diff --git a/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk b/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
index 64712a5f41..8ca9125b0e 100644
--- a/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
@@ -175,8 +175,6 @@ PSEUDOMODULES += l2filter_blacklist
 PSEUDOMODULES += l2filter_whitelist
 PSEUDOMODULES += libstdcpp
 PSEUDOMODULES += log
-PSEUDOMODULES += log_printfnoformat
-PSEUDOMODULES += log_color
 PSEUDOMODULES += lora
 ## @defgroup pseudomodule_libc_gettimeofday libc_gettimeofday
 ## @brief Includes implementation of gettimeofday()
diff --git a/sys/Kconfig b/sys/Kconfig
index 7cebeaa6be..b152c32314 100644
--- a/sys/Kconfig
+++ b/sys/Kconfig
@@ -64,8 +64,16 @@ rsource "Kconfig.picolibc"
 
 endmenu # Libc
 
+
 rsource "Kconfig.stdio"
-rsource "log/Kconfig"
+choice LOG
+    bool "Logging system override"
+    optional
+    #modules log_color and log_printfnoformat describe their options
+endchoice
+
+rsource "log_color/Kconfig"
+rsource "log_printfnoformat/Kconfig"
 rsource "luid/Kconfig"
 rsource "malloc_thread_safe/Kconfig"
 rsource "matstat/Kconfig"
@@ -124,4 +132,10 @@ config MODULE_SYS
     help
         System module, it serves to pull in all the rest of system modules.
 
+config MODULE_LOG
+    bool
+    help
+        Modules that override the default log implementation should select this.
+        For more information see core/include/log.h.
+
 endmenu # System
diff --git a/sys/Makefile b/sys/Makefile
index fa3161616d..85c6fd1230 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile
+++ b/sys/Makefile
@@ -104,9 +104,6 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter l2util,$(USEMODULE)))
   DIRS += net/link_layer/l2util
 endif
-ifneq (,$(filter log_%,$(USEMODULE)))
-  DIRS += log
-endif
 ifneq (,$(filter nanocoap,$(USEMODULE)))
   DIRS += net/application_layer/nanocoap
 endif
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.include b/sys/Makefile.include
index bad9ee6c1a..0a4fcbe837 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.include
+++ b/sys/Makefile.include
@@ -74,8 +74,12 @@ ifneq (,$(filter embunit,$(USEMODULE)))
   endif
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter log_%,$(USEMODULE)))
-  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log/Makefile.include
+ifneq (,$(filter log_color,$(USEMODULE)))
+  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log_color/Makefile.include
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter log_printfnoformat,$(USEMODULE)))
+  include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile.include
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/sys/log/Kconfig b/sys/log/Kconfig
deleted file mode 100644
index c00efd5194..0000000000
--- a/sys/log/Kconfig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2021 HAW Hamburg
-#
-# This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
-# General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
-# directory for more details.
-#
-
-choice
-  bool "Logging system override"
-  optional
-  depends on TEST_KCONFIG
-  help
-    Say y to override the default logging functions. For more information see
-    core/include/log.h.
-
-config MODULE_LOG_COLOR
-    bool "Colored output"
-    select MODULE_LOG
-    help
-      Implements a logging module with colored output.
-
-config MODULE_LOG_PRINTFNOFORMAT
-    bool "puts-based log"
-    select MODULE_LOG
-    help
-      Logging is implemented using puts instead of printf. Use it where printf
-      might be too heavy. This also serves as an example for logging
-      implementation.
-
-endchoice
-
-config MODULE_LOG
-    bool
-    help
-        Modules that override the default log implementation shoul select this.
-        For more information see core/include/log.h.
diff --git a/sys/log/Makefile b/sys/log/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index 6cd43be02c..0000000000
--- a/sys/log/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-DIRS += $(dir $(wildcard $(addsuffix /Makefile, $(USEMODULE))))
-
-include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/sys/log/Makefile.include b/sys/log/Makefile.include
deleted file mode 100644
index b9d4614145..0000000000
--- a/sys/log/Makefile.include
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-# check that one, and only one log backend is being used
-USED_LOG_BACKENDS := $(sort $(filter log_%,$(USEMODULE)))
-
-ifeq (0,$(words $(USED_LOG_BACKENDS)))
-  $(error The log module is being used but no backend is provided.)
-else ifeq (1,$(words $(USED_LOG_BACKENDS)))
-  # only one backend is provided, this is correct
-else
-  $(info Only one log backend can be used at a time.)
-  $(error Currently selecting: $(USED_LOG_BACKENDS))
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter log_printfnoformat,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE_INCLUDES += $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log/log_printfnoformat
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter log_color,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE_INCLUDES += $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log/log_color
-endif
diff --git a/sys/log_color/Kconfig b/sys/log_color/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5352a25e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_color/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2019 HAW Hamburg
+#
+# This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+# General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+# directory for more details.
+#
+choice LOG
+#the choice prompt is described in sys/Kconfig
+
+config MODULE_LOG_COLOR
+    bool "log_color: colored log output"
+    select MODULE_LOG
+    help
+      Implements a logging module with colored output.
+
+endchoice
diff --git a/sys/log_color/Makefile b/sys/log_color/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48422e909a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_color/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/sys/log_color/Makefile.include b/sys/log_color/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed8997f511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_color/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+USEMODULE_INCLUDES += $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log_color/include
diff --git a/sys/log_color/include/log_module.h b/sys/log_color/include/log_module.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0b035d2c67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_color/include/log_module.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2019 Inria
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup    sys_log_color log_color: Colored log module
+ * @ingroup     sys
+ * @brief       This module implements a logging module with colored output
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       log_module header
+ *
+ * @author      Alexandre Abadie <alexandre.abadie@inria.fr>
+ */
+
+#ifndef LOG_MODULE_H
+#define LOG_MODULE_H
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @brief log_write overridden function for colored output
+ *
+ * @param[in] level  Logging level
+ * @param[in] format String format to print
+ */
+void log_write(unsigned level, const char *format, ...);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+#endif /* LOG_MODULE_H */
+/**@}*/
diff --git a/sys/log/log_color/log_module.h b/sys/log_color/log_color.c
similarity index 74%
rename from sys/log/log_color/log_module.h
rename to sys/log_color/log_color.c
index 82209c4459..0ffc224412 100644
--- a/sys/log/log_color/log_module.h
+++ b/sys/log_color/log_color.c
@@ -7,30 +7,29 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * @defgroup    sys_log_color Colored log module
- * @ingroup     sys
- * @brief       This module implements a logging module with colored output
+ * @addtogroup  sys_log_color Colored log module
  * @{
  *
  * @file
- * @brief       log_module header
+ * @brief       log_color
  *
  * @author      Alexandre Abadie <alexandre.abadie@inria.fr>
  */
+#ifdef MODULE_ESP_COMMON
+/* ESP_COMMON provides its own log_module implementation see
+ * - cpu/esp_common/include/log_module.h
+ * - cpu/esp_common/include/esp_common_log.h */
 
-#ifndef LOG_MODULE_H
-#define LOG_MODULE_H
+typedef int dont_be_pedantic; /* this c-file is not empty */
 
+#else /*MODULE_ESP_COMMON*/
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
+#include "kernel_defines.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C" {
-#endif
-
 /**
  * @brief   Default ANSI color escape code for error logs
  *
@@ -72,11 +71,6 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define LOG_RESET_ANSI_COLOR_CODE       ("\033[0m")
 
-/**
- * @brief   ANSI color escape codes array
- *
- * Internal use only
- */
 static const char * const _ansi_codes[] =
 {
     [LOG_ERROR] = LOG_ERROR_ANSI_COLOR_CODE,
@@ -85,15 +79,9 @@ static const char * const _ansi_codes[] =
     [LOG_DEBUG] = LOG_DEBUG_ANSI_COLOR_CODE,
 };
 
-/**
- * @brief log_write overridden function for colored output
- *
- * @param[in] level  Logging level
- * @param[in] format String format to print
- */
-static inline void log_write(unsigned level, const char *format, ...)
+void log_write(unsigned level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-    assert(level > 0);
+    assert((level > 0) && (level < ARRAY_SIZE(_ansi_codes)));
 
     printf("%s", _ansi_codes[level]);
     va_list args;
@@ -110,14 +98,11 @@ static inline void log_write(unsigned level, const char *format, ...)
     va_end(args);
     printf(LOG_RESET_ANSI_COLOR_CODE);
 
-#if defined(MODULE_NEWLIB) || defined(MODULE_PICOLIBC)
+#if !defined(__MSP430__)
     /* no fflush on msp430 */
     fflush(stdout);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-}
-#endif
+#endif /*MODULE_ESP_COMMON*/
 /**@}*/
-#endif /* LOG_MODULE_H */
diff --git a/sys/log_printfnoformat/Kconfig b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Kconfig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6993613c65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Kconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2019 HAW Hamburg
+#
+# This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+# General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+# directory for more details.
+#
+choice LOG
+#the choice prompt is described in sys/Kconfig
+
+config MODULE_LOG_PRINTFNOFORMAT
+    bool "log_printfnoformat: puts-based log"
+    select MODULE_LOG
+    help
+      Logging is implemented using puts instead of printf. Use it where printf
+      might be too heavy. This also serves as an example for logging
+      implementation.
+
+endchoice
diff --git a/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48422e909a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile.include b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile.include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..23cb1560fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/log_printfnoformat/Makefile.include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+USEMODULE_INCLUDES += $(RIOTBASE)/sys/log_printfnoformat/include
diff --git a/sys/log/log_printfnoformat/log_module.h b/sys/log_printfnoformat/include/log_module.h
similarity index 86%
rename from sys/log/log_printfnoformat/log_module.h
rename to sys/log_printfnoformat/include/log_module.h
index 77cb88687d..b404d4a98d 100644
--- a/sys/log/log_printfnoformat/log_module.h
+++ b/sys/log_printfnoformat/include/log_module.h
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
  */
 
 /**
- * @defgroup    sys_log_printfnoformat puts log module
+ * @defgroup    sys_log_printfnoformat log_printfnoformat: puts log module
  * @ingroup     sys
- * @brief       This module implements an example logging module
+ * @brief       This module implements an example logging module using puts to
+ *              just print the format string saving on the number of libraries need
  * @{
  *
  * @file
diff --git a/sys/test_utils/print_stack_usage/print_stack_usage.c b/sys/test_utils/print_stack_usage/print_stack_usage.c
index c168b9c1bc..3514b6039c 100644
--- a/sys/test_utils/print_stack_usage/print_stack_usage.c
+++ b/sys/test_utils/print_stack_usage/print_stack_usage.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 #if MODULE_FMT
 #include "fmt.h"
+#else
+#include <stdio.h>
 #endif
 
 #if MODULE_FMT