diff --git a/Makefile.base b/Makefile.base
index 5469d5c117..53f858e99a 100644
--- a/Makefile.base
+++ b/Makefile.base
@@ -89,10 +89,7 @@ include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/fixdep.inc.mk
 $(BINDIR)/$(MODULE)/:
 	$(Q)mkdir -p $@
 
-# only create the module folder when it's going to hold objects
-ifneq (,$(strip $(OBJ)))
-  $(MODULE).module $(OBJ): | $(BINDIR)/$(MODULE)/
-endif
+$(MODULE).module $(OBJ): | $(BINDIR)/$(MODULE)/
 
 $(MODULE).module: $(OBJ) | $(DIRS:%=ALL--%)
 
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 165b4cf314..1ef4458753 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -556,6 +556,7 @@ DIRS += $(EXTERNAL_MODULE_DIRS)
 BUILDDEPS += $(RIOTBUILD_CONFIG_HEADER_C)
 BUILDDEPS += pkg-prepare
 BUILDDEPS += $(APPDEPS)
+BUILDDEPS += $(MODULE_LIST_DIR)
 
 # Save value to verify it is not modified later
 _BASELIBS_VALUE_BEFORE_USAGE := $(BASELIBS)
@@ -575,9 +576,9 @@ ifeq ($(BUILD_IN_DOCKER),1)
 link: ..in-docker-container
 else
 ifeq (,$(RIOTNOLINK))
-link: ..compiler-check ..build-message $(BUILD_FILES) print-size
+link: ..compiler-check ..build-message $(BUILD_FILES) print-size ..module-check
 else
-link: ..compiler-check ..build-message $(BASELIBS) $(ARCHIVES)
+link: ..compiler-check ..build-message $(BASELIBS) $(ARCHIVES) ..module-check
 endif # RIOTNOLINK
 
 $(ELFFILE): $(BASELIBS) $(ARCHIVES)
@@ -585,6 +586,10 @@ $(ELFFILE): $(BASELIBS) $(ARCHIVES)
 
 .PHONY: $(APPLICATION_MODULE).module
 
+..module-check: $(BASELIBS)
+	@[ -z "$(strip $(NON_GENERATED_MODULES))" ] || \
+	($(COLOR_ECHO) "$(COLOR_RED)Error - using unknown modules: $(COLOR_RESET)$(NON_GENERATED_MODULES)" && false)
+
 $(APPLICATION_MODULE).module: pkg-build $(BUILDDEPS)
 	$(Q)DIRS="$(DIRS)" APPLICATION_BLOBS="$(BLOBS)" \
 	  "$(MAKE)" -C $(APPDIR) -f $(RIOTMAKE)/application.inc.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/modules.inc.mk b/makefiles/modules.inc.mk
index 55595b5d37..4595d8d062 100644
--- a/makefiles/modules.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/modules.inc.mk
@@ -12,3 +12,8 @@ EXTDEFINES = $(addprefix -D,$(call uppercase_and_underscore,$(ED)))
 REALMODULES += $(filter-out $(PSEUDOMODULES), $(_ALLMODULES))
 REALMODULES += $(filter $(NO_PSEUDOMODULES), $(_ALLMODULES))
 BASELIBS += $(REALMODULES:%=%.module)
+
+# Add modules compiled with Makefile.base and extra archives
+GENERATED_MODULES = $(notdir $(shell find $(BINDIR) -type d)) $(basename $(notdir $(ARCHIVES)))
+
+NON_GENERATED_MODULES = $(filter-out $(GENERATED_MODULES),$(REALMODULES))