diff --git a/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include b/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
index 139555db3f..8c98133068 100644
--- a/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
@@ -5,23 +5,17 @@ ifeq (dfu-util,$(PROGRAMMER))
   # For older versions of the DFU bootloader, set DFU_USB_ID to 1d50:6017
   DFU_USB_ID ?= 1eaf:0003
   DFU_ALT ?= 2
-
+  DFU_USE_DFUSE = 1
   # Leave some space at the beginning of the flash for the bootloader
   ROM_OFFSET ?= 0x2000
-
   # If using STM32duino bootloader, this change is necessary.
   # Bootloader available at
   # github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/STM32duino-bootloader/tree/master/binaries
   ifeq (stm32duino,$(BOOTLOADER))
-    FFLAGS_OPTS ?= -R
-    FFLAGS ?= --device $(DFU_USB_ID) \
-              --alt $(DFU_ALT) \
-              --download $(FLASHFILE) \
-              $(FFLAGS_OPTS)
-
     # Flashing may be easier if using a software USB reset.
     # Future updates may provide USB support for stm32f1 which benefits
     # from this software reset.
+    FFLAGS_OPTS += --reset
   endif
 
 else ifeq (openocd,$(PROGRAMMER))
diff --git a/boards/common/weact-f4x1cx/Makefile.include b/boards/common/weact-f4x1cx/Makefile.include
index 5e89e89ab5..ba36e4840f 100644
--- a/boards/common/weact-f4x1cx/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/common/weact-f4x1cx/Makefile.include
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/common/weact-f4x1cx/include
 # default to flashing over USB
 PROGRAMMER ?= dfu-util
 DFU_USB_ID ?= 0483:df11
-DFU_FLAGS  ?= -a 0 -s 0x08000000:leave
+DFU_USE_DFUSE = 1
 ROM_OFFSET ?= 0x0
 
 # CDC ACM is available faster on STM32
diff --git a/boards/nz32-sc151/Makefile.include b/boards/nz32-sc151/Makefile.include
index 292f974106..e482672d5d 100644
--- a/boards/nz32-sc151/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/nz32-sc151/Makefile.include
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART*)))
 # this board is flashed using DFU
 PROGRAMMER ?= dfu-util
 DFU_USB_ID = 0483:df11
+DFU_USE_DFUSE = 1
diff --git a/boards/pyboard/Makefile.include b/boards/pyboard/Makefile.include
index 90c65adba6..83b4a93f75 100644
--- a/boards/pyboard/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/pyboard/Makefile.include
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART*)))
 # this board is flashed using DFU
 PROGRAMMER ?= dfu-util
 DFU_USB_ID = 1d50:607f
-FFLAGS_OPTS = --reset
+DFU_USE_DFUSE = 1
diff --git a/boards/spark-core/Makefile.include b/boards/spark-core/Makefile.include
index 2af6c22969..cbce081a8e 100644
--- a/boards/spark-core/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/spark-core/Makefile.include
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ ROM_OFFSET ?= 0x5000
 # this board is flashed using DFU
 PROGRAMMER ?= dfu-util
 DFU_USB_ID = 1d50:607f
+DFU_USE_DFUSE = 1
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/dfu-util.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/dfu-util.inc.mk
index 85162c9375..6ff3dc05ae 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/dfu-util.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/dfu-util.inc.mk
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@ ROM_OFFSET ?= 0
 
 _ROM_ADDR_WITH_OFFSET ?= $(shell printf "0x%x" $$(($(ROM_START_ADDR) + $(ROM_OFFSET))))
 FLASH_ADDR ?= $(if $(ROM_OFFSET),$(_ROM_ADDR_WITH_OFFSET),$(ROM_START_ADDR))
-
+DFU_USE_DFUSE ?= 0
 # Optional flasher flags
 FFLAGS_OPTS ?=
 
 FFLAGS ?= --device $(DFU_USB_ID) \
           --alt $(DFU_ALT) \
-          --dfuse-address $(FLASH_ADDR):leave \
           --download $(FLASHFILE) \
           $(FFLAGS_OPTS)
+
+ifeq ($(DFU_USE_DFUSE),1)
+  FFLAGS += --dfuse-address $(FLASH_ADDR):leave
+endif