diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index a5310268c8..80584cc8bf 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -335,14 +335,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter posix_inet,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += posix_headers
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter sema_inv,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += atomic_utils
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter sema,$(USEMODULE)))
-  USEMODULE += ztimer
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter sema_deprecated,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += sema
   USEMODULE += ztimer64
diff --git a/sys/sema/Makefile.dep b/sys/sema/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f14829781d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/sema/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+USEMODULE += ztimer
diff --git a/sys/sema_inv/Makefile.dep b/sys/sema_inv/Makefile.dep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..48ec7b4f1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/sema_inv/Makefile.dep
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+USEMODULE += atomic_utils