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/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