diff --git a/examples/emcute_mqttsn/Makefile b/examples/emcute_mqttsn/Makefile
index 1796bc2aea..8dd946566e 100644
--- a/examples/emcute_mqttsn/Makefile
+++ b/examples/emcute_mqttsn/Makefile
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ DEVELHELP ?= 1
 
 # Comment this out to join RPL DODAGs even if DIOs do not contain
 # DODAG Configuration Options (see the doc for more info)
-# CFLAGS += -DGNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
+# CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
 
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 QUIET ?= 1
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
index 0ae56343f9..610d0bc501 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking/Makefile
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ DEVELHELP ?= 1
 
 # Uncomment this to join RPL DODAGs even if DIOs do not contain
 # DODAG Configuration Options (see the doc for more info)
-# CFLAGS += -DGNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
+# CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
 
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 QUIET ?= 1
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/Makefile b/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/Makefile
index a64852cd2b..0a380dc843 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ DEVELHELP ?= 1
 
 # Uncomment this to join RPL DODAGs even if DIOs do not contain
 # DODAG Configuration Options (see the doc for more info)
-# CFLAGS += -DGNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
+# CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
 
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 QUIET ?= 1
diff --git a/sys/include/net/gnrc/rpl.h b/sys/include/net/gnrc/rpl.h
index 2b613c8702..c261f7f9fc 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/gnrc/rpl.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/gnrc/rpl.h
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
  *   The standard behaviour is to request a DODAG_CONF and join
  *   only a DODAG once a DODAG_CONF is received.
  *   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ {.mk}
- *   CFLAGS += -DGNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
+ *   CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
  *   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  *
  * - Set interface for auto-initialization if more than one
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/routing/rpl/gnrc_rpl_control_messages.c b/sys/net/gnrc/routing/rpl/gnrc_rpl_control_messages.c
index 3b1f31d972..6e2b95ccf9 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/routing/rpl/gnrc_rpl_control_messages.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/routing/rpl/gnrc_rpl_control_messages.c
@@ -790,15 +790,16 @@ void gnrc_rpl_recv_DIO(gnrc_rpl_dio_t *dio, kernel_pid_t iface, ipv6_addr_t *src
         }
 
         if (!(included_opts & (((uint32_t) 1) << GNRC_RPL_OPT_DODAG_CONF))) {
-#ifndef GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN
-            DEBUG("RPL: DIO without DODAG_CONF option - remove DODAG and request new DIO\n");
-            gnrc_rpl_instance_remove(inst);
-            gnrc_rpl_send_DIS(NULL, src, NULL, 0);
-            return;
-#else
-            DEBUG("RPL: DIO without DODAG_CONF option - use default trickle parameters\n");
-            gnrc_rpl_send_DIS(NULL, src, NULL, 0);
-#endif
+            if (!IS_ACTIVE(CONFIG_GNRC_RPL_DODAG_CONF_OPTIONAL_ON_JOIN)) {
+                DEBUG("RPL: DIO without DODAG_CONF option - remove DODAG and request new DIO\n");
+                gnrc_rpl_instance_remove(inst);
+                gnrc_rpl_send_DIS(NULL, src, NULL, 0);
+                return;
+            }
+            else {
+                DEBUG("RPL: DIO without DODAG_CONF option - use default trickle parameters\n");
+                gnrc_rpl_send_DIS(NULL, src, NULL, 0);
+            }
         }
 
         /* if there was no address created manually or by a PIO on the interface,