diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index 83372c4354..c737d937e6 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ OLD_USEPKG := $(sort $(USEPKG))
 # pull dependencies from drivers
 include $(RIOTBASE)/drivers/Makefile.dep
 
-ifneq (,$(filter ccn-lite,$(USEPKG)))
-    export CFLAGS += -DCCNL_RIOT
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter csma_sender,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += random
   USEMODULE += xtimer
diff --git a/pkg/ccn-lite/Makefile.include b/pkg/ccn-lite/Makefile.include
index 391f1329eb..c1f3dcc033 100644
--- a/pkg/ccn-lite/Makefile.include
+++ b/pkg/ccn-lite/Makefile.include
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTPKG)/ccn-lite -I$(BINDIRBASE)/pkg/$(BOARD)/ccn-lite/src
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBASE)/sys/posix/include
+
+CFLAGS += -DCCNL_RIOT