diff --git a/sys/include/auto_init_utils.h b/sys/include/auto_init_utils.h
index d150186e2c..f2633c0c59 100644
--- a/sys/include/auto_init_utils.h
+++ b/sys/include/auto_init_utils.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include "xfa.h"
 #include "macros/xtstr.h"
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 #if IS_USED(MODULE_PREPROCESSOR_SUCCESSOR)
 #include "preprocessor_successor.h"
 #endif
diff --git a/sys/include/crypto/ciphers.h b/sys/include/crypto/ciphers.h
index 3ae2845473..b9ae66fa47 100644
--- a/sys/include/crypto/ciphers.h
+++ b/sys/include/crypto/ciphers.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #define CRYPTO_CIPHERS_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/sys/include/dbgpin.h b/sys/include/dbgpin.h
index 72aae108c0..192d73db5b 100644
--- a/sys/include/dbgpin.h
+++ b/sys/include/dbgpin.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #ifndef DBGPIN_H
 #define DBGPIN_H
 
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "container.h"
 #include "periph/gpio.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/sys/include/evtimer.h b/sys/include/evtimer.h
index 86303ae143..66ff0a5d4b 100644
--- a/sys/include/evtimer.h
+++ b/sys/include/evtimer.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 #define EVTIMER_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #if IS_USED(MODULE_EVTIMER_ON_ZTIMER)
 #include "ztimer.h"
diff --git a/sys/include/phydat.h b/sys/include/phydat.h
index db8036a06c..0425f96e2b 100644
--- a/sys/include/phydat.h
+++ b/sys/include/phydat.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/sys/include/senml.h b/sys/include/senml.h
index 0b41122182..84b93dfc94 100644
--- a/sys/include/senml.h
+++ b/sys/include/senml.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/sys/include/shell.h b/sys/include/shell.h
index 3d6e9c1b09..dde5cb0b67 100644
--- a/sys/include/shell.h
+++ b/sys/include/shell.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include "periph/pm.h"
 
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 #include "xfa.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/sys/include/stdio_base.h b/sys/include/stdio_base.h
index d9a972064f..a98ca1fd7f 100644
--- a/sys/include/stdio_base.h
+++ b/sys/include/stdio_base.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/sys/include/string_utils.h b/sys/include/string_utils.h
index 46bfb3def4..5c7da82a8d 100644
--- a/sys/include/string_utils.h
+++ b/sys/include/string_utils.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 #include <strings.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 
 #ifndef STRING_UTILS_H
 #define STRING_UTILS_H
diff --git a/sys/include/usb/usbus.h b/sys/include/usb/usbus.h
index 7f2551deb4..51b2043221 100644
--- a/sys/include/usb/usbus.h
+++ b/sys/include/usb/usbus.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 #include "clist.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "sched.h"
-#include "kernel_defines.h"
+#include "modules.h"
 #include "msg.h"
 #include "thread.h"