diff --git a/boards/common/silabs/Makefile.include b/boards/common/silabs/Makefile.include
index b3880891b6..1554e9b519 100644
--- a/boards/common/silabs/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/common/silabs/Makefile.include
@@ -1,2 +1,13 @@
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/include
 INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/drivers/include
+
+PROGRAMMER ?= jlink
+
+export JLINK_DEVICE ?= ${CPU_MODEL}
+export OPENOCD_CONFIG ?= board/efm32.cfg
+
+ifeq ($(PROGRAMMER),jlink)
+  include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
+else ifeq ($(PROGRAMMER),openocd)
+  include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/openocd.inc.mk
+endif
diff --git a/boards/common/slwstk6000b/Makefile.include b/boards/common/slwstk6000b/Makefile.include
index 794400d9ec..c216f7d05f 100644
--- a/boards/common/slwstk6000b/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/common/slwstk6000b/Makefile.include
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
 # setup JLink for flashing
 export JLINK_DEVICE := $(MODULE_JLINK_DEVICE)
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
 
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/boards/slstk3401a/Makefile.include b/boards/slstk3401a/Makefile.include
index 8b4181a33d..b6a443535b 100644
--- a/boards/slstk3401a/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/slstk3401a/Makefile.include
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.usbmodem*)))
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
 # setup JLink for flashing
-export JLINK_DEVICE := $(CPU_MODEL)
 export JLINK_PRE_FLASH = r
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
 
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/boards/slstk3402a/Makefile.include b/boards/slstk3402a/Makefile.include
index 8b4181a33d..b6a443535b 100644
--- a/boards/slstk3402a/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/slstk3402a/Makefile.include
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.usbmodem*)))
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
 # setup JLink for flashing
-export JLINK_DEVICE := $(CPU_MODEL)
 export JLINK_PRE_FLASH = r
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
 
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/boards/sltb001a/Makefile.include b/boards/sltb001a/Makefile.include
index 7b2297b56e..55148eb7e5 100644
--- a/boards/sltb001a/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/sltb001a/Makefile.include
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 # setup JLink for flashing
 export JLINK_DEVICE := EFR32MG1PxxxF256
 export JLINK_PRE_FLASH = r
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
 
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/boards/stk3600/Makefile.include b/boards/stk3600/Makefile.include
index 4919d97c80..013639d645 100644
--- a/boards/stk3600/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/stk3600/Makefile.include
@@ -5,9 +5,5 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.usbmodem*)))
 # setup serial terminal
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
-# setup JLink for flashing
-export JLINK_DEVICE := $(CPU_MODEL)
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
-
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/boards/stk3700/Makefile.include b/boards/stk3700/Makefile.include
index 4919d97c80..013639d645 100644
--- a/boards/stk3700/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/stk3700/Makefile.include
@@ -5,9 +5,5 @@ PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.usbmodem*)))
 # setup serial terminal
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
-# setup JLink for flashing
-export JLINK_DEVICE := $(CPU_MODEL)
-include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/jlink.inc.mk
-
 # include board common
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/silabs/Makefile.include
diff --git a/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh b/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
index 19ee9065ca..39130b6fbb 100755
--- a/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 #
 # This script is supposed to be called from RIOTs make system,
 # as it depends on certain environment variables. An OpenOCD
-# configuration file must be present in a the boards dist folder.
+# configuration file must be present in a the boards dist folder
+# or be given as "board/[...].cfg" to use an OpenOCD shipped configuration.
 #
 # Any extra command line arguments after the command name are passed on the
 # openocd command line after the configuration file name but before any other
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@
 #
 # Global environment variables used:
 # OPENOCD:             OpenOCD command name, default: "openocd"
+#                      Care must be taken when specifying an OpenOCD version in
+#                      its build directory, as it does not look up its own
+#                      configuration files relative to the executable -- the
+#                      scripts directory needs to be passed in like this:
+#                      `OPENOCD="~/openocd/src/openocd -s ~/openocd/tcl"`.
 # OPENOCD_CONFIG:      OpenOCD configuration file name,
 #                      default: "${BOARDSDIR}/${BOARD}/dist/openocd.cfg"
 #
@@ -133,7 +139,7 @@ fi
 # a couple of tests for certain configuration options
 #
 test_config() {
-    if [ ! -f "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" ]; then
+    if [ ! -f "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" ] && [[ ! "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" == board/* ]] ; then
         echo "Error: Unable to locate OpenOCD configuration file"
         echo "       (${OPENOCD_CONFIG})"
         exit 1