diff --git a/boards/common/arduino-mkr/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/arduino-mkr/Makefile.dep
index d5a09e2469..c15f2eaf26 100644
--- a/boards/common/arduino-mkr/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/arduino-mkr/Makefile.dep
@@ -2,13 +2,5 @@ ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
 endif
 
-# use arduino-bootloader only if no other stdio_% other than stdio_cdc_acm
-# is requested
-ifeq (,$(filter-out stdio_cdc_acm,$(filter stdio_% slipdev_stdio,$(USEMODULE))))
-  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
-  include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
-endif
+# setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.mk b/boards/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.dep.mk
similarity index 100%
rename from boards/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.mk
rename to boards/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.dep.mk
diff --git a/boards/common/nrf52/bootloader_nrfutil.dep.mk b/boards/common/nrf52/bootloader_nrfutil.dep.mk
index e926d8fd30..17876aaf09 100644
--- a/boards/common/nrf52/bootloader_nrfutil.dep.mk
+++ b/boards/common/nrf52/bootloader_nrfutil.dep.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.mk
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.dep.mk
 
-# enable bootloader reset over USB, requires USB bootloader to be used
+# enable bootloader reset over USB, requires CDC ACM to be used
 ifneq (,$(filter stdio_cdc_acm,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += usb_board_reset
 endif
diff --git a/boards/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
index 8d7365a9d2..a735fc652b 100644
--- a/boards/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-# This boards requires support for Arduino bootloader.
-USEMODULE += usb_board_reset
-USEMODULE += stdio_cdc_acm
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/makefiles/stdio_cdc_acm.dep.mk
 
-FEATURES_REQUIRED += highlevel_stdio
+# USB Board reset only works if CDC ACM is used
+ifneq (,$(filter stdio_cdc_acm,$(USEMODULE)))
+  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
+  USEMODULE += usb_board_reset
+endif
diff --git a/boards/common/sodaq/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/sodaq/Makefile.dep
index d5a09e2469..c15f2eaf26 100644
--- a/boards/common/sodaq/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/sodaq/Makefile.dep
@@ -2,13 +2,5 @@ ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
 endif
 
-# use arduino-bootloader only if no other stdio_% other than stdio_cdc_acm
-# is requested
-ifeq (,$(filter-out stdio_cdc_acm,$(filter stdio_% slipdev_stdio,$(USEMODULE))))
-  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
-  include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
-endif
+# setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/feather-m0/Makefile.dep b/boards/feather-m0/Makefile.dep
index d5a09e2469..c15f2eaf26 100644
--- a/boards/feather-m0/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/feather-m0/Makefile.dep
@@ -2,13 +2,5 @@ ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
 endif
 
-# use arduino-bootloader only if no other stdio_% other than stdio_cdc_acm
-# is requested
-ifeq (,$(filter-out stdio_cdc_acm,$(filter stdio_% slipdev_stdio,$(USEMODULE))))
-  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
-  include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
-endif
+# setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/serpente/Makefile.dep b/boards/serpente/Makefile.dep
index 16babc58c1..311431223f 100644
--- a/boards/serpente/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/serpente/Makefile.dep
@@ -6,13 +6,5 @@ ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += saul_gpio
 endif
 
-# use arduino-bootloader only if no other stdio_% other than stdio_cdc_acm
-# is requested
-ifeq (,$(filter-out stdio_cdc_acm,$(filter stdio_%,$(USEMODULE))))
-  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
-  include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
-endif
+# setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/wemos-zero/Makefile.dep b/boards/wemos-zero/Makefile.dep
index 4325c28ce0..c9598d4c16 100644
--- a/boards/wemos-zero/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/wemos-zero/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,12 +1,4 @@
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/arduino-zero/Makefile.dep
 
-# use arduino-bootloader only if no other stdio_% other than stdio_cdc_acm
-# is requested
-ifeq (,$(filter-out stdio_cdc_acm,$(filter stdio_%,$(USEMODULE))))
-  USEMODULE += boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader
-endif
-
-ifneq (,$(filter boards_common_samd21-arduino-bootloader,$(USEMODULE)))
-  # setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
-  include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep
-endif
+# setup the samd21 arduino bootloader related dependencies
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/samd21-arduino-bootloader/Makefile.dep