diff --git a/boards/6lowpan-clicker/Makefile.include b/boards/6lowpan-clicker/Makefile.include
index 7d98f6ccb5..9ac719b33b 100644
--- a/boards/6lowpan-clicker/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/6lowpan-clicker/Makefile.include
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-APPDEPS += $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/$(CPU_MODEL)/$(CPU_MODEL).S
-
 # use pic32prog by default to program this board
 PROGRAMMER ?= pic32prog
 
diff --git a/boards/pic32-wifire/Makefile.include b/boards/pic32-wifire/Makefile.include
index 3e77e46d03..0317c1edc6 100644
--- a/boards/pic32-wifire/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/pic32-wifire/Makefile.include
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-APPDEPS += $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/$(CPU_MODEL)/$(CPU_MODEL).S
-
 PORT_LINUX ?= /dev/ttyUSB0
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
diff --git a/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.dep
index 005e02ec4a..267c29ef99 100644
--- a/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -4,4 +4,8 @@ USEMODULE += mips_pic32_common_periph
 # mips32 needs periph_timer for its gettimeofday() implementation
 USEMODULE += periph_timer
 
+# add module defining cpu model specific symbols. This module is located in
+# $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/$(CPU_MODEL)
+USEMODULE += $(CPU_MODEL)
+
 include $(RIOTCPU)/mips32r2_common/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.include b/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.include
index 6368268058..3b92b0a28d 100644
--- a/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.include
+++ b/cpu/mips_pic32_common/Makefile.include
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ include $(RIOTCPU)/mips32r2_common/Makefile.include
 CFLAGS += -DCPU_FAM_$(call uppercase_and_underscore,$(CPU_FAM))
 
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTCPU)/mips_pic32_common/include
+
+DIRS += $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/$(CPU_MODEL)
diff --git a/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh b/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
index a4dd0a2170..3bb870f9ae 100755
--- a/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/buildsystem_sanity_check/check.sh
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ UNEXPORTED_VARIABLES+=('JLINK_DEVICE' 'JLINK_IF')
 UNEXPORTED_VARIABLES+=('JLINK_PRE_FLASH' 'JLINK_RESET_FILE')
 UNEXPORTED_VARIABLES+=('GIT_CACHE' 'GIT_CACHE_DIR')
 UNEXPORTED_VARIABLES+=('LINKXX')
+UNEXPORTED_VARIABLES+=('APPDEPS' 'BUILDDEPS' 'DEBUGDEPS')
 
 EXPORTED_VARIABLES_ONLY_IN_VARS=()
-EXPORTED_VARIABLES_ONLY_IN_VARS+=('APPDEPS')
 EXPORTED_VARIABLES_ONLY_IN_VARS+=('CPU_ARCH')
 EXPORTED_VARIABLES_ONLY_IN_VARS+=('CPU_CORE')
 EXPORTED_VARIABLES_ONLY_IN_VARS+=('CPU_FAM')
diff --git a/makefiles/vars.inc.mk b/makefiles/vars.inc.mk
index 66876c734a..d05ce316af 100644
--- a/makefiles/vars.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/vars.inc.mk
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export NATIVEINCLUDES        # The native include paths, set by the various nati
 export USEMODULE             # Sys Module dependencies of the application. Set in the application's Makefile.
 export USEPKG                # Pkg dependencies (third party modules) of the application. Set in the application's Makefile.
 export DISABLE_MODULE        # Used in the application's Makefile to suppress DEFAULT_MODULEs.
-export APPDEPS               # Files / Makefile targets that need to be created before the application can be build. Set in the application's Makefile.
+# APPDEPS                    # Files / Makefile targets that need to be created before the application can be build. Set in the application's Makefile.
 # BUILDDEPS                  # Files / Makefile targets that need to be created before starting to build.
 # DEBUGDEPS                  # Files / Makefile targets that need to be created before starting a debug session.