diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/periph/timer.c b/cpu/atmega_common/periph/timer.c
index 81fb145c18..dac8c57af8 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/periph/timer.c
@@ -224,7 +224,12 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
             /* disable CTC mode */
             ctx[tim].mode &= (1 << 3);
         }
-        ctx[tim].dev->CRB = ctx[tim].mode;
+        /* enable timer or stop it */
+        if (flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED) {
+            ctx[tim].dev->CRB = 0;
+        } else {
+            ctx[tim].dev->CRB = ctx[tim].mode;
+        }
     } else {
         assert((flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_MATCH) == 0);
         res = -1;
diff --git a/cpu/gd32v/periph/timer.c b/cpu/gd32v/periph/timer.c
index 3a60082291..13b5871eab 100644
--- a/cpu/gd32v/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/gd32v/periph/timer.c
@@ -164,6 +164,10 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value,
         return -1;
     }
 
+    if (flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED) {
+        timer_stop(tim);
+    }
+
     clear_oneshot(tim, channel);
 
     if (flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_SET) {
diff --git a/cpu/lpc23xx/periph/timer.c b/cpu/lpc23xx/periph/timer.c
index cb36ede224..ce7bb24c82 100644
--- a/cpu/lpc23xx/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/lpc23xx/periph/timer.c
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
         return -1;
     }
 
+    bool stop = flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED;
     lpc23xx_timer_t *dev = get_dev(tim);
 
     if (flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_SET) {
@@ -218,7 +219,12 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
          * (reason: TCR is volatile control register.
                     Bit 2 will put the timer into Reset
                     Bit 1 will control if the timer is running) */
-        dev->TCR = 1;
+        if (!stop) {
+            dev->TCR = 1;
+        }
+    } else if (stop) {
+        /* stop the timer */
+        dev->TCR = 0;
     }
 
     clear_oneshot(tim, channel);
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/timer.c b/cpu/native/periph/timer.c
index e4dc14baa1..f34d01c30d 100644
--- a/cpu/native/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/timer.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ int timer_init(tim_t dev, uint32_t freq, timer_cb_t cb, void *arg)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void do_timer_set(tim_t dev, unsigned int offset, bool periodic)
+static void do_timer_set(unsigned int offset, bool periodic)
 {
     DEBUG("%s\n", __func__);
 
@@ -121,8 +121,6 @@ static void do_timer_set(tim_t dev, unsigned int offset, bool periodic)
     }
 
     DEBUG("timer_set(): setting %lu.%06lu\n", itv.it_value.tv_sec, itv.it_value.tv_usec);
-
-    timer_start(dev);
 }
 
 int timer_set(tim_t dev, int channel, unsigned int offset)
@@ -137,7 +135,8 @@ int timer_set(tim_t dev, int channel, unsigned int offset)
         offset = NATIVE_TIMER_MIN_RES;
     }
 
-    do_timer_set(dev, offset, false);
+    do_timer_set(offset, false);
+    timer_start(dev);
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -156,7 +155,11 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t dev, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
         return -1;
     }
 
-    do_timer_set(dev, value, true);
+    do_timer_set(value, true);
+
+    if (!(flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED)) {
+        timer_start(dev);
+    }
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -165,7 +168,8 @@ int timer_clear(tim_t dev, int channel)
 {
     (void)channel;
 
-    do_timer_set(dev, 0, false);
+    do_timer_set(0, false);
+    timer_start(dev);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/cpu/nrf5x_common/periph/timer.c b/cpu/nrf5x_common/periph/timer.c
index b37939891f..2ad3559d88 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf5x_common/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/nrf5x_common/periph/timer.c
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int chan, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags)
         return -1;
     }
 
+    /* stop timer to avoid race condition */
+    dev(tim)->TASKS_STOP = 1;
+
     ctx[tim].flags |= (1 << chan);
     ctx[tim].is_periodic |= (1 << chan);
     dev(tim)->CC[chan] = value;
@@ -125,7 +128,10 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int chan, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags)
     }
     dev(tim)->INTENSET = (TIMER_INTENSET_COMPARE0_Msk << chan);
 
-    dev(tim)->TASKS_START = 1;
+    /* re-start timer */
+    if (!(flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED)) {
+        dev(tim)->TASKS_START = 1;
+    }
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/cpu/rpx0xx/periph/timer.c b/cpu/rpx0xx/periph/timer.c
index 2476bf9c55..e47a6c4bda 100644
--- a/cpu/rpx0xx/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/rpx0xx/periph/timer.c
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t dev, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
     if (channel < 0 || channel >= timer_config[dev].ch_numof) {
         return -EINVAL;
     }
+    if (flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED) {
+        timer_stop(dev);
+    }
     if (flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_SET) {
         _timer_reset(dev);
     }
diff --git a/cpu/sam0_common/periph/timer.c b/cpu/sam0_common/periph/timer.c
index e1064e904e..7c480ac1cb 100644
--- a/cpu/sam0_common/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/sam0_common/periph/timer.c
@@ -110,27 +110,21 @@ static uint8_t _get_prescaler(uint32_t freq_out, uint32_t freq_in)
 /* TOP value is CC0 */
 static inline void _set_mfrq(tim_t tim)
 {
-    timer_stop(tim);
-    wait_synchronization(tim);
 #ifdef TC_WAVE_WAVEGEN_MFRQ
     dev(tim)->WAVE.reg = TC_WAVE_WAVEGEN_MFRQ;
 #else
     dev(tim)->CTRLA.bit.WAVEGEN = TC_CTRLA_WAVEGEN_MFRQ_Val;
 #endif
-    timer_start(tim);
 }
 
 /* TOP value is MAX timer value */
 static inline void _set_nfrq(tim_t tim)
 {
-    timer_stop(tim);
-    wait_synchronization(tim);
 #ifdef TC_WAVE_WAVEGEN_NFRQ
     dev(tim)->WAVE.reg = TC_WAVE_WAVEGEN_NFRQ;
 #else
     dev(tim)->CTRLA.bit.WAVEGEN = TC_CTRLA_WAVEGEN_NFRQ_Val;
 #endif
-    timer_start(tim);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -242,9 +236,12 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
 {
     DEBUG("Setting timer %i channel %i to %i (repeating)\n", tim, channel, value);
 
+    timer_stop(tim);
+
     /* set timeout value */
     switch (channel) {
     case 0:
+        /* clear interrupt */
         dev(tim)->INTFLAG.reg = TC_INTFLAG_MC0;
 
         if (flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_MATCH) {
@@ -276,6 +273,10 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
         dev(tim)->COUNT.reg = 0;
     }
 
+    if (!(flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED)) {
+        timer_start(tim);
+    }
+
     clear_oneshot(tim, channel);
 
     return 0;
@@ -328,10 +329,12 @@ unsigned int timer_read(tim_t tim)
 void timer_stop(tim_t tim)
 {
     dev(tim)->CTRLA.bit.ENABLE = 0;
+    wait_synchronization(tim);
 }
 
 void timer_start(tim_t tim)
 {
+    wait_synchronization(tim);
     dev(tim)->CTRLA.bit.ENABLE = 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/cpu/stm32/periph/timer.c b/cpu/stm32/periph/timer.c
index 64d929b40e..a09c601c94 100644
--- a/cpu/stm32/periph/timer.c
+++ b/cpu/stm32/periph/timer.c
@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@ int timer_set_periodic(tim_t tim, int channel, unsigned int value, uint8_t flags
 
     clear_oneshot(tim, channel);
 
+    if (flags & TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED) {
+        timer_stop(tim);
+    }
+
     if (flags & TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_SET) {
         /* setting COUNT gives us an interrupt on all channels */
         unsigned state = irq_disable();
diff --git a/drivers/dose/dose.c b/drivers/dose/dose.c
index 58f9a64fdf..24a3ce33af 100644
--- a/drivers/dose/dose.c
+++ b/drivers/dose/dose.c
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ static void _dose_watchdog_cb(void *arg, int chan)
 static void _watchdog_init(unsigned timeout_us)
 {
     timer_init(DOSE_TIMER_DEV, US_PER_SEC, _dose_watchdog_cb, NULL);
-    timer_set_periodic(DOSE_TIMER_DEV, 0, timeout_us, TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_MATCH);
-    timer_stop(DOSE_TIMER_DEV);
+    timer_set_periodic(DOSE_TIMER_DEV, 0, timeout_us,
+                       TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_MATCH | TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED);
 }
 #else
 static inline void _watchdog_start(void) {}
diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/timer.h b/drivers/include/periph/timer.h
index c1068deaa7..6b21d6885f 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/timer.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/timer.h
@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ typedef uint_fast8_t tim_t;
 #define TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_MATCH (0x02)
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Keep the timer stopped after setting alarm.
+ *
+ * When set, the timer will remained stopped after a timer_set_periodic() and
+ * can be started manually with timer_start().
+ */
+#ifndef TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED
+#define TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED    (0x04)
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @brief   Signature of event callback functions triggered from interrupts
  *
diff --git a/tests/periph_timer_periodic/main.c b/tests/periph_timer_periodic/main.c
index 42b4d014bf..5b376ce4f0 100644
--- a/tests/periph_timer_periodic/main.c
+++ b/tests/periph_timer_periodic/main.c
@@ -93,6 +93,18 @@ static const char* _print_ok(int chan, bool *succeeded)
     return "ERROR";
 }
 
+static void _cb_set_stopped(void *arg, int chan)
+{
+    (void)chan;
+
+    bool *succeeded = arg;
+
+    *succeeded = false;
+    puts("TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED failed");
+
+    timer_stop(TIMER_CYCL);
+}
+
 int main(void)
 {
     mutex_t lock = MUTEX_INIT;
@@ -144,6 +156,12 @@ int main(void)
         }
     }
 
+    expect(timer_init(TIMER_CYCL, timer_hz, _cb_set_stopped, &succeeded) == 0);
+    timer_set_periodic(TIMER_CYCL, 0, 25, TIM_FLAG_RESET_ON_SET | TIM_FLAG_SET_STOPPED);
+
+    /* busy wait */
+    for (volatile uint32_t i = 0; i < CLOCK_CORECLOCK / 10; ++i) {}
+
     if (succeeded) {
         puts("TEST SUCCEEDED");
     } else {