diff --git a/boards/airfy-beacon/include/board.h b/boards/airfy-beacon/include/board.h
index 46e95d571d..462f795582 100644
--- a/boards/airfy-beacon/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/airfy-beacon/include/board.h
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@
  */
 #define F_CPU               (16000000UL)
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Xtimer configuration
+ * @{
+ */
+#define XTIMER                      (0)
+#define XTIMER_CHAN                 (0)
+#define XTIMER_MASK                 (0xff000000)
+#define XTIMER_SHIFT_ON_COMPARE     (2)
+#define XTIMER_BACKOFF              (40)
+/** @} */
+
 /**
  * @name Define the boards stdio
  * @{
@@ -41,11 +52,6 @@
 #define STDIO_RX_BUFSIZE    (64U)
 /** @} */
 
-/**
- * @name Assign the hardware timer
- */
-#define HW_TIMER            TIMER_0
-
 /**
  * @name Macros for controlling the on-board LEDs.
  * @{
diff --git a/boards/pca10000/include/board.h b/boards/pca10000/include/board.h
index e1f841d7d2..3089bdc239 100644
--- a/boards/pca10000/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/pca10000/include/board.h
@@ -34,9 +34,15 @@ extern "C" {
 #define F_CPU               (16000000UL)
 
 /**
- * @brief   Assign the hardware timer
+ * @brief   Xtimer configuration
+ * @{
  */
-#define HW_TIMER            TIMER_0
+#define XTIMER                      (0)
+#define XTIMER_CHAN                 (0)
+#define XTIMER_MASK                 (0xff000000)
+#define XTIMER_SHIFT_ON_COMPARE     (2)
+#define XTIMER_BACKOFF              (40)
+/** @} */
 
 /**
  * @name    Define the boards stdio
diff --git a/boards/pca10005/include/board.h b/boards/pca10005/include/board.h
index a1a36a3744..d40b4959b3 100644
--- a/boards/pca10005/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/pca10005/include/board.h
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define F_CPU               (16000000UL)
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Xtimer configuration
+ * @{
+ */
+#define XTIMER                      (0)
+#define XTIMER_CHAN                 (0)
+#define XTIMER_MASK                 (0xff000000)
+#define XTIMER_SHIFT_ON_COMPARE     (2)
+#define XTIMER_BACKOFF              (40)
+/** @} */
+
 /**
  * @name Define the boards stdio
  * @{
@@ -42,11 +53,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define STDIO_RX_BUFSIZE    (64U)
 /** @} */
 
-/**
- * @name Assign the hardware timer
- */
-#define HW_TIMER            TIMER_0
-
 /**
  * @name Macros for controlling the on-board LEDs.
  * @{
diff --git a/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/include/board.h b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/include/board.h
index c1b7098581..8aa664b20f 100644
--- a/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/include/board.h
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define F_CPU               (16000000UL)
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Xtimer configuration
+ * @{
+ */
+#define XTIMER                      (0)
+#define XTIMER_CHAN                 (0)
+#define XTIMER_MASK                 (0xff000000)
+#define XTIMER_SHIFT_ON_COMPARE     (2)
+#define XTIMER_BACKOFF              (40)
+/** @} */
+
 /**
  * @name Define the boards stdio
  * @{
@@ -41,11 +52,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #define STDIO_RX_BUFSIZE    (64U)
 /** @} */
 
-/**
- * @name Assign the hardware timer
- */
-#define HW_TIMER            TIMER_0
-
 /**
  * @name Macros for controlling the on-board LEDs.
  * @{