diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Kconfig b/boards/samr21-xpro/Kconfig
index 76a6677fcd..f0f73c4cb1 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/Kconfig
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Kconfig
@@ -19,5 +19,6 @@ config BOARD_SAMR21_XPRO
     select HAS_PERIPH_SPI
     select HAS_PERIPH_TIMER
     select HAS_PERIPH_UART
+    select HAS_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
     select HAS_PERIPH_USBDEV
     select HAS_RIOTBOOT
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features
index 3fb3bb44eb..6800fd1f5c 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.features
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_rtt
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_spi
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_timer
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_uart
+FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_uart_hw_fc
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_usbdev
 
 # Put other features for this board (in alphabetical order)
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/doc.txt b/boards/samr21-xpro/doc.txt
index 4fdd081a91..7f57265374 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/doc.txt
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/doc.txt
@@ -157,6 +157,21 @@ specific board like this:
     BOARD=samr21-xpro SERIAL="ATML2127031800002124" make debug
 
 
+## Accessing STDIO via UART
+
+STDIO is available through the edbg debugger.
+
+Use the `term` target to open a terminal:
+
+    make BOARD=samr21-xpro -C examples/hello-world term
+
+RTS / CTS hardware flow control is available on `UART_DEV(0)` and
+`UART_DEV(1)`. This is unavailable when using STDIO directly through
+the debugger since it does not support it. Therefore to use hardware
+flow control an external FTDI device must be connected to the board's
+rx, tx, cts & rts matching pin headers, eg. for `UART_DEV(0)` to
+`PA5`, `PA4`, `PA6` & `PA7` (respectively) on EXT1 headers.
+
 
 ## Supported Toolchains
 
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/include/periph_conf.h b/boards/samr21-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
index 847103a57c..aab2901b4b 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
@@ -147,12 +147,16 @@ static const uart_conf_t uart_config[] = {
         .rx_pin   = GPIO_PIN(PA,5),
         .tx_pin   = GPIO_PIN(PA,4),
 #ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
-        .rts_pin  = GPIO_UNDEF,
-        .cts_pin  = GPIO_UNDEF,
+        .rts_pin  = GPIO_PIN(PA,6),
+        .cts_pin  = GPIO_PIN(PA,7),
 #endif
         .mux      = GPIO_MUX_D,
         .rx_pad   = UART_PAD_RX_1,
+#ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
+        .tx_pad   = UART_PAD_TX_0_RTS_2_CTS_3,
+#else
         .tx_pad   = UART_PAD_TX_0,
+#endif
         .flags    = UART_FLAG_NONE,
         .gclk_src = SAM0_GCLK_MAIN,
     },
@@ -161,12 +165,16 @@ static const uart_conf_t uart_config[] = {
         .rx_pin   = GPIO_PIN(PA,23),
         .tx_pin   = GPIO_PIN(PA,22),
 #ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
-        .rts_pin  = GPIO_UNDEF,
-        .cts_pin  = GPIO_UNDEF,
+        .rts_pin  = GPIO_PIN(PB,22),
+        .cts_pin  = GPIO_PIN(PB,23),
 #endif
         .mux      = GPIO_MUX_D,
         .rx_pad   = UART_PAD_RX_1,
+#ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_UART_HW_FC
+        .tx_pad   = UART_PAD_TX_0_RTS_2_CTS_3,
+#else
         .tx_pad   = UART_PAD_TX_0,
+#endif
         .flags    = UART_FLAG_NONE,
         .gclk_src = SAM0_GCLK_MAIN,
     }