diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index a5a10a8e27..4925d8daaa 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ ifneq (,$(filter nanocoap_%,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter benchmark,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += xtimer
+  USEMODULE += ztimer_usec
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter skald_%,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/sys/benchmark/Kconfig b/sys/benchmark/Kconfig
index 375ea98406..706fb7f652 100644
--- a/sys/benchmark/Kconfig
+++ b/sys/benchmark/Kconfig
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@
 
 config MODULE_BENCHMARK
     bool "Simple benchmarks support"
-    depends on MODULE_XTIMER
+    depends on MODULE_ZTIMER_USEC
     depends on TEST_KCONFIG
diff --git a/sys/benchmark/benchmark.c b/sys/benchmark/benchmark.c
index edc8740d0b..3729ea6fe9 100644
--- a/sys/benchmark/benchmark.c
+++ b/sys/benchmark/benchmark.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include "timex.h"
 
 #include "benchmark.h"
 
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ void benchmark_print_time(uint32_t time, unsigned long runs, const char *name)
     uint32_t full = (time / runs);
     uint32_t div  = (time - (full * runs)) / (runs / 1000);
 
-    uint32_t per_sec = (uint32_t)(((uint64_t)1000000UL * runs) / time);
+    uint32_t per_sec = (uint32_t)(((uint64_t)US_PER_SEC * runs) / time);
 
     printf("%25s: %9" PRIu32 "us"
            "  ---  %2" PRIu32 ".%03" PRIu32 "us per call"
diff --git a/sys/include/benchmark.h b/sys/include/benchmark.h
index 521b5f1d1d..ed8ac218be 100644
--- a/sys/include/benchmark.h
+++ b/sys/include/benchmark.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "irq.h"
-#include "xtimer.h"
+#include "ztimer.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define BENCHMARK_FUNC(name, runs, func)                    \
     {                                                           \
-        uint32_t _benchmark_time = xtimer_now_usec();           \
+        uint32_t _benchmark_time = ztimer_now(ZTIMER_USEC);     \
         for (unsigned long i = 0; i < runs; i++) {              \
             func;                                               \
         }                                                       \
-        _benchmark_time = (xtimer_now_usec() - _benchmark_time);\
+        _benchmark_time = (ztimer_now(ZTIMER_USEC) - _benchmark_time);\
         benchmark_print_time(_benchmark_time, runs, name);      \
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/bench_sys_atomic_utils/Makefile.ci b/tests/bench_sys_atomic_utils/Makefile.ci
index 0ddf9b83e4..fa21afb84b 100644
--- a/tests/bench_sys_atomic_utils/Makefile.ci
+++ b/tests/bench_sys_atomic_utils/Makefile.ci
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_MEMORY := \
     arduino-duemilanove \
     arduino-leonardo \
     arduino-nano \
+    arduino-uno \
+    atmega328p-xplained-mini \
+    atmega328p \
     nucleo-l011k4 \
     samd10-xmini \
     stm32f030f4-demo \