 100644
--- a/boards/openmote-cc2538/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/openmote-cc2538/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += netif
+ifneq (,$(filter gnrc_netdev_default netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += cc2538_rf
-  USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154
 endif
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff33e52161
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+ifneq (,$(filter cc2538_rf,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += netdev_ieee802154
+  USEMODULE += netif
+endif