diff --git a/cpu/nrf51/include/periph_cpu.h b/cpu/nrf51/include/periph_cpu.h
index 44d80660f3..b4137a993b 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf51/include/periph_cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/nrf51/include/periph_cpu.h
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ typedef enum {
  */
 typedef struct {
     NRF_TWI_Type *dev;          /**< hardware device */
-    uint8_t pin_scl;            /**< SCL pin */
-    uint8_t pin_sda;            /**< SDA pin */
+    gpio_t pin_scl;             /**< SCL pin */
+    gpio_t pin_sda;             /**< SDA pin */
     uint8_t ppi;                /**< PPI channel to use */
     i2c_speed_t speed;          /**< bus speed */
 } i2c_conf_t;
diff --git a/cpu/nrf52/include/periph_cpu.h b/cpu/nrf52/include/periph_cpu.h
index 5bc5f338bd..7499a45071 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf52/include/periph_cpu.h
+++ b/cpu/nrf52/include/periph_cpu.h
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ typedef enum {
  */
 typedef struct {
     NRF_TWIM_Type *dev;         /**< TWIM hardware device */
-    uint8_t scl;                /**< SCL pin */
-    uint8_t sda;                /**< SDA pin */
+    gpio_t scl;                 /**< SCL pin */
+    gpio_t sda;                 /**< SDA pin */
     i2c_speed_t speed;          /**< Bus speed */
 } i2c_conf_t;
 /** @} */
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ typedef enum {
  */
 typedef struct {
     NRF_PWM_Type *dev;                  /**< PWM device descriptor */
-    uint32_t pin[PWM_CHANNELS];         /**< PWM out pins */
+    gpio_t pin[PWM_CHANNELS];           /**< PWM out pins */
 } pwm_conf_t;
 
 #ifdef CPU_MODEL_NRF52840XXAA
@@ -167,10 +167,10 @@ typedef struct {
  */
 typedef struct {
     NRF_UARTE_Type *dev;    /**< UART with EasyDMA device base register address */
-    uint8_t rx_pin;         /**< RX pin */
-    uint8_t tx_pin;         /**< TX pin */
-    uint8_t rts_pin;        /**< RTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using HW flow control */
-    uint8_t cts_pin;        /**< CTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using HW flow control */
+    gpio_t rx_pin;          /**< RX pin */
+    gpio_t tx_pin;          /**< TX pin */
+    gpio_t rts_pin;         /**< RTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using HW flow control */
+    gpio_t cts_pin;         /**< CTS pin - set to GPIO_UNDEF when not using HW flow control */
     uint8_t irqn;           /**< IRQ channel */
 } uart_conf_t;
 #endif
diff --git a/cpu/nrf5x_common/include/periph_cpu_common.h b/cpu/nrf5x_common/include/periph_cpu_common.h
index e1a06856c8..1cbdb6f561 100644
--- a/cpu/nrf5x_common/include/periph_cpu_common.h
+++ b/cpu/nrf5x_common/include/periph_cpu_common.h
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ extern "C" {
 /** @} */
 
 #ifndef DOXYGEN
+/**
+ * @brief   Overwrite the default gpio_t type definition
+ * @{
+ */
+#define HAVE_GPIO_T
+typedef uint8_t gpio_t;
+/** @} */
+
 /**
  * @brief   Override GPIO modes
  *
@@ -162,9 +170,9 @@ typedef enum {
  */
 typedef struct {
     NRF_SPI_Type *dev;  /**< SPI device used */
-    uint8_t sclk;       /**< CLK pin */
-    uint8_t mosi;       /**< MOSI pin */
-    uint8_t miso;       /**< MISO pin */
+    gpio_t sclk;        /**< CLK pin */
+    gpio_t mosi;        /**< MOSI pin */
+    gpio_t miso;        /**< MISO pin */
 } spi_conf_t;
 
 /**