diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/include/periph_cpu.h b/cpu/cc2538/include/periph_cpu.h
index 11f8202489..c14d2cfee9 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/include/periph_cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/include/periph_cpu.h
@@ -167,8 +167,10 @@ typedef struct {
     cc2538_uart_t *dev;       /**< pointer to the used UART device */
     gpio_t rx_pin;            /**< pin used for RX */
     gpio_t tx_pin;            /**< pin used for TX */
+#ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
     gpio_t cts_pin;           /**< CTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using */
     gpio_t rts_pin;           /**< RTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using */
+#endif
 } uart_conf_t;
 /** @} */
 
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/periph/uart.c b/cpu/cc2538/periph/uart.c
index 884ec31d13..3b8b32ef75 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/periph/uart.c
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/periph/uart.c
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ int uart_init(uart_t uart, uint32_t baudrate, uart_rx_cb_t rx_cb, void *arg)
     u->CC = 0;
 
     /* On the CC2538, hardware flow control is supported only on UART1 */
+#ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
     if (uart_config[uart].rts_pin != GPIO_UNDEF) {
         assert(u != UART0_BASEADDR);
         gpio_init_af(uart_config[uart].rts_pin, UART1_RTS, GPIO_OUT);
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ int uart_init(uart_t uart, uint32_t baudrate, uart_rx_cb_t rx_cb, void *arg)
         gpio_init_af(uart_config[uart].cts_pin, UART1_CTS, GPIO_IN);
         u->cc2538_uart_ctl.CTLbits.CTSEN = 1;
     }
+#endif
 
     /*
      * UART Interrupt Setup: