diff --git a/boards/esp32s2-devkit/Makefile.features b/boards/esp32s2-devkit/Makefile.features
index b25714be7e..be5a9fd5f5 100644
--- a/boards/esp32s2-devkit/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/esp32s2-devkit/Makefile.features
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # default board version if not defined
-ifeq (,$(BOARD_VERSION))
-  BOARD_VERSION += esp32s2-devkitm-1
-endif
+BOARD_VERSION ?= esp32s2-devkitm-1
 
 ifeq (esp32s2-devkitm-1,$(BOARD_VERSION))
   CPU_MODEL = esp32s2_mini_1x_n4
diff --git a/boards/esp32s3-devkit/Makefile.features b/boards/esp32s3-devkit/Makefile.features
index 36b3a6e20b..c128172e06 100644
--- a/boards/esp32s3-devkit/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/esp32s3-devkit/Makefile.features
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # default board version if not defined
-ifeq (,$(BOARD_VERSION))
-  BOARD_VERSION = esp32s3-devkitc-1-n8
-endif
+BOARD_VERSION ?= esp32s3-devkitc-1-n8
 
 ifeq (esp32s3-devkitc-1-n8,$(BOARD_VERSION))
   CPU_MODEL = esp32s3_wroom_1x_n8