diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index 917fb7969b..9d6e5d4d3d 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -715,10 +715,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter ztimer64%,$(USEMODULE)))
   include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/ztimer64/Makefile.dep
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter evtimer,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += ztimer_msec
-endif
-
 # handle xtimer's deps. Needs to be done *after* ztimer
 ifneq (,$(filter xtimer,$(USEMODULE)))
   include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/xtimer/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/sys/evtimer/Makefile.dep b/sys/evtimer/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8ae27e6b64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/evtimer/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+ifneq (,$(filter evtimer,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += ztimer_msec
+endif