diff --git a/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include b/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
index 8c092b07b7..7f08a0068a 100644
--- a/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
@@ -1,7 +1,19 @@
-## the cpu to build for
+# define the cpu used by the mbed_lpx1768 board
 export CPU = lpc1768
 
-# toolchain config
+#define the default port depending on the host OS
+OS := $(shell uname)
+ifeq ($(OS),Linux)
+  PORT ?= /dev/ttyUSB0
+else ifeq ($(OS),Darwin)
+  PORT ?= $(shell ls -1 /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART* | head -n 1)
+else
+  $(info CAUTION: No flash tool for your host system found!)
+  # TODO: add support for windows as host platform
+endif
+export PORT
+
+# define tools used for building the project
 export PREFIX = arm-none-eabi-
 export CC = $(PREFIX)gcc
 export CXX = $(PREFIX)g++
@@ -10,8 +22,12 @@ export AS = $(PREFIX)as
 export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
 export SIZE = $(PREFIX)size
 export OBJCOPY = $(PREFIX)objcopy
+export TERMPROG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyterm/pyterm
+export FLASHER =
+export DEBUGGER =
+export DEBUGSERVER =
 
-# define build options
+# define build specific options
 CPU_USAGE = -mcpu=cortex-m3
 FPU_USAGE =
 export CFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 -std=gnu99 -Os -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -mthumb -mthumb-interwork -nostartfiles
@@ -19,21 +35,20 @@ export CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-builtin
 export ASFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian
 export LINKFLAGS += -g3 -ggdb -std=gnu99 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -static -lgcc -mthumb -mthumb-interwork -nostartfiles
 export LINKFLAGS += -T$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/LPC1768.ld
-
-#LINKFLAGS += -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb -Wl,--gc-sections,--cref -lc -lgcc -lnosys  -nostartfiles
-
-ifeq ($(strip $(PORT)),)
-	export PORT = /dev/ttyUSB0
-endif
-export FFLAGS = $(HEXFILE)
-
-export DEBUGGER_FLAGS = $(ELFFILE)
-
-export INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/include/ -I$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/include
 export OFLAGS = -O binary
-
-export UNDEF += $(BINDIR)cpu/startup.o
+export FFLAGS =
+export DEBUGGER_FLAGS =
+export TERMFLAGS += -p "$(PORT)"
 
 # unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
 export CXXUWFLAGS +=
 export CXXEXFLAGS +=
+
+# use newLib nano-specs if available
+ifeq ($(shell $(LINK) -specs=nano.specs -E - 2>/dev/null >/dev/null </dev/null ; echo $$?),0)
+export LINKFLAGS += -specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys
+endif
+
+# export board specific includes to the global includes-listing
+export INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/include/ -I$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/include
+export UNDEF += $(BINDIR)cpu/startup.o