diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 058b3466cc..1e92115e95 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -340,9 +340,9 @@ ifeq ($(RIOT_CI_BUILD),1)
 endif
 
 # if you want to publish the board into the sources as an uppercase #define
-BOARDDEF := $(shell echo $(BOARD) | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | tr '-' '_')
-CPUDEF := $(shell echo $(CPU) | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | tr '-' '_')
-MCUDEF := $(shell echo $(MCU) | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | tr '-' '_')
+BOARDDEF = $(call uppercase_and_underscore,$(BOARD))
+CPUDEF = $(call uppercase_and_underscore,$(CPU))
+MCUDEF = $(call uppercase_and_underscore,$(MCU))
 CFLAGS += -DRIOT_APPLICATION=\"$(APPLICATION)\"
 CFLAGS += -DBOARD_$(BOARDDEF)=\"$(BOARD)\" -DRIOT_BOARD=BOARD_$(BOARDDEF)
 CFLAGS += -DCPU_$(CPUDEF)=\"$(CPU)\" -DRIOT_CPU=CPU_$(CPUDEF)