diff --git a/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include b/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
index 821fe45bff..a8d25728a6 100644
--- a/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/mbed_lpc1768/Makefile.include
@@ -1,54 +1,21 @@
 # define the cpu used by the mbed_lpx1768 board
 export CPU = lpc1768
 
-#define the default port depending on the host OS
-OS := $(shell uname)
-ifeq ($(OS),Linux)
-  PORT ?= /dev/ttyACM0
-else ifeq ($(OS),Darwin)
-  PORT ?= $(shell ls -1 /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART* | head -n 1)
-else
-  $(info CAUTION: No flash tool for your host system found!)
-  # TODO: add support for windows as host platform
-endif
-export PORT
-
-# define tools used for building the project
-export PREFIX = arm-none-eabi-
-export CC = $(PREFIX)gcc
-export CXX = $(PREFIX)g++
-export AR = $(PREFIX)ar
-export AS = $(PREFIX)as
-export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
-export SIZE = $(PREFIX)size
-export OBJCOPY = $(PREFIX)objcopy
-export TERMPROG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyterm/pyterm
 export FLASHER = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/flash.sh
 export DEBUGGER =
 export DEBUGSERVER =
 
-# define build specific options
-CPU_USAGE = -mcpu=cortex-m3
-FPU_USAGE =
-export CFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 -std=gnu99 -Os -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -mthumb -mno-thumb-interwork -nostartfiles
-export CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-builtin
-export ASFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian
-export LINKFLAGS += -g3 -ggdb -std=gnu99 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -static -lgcc -mthumb -mno-thumb-interwork -nostartfiles
-export LINKFLAGS += -T$(LINKERSCRIPT)
 export OFLAGS = -O binary
 export HEXFILE = $(ELFFILE:.elf=.bin)
 export FFLAGS =
 export DEBUGGER_FLAGS =
-export TERMFLAGS += -p "$(PORT)"
 
-# unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
-export CXXUWFLAGS +=
-export CXXEXFLAGS +=
+# define the default port depending on the host OS
+PORT_LINUX ?= /dev/ttyACM0
+PORT_DARWIN ?= $(shell ls -1 /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART* | head -n 1)
 
-# use newLib nano-specs if available
-ifeq ($(shell $(LINK) -specs=nano.specs -E - 2>/dev/null >/dev/null </dev/null ; echo $$?),0)
-export LINKFLAGS += -specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys
-endif
+# setup serial terminal
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/Makefile.include.serial
 
-# export board specific includes to the global includes-listing
-export INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/include/
+# include cortex defaults
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/Makefile.include.cortex_common