diff --git a/boards/nucleo-common/include/gpio_params.h b/boards/nucleo-common/include/gpio_params.h
index c342ee8b22..21f538cd01 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-common/include/gpio_params.h
+++ b/boards/nucleo-common/include/gpio_params.h
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 static const  saul_gpio_params_t saul_gpio_params[] =
 {
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
     {
         .name = "LED(green)",
         .pin = LED0_PIN,
         .mode = GPIO_OUT
     },
+#endif
     {
         .name = "Button(B1 User)",
         .pin = BTN_B1_PIN,
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f030/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f030/board.c
index 28c6dcf2e1..da9f9b1b9e 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f030/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f030/board.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    /* initialize the boards LED */
-    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
-
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
+
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
+    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f070/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f070/board.c
index 33935444a8..c127cb11be 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f070/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f070/board.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    /* initialize the boards LED */
-    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
-
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
+
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
+    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f072/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f072/board.c
index 9737786a8a..7e62553e80 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f072/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f072/board.c
@@ -25,9 +25,12 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    /* initialize the boards LED */
-    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
-
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
+
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
+    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f091/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f091/board.c
index a8d59f8929..b1244ac9f3 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f091/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f091/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f103/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f103/board.c
index 1e2820e373..ddbc97ef2d 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f103/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f103/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f302/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f302/board.c
index d291b0e2a3..f59a752799 100755
--- a/boards/nucleo-f302/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f302/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f303/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f303/board.c
index d291b0e2a3..f59a752799 100755
--- a/boards/nucleo-f303/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f303/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f334/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f334/board.c
index bb320d3f9c..6c69470772 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f334/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f334/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f401/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f401/board.c
index 5459df139b..2c392f81f9 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f401/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f401/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f410/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f410/board.c
index 7783102489..fc48de3350 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f410/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f410/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f411/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f411/board.c
index fd4f82a446..6d899e21b1 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f411/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f411/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f446/board.c b/boards/nucleo-f446/board.c
index 60cb20a4ef..d43b11a2a4 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f446/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f446/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-l053/board.c b/boards/nucleo-l053/board.c
index 7f18a5b107..149aaf381f 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-l053/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-l053/board.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    /* initialize the boards LED */
-    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
-
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
+
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
+    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-l073/board.c b/boards/nucleo-l073/board.c
index 03eb7f4cae..55437879dd 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-l073/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-l073/board.c
@@ -26,9 +26,12 @@
 
 void board_init(void)
 {
-    /* initialize the boards LED */
-    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
-
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
+
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
+    gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-l1/board.c b/boards/nucleo-l1/board.c
index a26984467b..f6c1db50e4 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-l1/board.c
+++ b/boards/nucleo-l1/board.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ void board_init(void)
     /* initialize the CPU */
     cpu_init();
 
-    /* initialize the boards LEDs */
+#ifdef AUTO_INIT_LED0
+    /* The LED pin is also used for SPI, so we enable it
+       only if explicitly wanted by the user */
     gpio_init(LED0_PIN, GPIO_OUT);
+#endif
 }