diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index cee04a2a77..e4ff6b2efd 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ else
 endif
 export AD
 
+BOARD := $(strip $(BOARD))
+
 # mandatory includes!
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.modules
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/dist/Makefile b/dist/Makefile
index 8bf05daf14..4a776ede4c 100644
--- a/dist/Makefile
+++ b/dist/Makefile
@@ -7,15 +7,13 @@
 #### 
 
 # name of your project
-export PROJECT =foobar
+export PROJECT = foobar
 
 # for easy switching of boards
-ifeq ($(strip $(BOARD)),)
-	export BOARD = native
-endif
+export BOARD ?= native
 
 # this has to be the absolute path of the RIOT-base dir
-export RIOTBASE =$(CURDIR)/../../RIOT
+export RIOTBASE = $(CURDIR)/../../RIOT
 
 # uncomment these lines if you want to use platform support from external
 # repositories