diff --git a/drivers/ws281x/Makefile.include b/drivers/ws281x/Makefile.include
index e46120f20b..908bb50c94 100644
--- a/drivers/ws281x/Makefile.include
+++ b/drivers/ws281x/Makefile.include
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
+# implementations of ws281x_write as submodules of ws281x:
+PSEUDOMODULES += ws281x_%
+
 USEMODULE_INCLUDES_ws281x := $(LAST_MAKEFILEDIR)/include
 USEMODULE_INCLUDES += $(USEMODULE_INCLUDES_ws281x)