diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/include/cpu.h b/cpu/atmega_common/include/cpu.h
index d0db41e42c..c7321287ce 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/include/cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/include/cpu.h
@@ -71,25 +71,10 @@ static inline void atmega_enter_isr(void)
     atmega_in_isr = 1;
 }
 
-/**
- * @brief   Exit ISR mode and yield with a return from interrupt. Use at the
- * end of ISRs in place of thread_yield_higher. If thread_yield is needed, use
- * thread_yield followed by thread_yield_isr instead of thread_yield alone.
- */
-void atmega_thread_yield_isr(void)
-
 /**
  * @brief Run this code on exiting interrupt routines
  */
-static inline void atmega_exit_isr(void)
-{
-    if (sched_context_switch_request) {
-        thread_yield();
-        atmega_in_isr = 0;
-        atmega_thread_yield_isr()
-    }
-    atmega_in_isr = 0;
-}
+void atmega_exit_isr(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief Initialization of the CPU
diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/thread_arch.c b/cpu/atmega_common/thread_arch.c
index 263791f273..6edbf4c942 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/thread_arch.c
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/thread_arch.c
@@ -245,8 +245,9 @@ void thread_yield_higher(void)
     }
 }
 
-void atmega_thread_yield_isr(void)
+void atmega_exit_isr(void)
 {
+    atmega_in_isr = 0;
     atmega_context_save();
     sched_run();
     atmega_context_restore();