diff --git a/cpu/stm32/periph/uart.c b/cpu/stm32/periph/uart.c
index 09484842b8..b260bff5fb 100644
--- a/cpu/stm32/periph/uart.c
+++ b/cpu/stm32/periph/uart.c
@@ -390,10 +390,8 @@ void uart_write(uart_t uart, const uint8_t *data, size_t len)
     }
 #endif
 #ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_DMA
-    if (!len) {
-        return;
-    }
-    if (uart_config[uart].dma != DMA_STREAM_UNDEF) {
+    if (len > CONFIG_UART_DMA_THRESHOLD_BYTES &&
+        uart_config[uart].dma != DMA_STREAM_UNDEF) {
         if (irq_is_in()) {
             uint16_t todo = 0;
             if (dev(uart)->CR3 & USART_CR3_DMAT) {
diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/uart.h b/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
index 9b007749bf..87bbc965c1 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Threshold under which polling transfers are used instead of DMA
+ *          TODO: determine at run-time based on baudrate
+ */
+#ifndef CONFIG_UART_DMA_THRESHOLD_BYTES
+#define CONFIG_UART_DMA_THRESHOLD_BYTES 8
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @brief   Define default UART type identifier
  */