diff --git a/boards/native/Makefile.dep b/boards/native/Makefile.dep
index 911661afef..e181c4d931 100644
--- a/boards/native/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/native/Makefile.dep
@@ -14,4 +14,10 @@ ifneq (,$(filter periph_can,$(FEATURES_USED)))
   endif
 endif
 
+# default to using littlefs2 on the virtual flash
+ifneq (,$(filter vfs_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEPKG += littlefs2
+  USEMODULE += mtd
+endif
+
 USEMODULE += native_drivers
diff --git a/boards/native/board_init.c b/boards/native/board_init.c
index a10942f29d..a50e5f130c 100644
--- a/boards/native/board_init.c
+++ b/boards/native/board_init.c
@@ -49,25 +49,25 @@ mtd_dev_t *mtd0 = &mtd0_dev.base;
 #if defined(MODULE_LITTLEFS)
 
 #include "fs/littlefs_fs.h"
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/", 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/nvm", 0);
 
 /* littlefs2 support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_LITTLEFS2)
 
 #include "fs/littlefs2_fs.h"
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/", 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/nvm", 0);
 
 /* spiffs support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_SPIFFS)
 
 #include "fs/spiffs_fs.h"
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(spiffs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/", 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(spiffs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/nvm", 0);
 
 /* FAT support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_FATFS_VFS)
 
 #include "fs/fatfs.h"
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(fatfs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/", 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(fatfs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), "/nvm", 0);
 
 #endif
 #endif /* MODULE_VFS */
diff --git a/boards/same54-xpro/Makefile.dep b/boards/same54-xpro/Makefile.dep
index e3cf98b794..e2b4474207 100644
--- a/boards/same54-xpro/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/same54-xpro/Makefile.dep
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter netdev_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += sam0_eth
 endif
+
+# default to using littlefs2 on the external flash
+ifneq (,$(filter vfs_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEPKG += littlefs2
+  USEMODULE += mtd
+endif
diff --git a/boards/same54-xpro/board.c b/boards/same54-xpro/board.c
index 777a3428db..680fdbc02c 100644
--- a/boards/same54-xpro/board.c
+++ b/boards/same54-xpro/board.c
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ static mtd_at24cxxx_t at24mac_dev = {
     .params = at24cxxx_params,
 };
 mtd_dev_t *mtd1 = (mtd_dev_t *)&at24mac_dev;
+
+#ifdef MODULE_VFS_DEFAULT
+#include "fs/littlefs2_fs.h"
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, VFS_MTD(same54_nor_dev), "/nvm", 0);
+#endif
 #endif /* MODULE_MTD */
 
 void board_init(void)
diff --git a/examples/filesystem/Makefile b/examples/filesystem/Makefile
index c7f490add6..c215dc3796 100644
--- a/examples/filesystem/Makefile
+++ b/examples/filesystem/Makefile
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ USEMODULE += mtd
 
 # Use VFS
 USEMODULE += vfs
-# the example demonstrates manual file system mounting, disable auto-mount
-DISABLE_MODULE += vfs_auto_mount
 
 # Use a file system
 # USEMODULE += littlefs
diff --git a/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk b/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
index 240737e41b..247ee09d48 100644
--- a/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/pseudomodules.inc.mk
@@ -217,8 +217,39 @@ PSEUDOMODULES += suit_transport_%
 PSEUDOMODULES += suit_storage_%
 PSEUDOMODULES += sys_bus_%
 PSEUDOMODULES += vdd_lc_filter_%
+## @defgroup pseudomodule_vfs_auto_format vfs_auto_format
+## @brief Format mount points at startup unless they can be mounted
+##
+## When this module is active, mount points configured through the @ref
+## pseudomodule_vfs_auto_mount module that can not be mounted at startup are
+## formatted and, if that operation is successful, attempted to mount again.
+##
+## Beware that this may be a harmful procedure in case a bug that corrupts a
+## filesystem coincides with a bug that sends the device into a reboot loop.
 PSEUDOMODULES += vfs_auto_format
+
+## @defgroup pseudomodule_vfs_auto_mount vfs_auto_mount
+## @brief Mount file systems at startup
+##
+## When this module is active, mount points specified through
+## @ref VFS_AUTO_MOUNT are mounted at their designated mount points at startup.
+## These mount points can be specified by the application, or are provided by
+## some boards if the @ref pseudomodule_vfs_default module is active.
 PSEUDOMODULES += vfs_auto_mount
+
+## @defgroup pseudomodule_vfs_default vfs_default
+## @brief Enable default assignments of a board's devices to VFS mount points
+##
+## When this module is active, boards with additional flash storage will
+## automatically mount (and possibly format, if @ref
+## pseudomodule_vfs_auto_format is enabled) their flash devices with a file
+## system that is common for that board (or at least common for this board
+## within RIOT).
+##
+## Boards will generally mount to `/nvm` unless they have several storage
+## backends.
+PSEUDOMODULES += vfs_default
+
 PSEUDOMODULES += wakaama_objects_%
 PSEUDOMODULES += wifi_enterprise
 PSEUDOMODULES += xtimer_on_ztimer
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index 964c7007ae..45ab9f5014 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -491,12 +491,16 @@ ifneq (,$(filter devfs,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += vfs
 endif
 
+ifneq (,$(filter vfs_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += vfs
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += vfs_auto_mount
+endif
+
 ifneq (,$(filter vfs,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += posix_headers
   ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
     USEMODULE += native_vfs
   endif
-  DEFAULT_MODULE += vfs_auto_mount
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter sock_async_event,$(USEMODULE)))
diff --git a/sys/vfs/Kconfig b/sys/vfs/Kconfig
index 0ec2a239c5..65703c0692 100644
--- a/sys/vfs/Kconfig
+++ b/sys/vfs/Kconfig
@@ -10,10 +10,14 @@ config MODULE_VFS
     depends on TEST_KCONFIG
     select MODULE_POSIX_HEADERS
 
+config MODULE_VFS_DEFAULT
+    bool "Use default (board specific) file systems and mount points"
+    depends on MODULE_VFS
+    imply MODULE_VFS_AUTO_MOUNT
+
 config MODULE_VFS_AUTO_MOUNT
     bool "Automatically mount configured file systems"
     depends on MODULE_VFS
-    default y
 
 config MODULE_VFS_AUTO_FORMAT
     bool "Automatically format configured file systems if mount fails"