diff --git a/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh b/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
index e4d89c5a54..a4dd0a2170 100755
--- a/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
@@ -288,6 +288,21 @@ check_no_pseudomodules_in_makefile_dep() {
         | error_with_message "Don't define PSEUDOMODULES in Makefile.dep"
 }
 
+check_no_usemodules_in_makefile_include() {
+    local patterns=()
+    local pathspec=()
+
+    patterns+=(-e 'USEMODULE[\t ]*[+:]*=')
+
+    pathspec+=('**/Makefile.include')
+    pathspec+=(':!Makefile.include')
+    pathspec+=(':!tests/**/Makefile.include')
+    pathspec+=(':!examples/**/Makefile.include')
+
+    git -C "${RIOTBASE}" grep "${patterns[@]}" -- "${pathspec[@]}" \
+        | error_with_message "Don't include USEMODULE in Makefile.include"
+}
+
 error_on_input() {
     ! grep ''
 }
@@ -305,6 +320,7 @@ all_checks() {
     checks_develhelp_not_defined_via_cflags
     check_files_in_boards_not_reference_board_var
     check_no_pseudomodules_in_makefile_dep
+    check_no_usemodules_in_makefile_include
 }
 
 main() {
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index c5f1fb13a0..242f40b1d9 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ ifneq (,$(filter arduino,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_OPTIONAL += periph_i2c
   FEATURES_OPTIONAL += periph_spi
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_uart
+  SKETCH_MODULE ?= arduino_sketches
+  USEMODULE += $(SKETCH_MODULE)
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter eepreg,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/sys/arduino/Makefile.include b/sys/arduino/Makefile.include
index 6549d6c396..16e404ff14 100644
--- a/sys/arduino/Makefile.include
+++ b/sys/arduino/Makefile.include
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ SKETCHES = $(wildcard $(APPDIR)/*.sketch)
 
 ifneq (,$(SKETCHES))
   # Define application sketches module, it will be generated into $(BINDIR)
-  SKETCH_MODULE     ?= arduino_sketches
   SKETCH_MODULE_DIR ?= $(BINDIR)/$(SKETCH_MODULE)
   include $(RIOTBASE)/sys/arduino/sketches.inc.mk
 
   # Depends on module
-  USEMODULE += $(SKETCH_MODULE)
   DIRS      += $(SKETCH_MODULE_DIR)
   BUILDDEPS += $(SKETCH_GENERATED_FILES)
+else
+  # arduino_sketches is now always included if arduino is, but if there
+  # are no sketches then no %.a will be present, so declare PSEUDOMODULE
+  PSEUDOMODULES += $(SKETCH_MODULE)
 endif
 
 # include the Arduino headers