diff --git a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
index 5724116cb8..bca34b714e 100644
--- a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
+++ b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
@@ -10,22 +10,8 @@ HEADER_TOOL_DIR = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/riotboot_gen_hdr
 HEADER_TOOL ?= $(HEADER_TOOL_DIR)/bin/genhdr
 BINDIR_APP = $(BINDIR)/$(APPLICATION)
 
-# Indicate the reserved space for a header, 256B by default
-# Notice that it must be 256B aligned. This is restricted by
-# the Cortex-M0+/3/4/7 architecture
-RIOTBOOT_HDR_LEN ?= 0x100
-
-# Export variables for 'riotboot_slot'
-export SLOT0_LEN
-export SLOT1_LEN
-export NUM_SLOTS
-
-# By default, slot 0 is found just after RIOTBOOT_LEN. Slot 1 after
-# slot 0. The values might be overridden to add more or less offset
-# if needed.
-export SLOT0_OFFSET ?= $(RIOTBOOT_LEN)
-# export does not work properly with variables using '$((  ))' so evaluate it in a shell
-export SLOT1_OFFSET ?= $(shell echo $$(($(SLOT0_OFFSET) + $(SLOT0_LEN))))
+#
+export SLOT0_OFFSET SLOT0_LEN SLOT1_OFFSET SLOT1_LEN
 
 # Mandatory APP_VER, set to epoch by default
 APP_VER ?= $(shell date +%s)
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.include b/sys/Makefile.include
index ae261c840b..d4b5b1b83d 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.include
+++ b/sys/Makefile.include
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ ifneq (,$(filter printf_float,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter riotboot_%,$(USEMODULE)))
+  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/riotboot/Makefile.include
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter ssp,$(USEMODULE)))
   include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/ssp/Makefile.include
 endif
diff --git a/sys/riotboot/Makefile b/sys/riotboot/Makefile
index b673cb4f82..cd1af2456e 100644
--- a/sys/riotboot/Makefile
+++ b/sys/riotboot/Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,3 @@
 SUBMODULES := 1
 
-ifneq (,$(filter riotboot_slot,$(USEMODULE)))
-    CFLAGS += -DSLOT0_LEN=$(SLOT0_LEN)
-    CFLAGS += -DSLOT0_OFFSET=$(SLOT0_OFFSET)
-    CFLAGS += -DSLOT1_LEN=$(SLOT1_LEN)
-    CFLAGS += -DSLOT1_OFFSET=$(SLOT1_OFFSET)
-    CFLAGS += -DNUM_SLOTS=$(NUM_SLOTS)
-endif
-
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/sys/riotboot/Makefile.include b/sys/riotboot/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e2d9b6c62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/riotboot/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Indicate the reserved space for a header, 256B by default
+# Notice that it must be 256B aligned. This is restricted by
+# the Cortex-M0+/3/4/7 architecture
+RIOTBOOT_HDR_LEN ?= 0x100
+
+# By default, slot 0 is found just after RIOTBOOT_LEN. Slot 1 after
+# slot 0. The values might be overridden to add more or less offset
+# if needed.
+SLOT0_OFFSET ?= $(RIOTBOOT_LEN)
+SLOT1_OFFSET ?= $(shell echo $$(($(SLOT0_OFFSET) + $(SLOT0_LEN))))
+
+CFLAGS += -DSLOT0_LEN=$(SLOT0_LEN)
+CFLAGS += -DSLOT0_OFFSET=$(SLOT0_OFFSET)
+CFLAGS += -DSLOT1_LEN=$(SLOT1_LEN)
+CFLAGS += -DSLOT1_OFFSET=$(SLOT1_OFFSET)
+CFLAGS += -DNUM_SLOTS=$(NUM_SLOTS)