diff --git a/boards/arduino-due/Makefile.features b/boards/arduino-due/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/arduino-due/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/arduino-mega2560/Makefile.features b/boards/arduino-mega2560/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/arduino-mega2560/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
index 762734b956..59e261f207 100644
--- a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
@@ -1 +1 @@
-FEATURES_PROVIDED = transceiver
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = transceiver periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/pca10000/Makefile.features b/boards/pca10000/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/pca10000/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/pca10005/Makefile.features b/boards/pca10005/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/pca10005/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/stm32f0discovery/Makefile.features b/boards/stm32f0discovery/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/stm32f0discovery/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/stm32f3discovery/Makefile.features b/boards/stm32f3discovery/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/stm32f3discovery/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/stm32f4discovery/Makefile.features b/boards/stm32f4discovery/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/stm32f4discovery/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/udoo/Makefile.features b/boards/udoo/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/udoo/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/Makefile.features b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/Makefile.features
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f33fa5629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/Makefile.features
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED = periph_gpio
diff --git a/tests/driver_pir/Makefile b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
index 8fd60f5994..3e3411af22 100644
--- a/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
+++ b/tests/driver_pir/Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 APPLICATION = driver_pir
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-# These boards do not suport periph/gpio.h at the time of this writing:
-BOARD_BLACKLIST = native arduino-mega2560 avsextrem chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h msba2 pttu qemu-i386 redbee-econotag telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
+FEATURES_REQUIRED = periph_gpio
 
 # Define default pin mappings for some boards:
-BOARD_WHITELIST = stm32f4discovery arduino-due
 ifneq (,$(filter stm32f4discovery,$(BOARD)))
   export PIR_GPIO ?= GPIO_8
 endif
@@ -18,6 +16,9 @@ USEMODULE += vtimer
 
 ifneq (,$(PIR_GPIO))
   CFLAGS += -DPIR_GPIO=$(PIR_GPIO)
+else
+  # set random default
+  CFLAGS += -DPIR_GPIO=GPIO_0
 endif
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile b/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
index 6f4caecfb5..9831136399 100644
--- a/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
+++ b/tests/periph_gpio/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 export APPLICATION = periph_gpio
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h native qemu-i386 redbee-econotag telosb \
-                   wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# all listed boards: no periph_conf.h defined,
+FEATURES_REQUIRED = periph_gpio
 
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init
 
diff --git a/tests/periph_gpio_exti/Makefile b/tests/periph_gpio_exti/Makefile
index b21eb83629..98565b6a07 100644
--- a/tests/periph_gpio_exti/Makefile
+++ b/tests/periph_gpio_exti/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 export APPLICATION = periph_gpio_exti
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h native qemu-i386 redbee-econotag telosb \
-                   wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# all listed boards: no periph_conf.h defined,
+FEATURES_REQUIRED = periph_gpio
 
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init