diff --git a/examples/ccn-lite-client/Makefile b/examples/ccn-lite-client/Makefile
index af7720508a..549b353e24 100644
--- a/examples/ccn-lite-client/Makefile
+++ b/examples/ccn-lite-client/Makefile
@@ -27,17 +27,12 @@ export RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../..
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 export QUIET ?= 1
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h pttu \
-                   redbee-econotag telosb udoo wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# chronos: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos msb-430h telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4
+BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 pttu redbee-econotag udoo z1
 # mbed_lpc1768: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/675
 # msb-430: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/658
-# msb-430h: not enough RAM
 # pttu: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/659
 # redbee-econotag: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/676
-# telosb: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_3b: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_4: not enough RAM
 # z1: lacks RTC features
 
 # Modules to include:
diff --git a/examples/ccn-lite-relay/Makefile b/examples/ccn-lite-relay/Makefile
index 2a26611304..cfe811eafa 100644
--- a/examples/ccn-lite-relay/Makefile
+++ b/examples/ccn-lite-relay/Makefile
@@ -27,17 +27,12 @@ export RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../..
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 export QUIET ?= 1
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h \
-                   pttu redbee-econotag telosb udoo wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# chronos: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos msb-430h telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4
+BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 pttu redbee-econotag udoo z1
 # mbed_lpc1768: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/675
 # msb-430: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/658
-# msb-430h: not enough RAM
 # pttu: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/659
 # redbee-econotag: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/676
-# telosb: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_3b: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_4: not enough RAM
 # z1: lacks RTC features
 
 # Modules to include:
diff --git a/examples/rpl_udp/Makefile b/examples/rpl_udp/Makefile
index 90ece78634..c56154bc21 100644
--- a/examples/rpl_udp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/rpl_udp/Makefile
@@ -34,18 +34,11 @@ ifeq ($(shell $(CC) -Wno-cpp -E - 2>/dev/null >/dev/null dev/null ; echo $$?),0)
 	endif
 endif
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h \
-                   pttu redbee-econotag telosb udoo wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# chronos: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos msb-430h redbee-econotag telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
+BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 pttu udoo
 # mbed_lpc1768: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/675
 # msb-430: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/658
-# msb-430h: not enough RAM
 # pttu: see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/659
-# redbee-econotag: not enough RAM
-# telosb: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_3b: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_4: not enough RAM
-# z1: not enough RAM
 
 # Modules to include:
 
diff --git a/tests/test_bloom/Makefile b/tests/test_bloom/Makefile
index 3ee58e7e94..c119c007e8 100644
--- a/tests/test_bloom/Makefile
+++ b/tests/test_bloom/Makefile
@@ -1,17 +1,8 @@
 export PROJECT = test_bloom
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h redbee-econotag \
-                   telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# chronos: not enough RAM
-# mbed_lpc1768: not enough RAM
-# msb-430: not enough RAM
-# msb-430h: not enough RAM
-# redbee-econotag: not enough RAM
-# telosb: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_3b: not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_4: not enough RAM
-# z1: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h redbee-econotag \
+                          telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
 
 USEMODULE += hashes
 USEMODULE += bloom
diff --git a/tests/test_pnet/Makefile b/tests/test_pnet/Makefile
index d30e961db3..41a00176f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_pnet/Makefile
+++ b/tests/test_pnet/Makefile
@@ -1,17 +1,10 @@
 export PROJECT = test_pnet
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h \
-                   redbee-econotag telosb udoo wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
-# chronos:          not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos msb-430h redbee-econotag telosb wsn430-v1_3b wsn430-v1_4 z1
+BOARD_BLACKLIST := arduino-due mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 udoo
 # mbed_lpc1768:     see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/675
 # msb-430:          see https://github.com/RIOT-OS/RIOT/issues/658
-# msb-430h:         not enough RAM
-# redbee-econotag:  not enough RAM
-# telosb:           not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_3b:     not enough RAM
-# wsn430-v1_4:      not enough RAM
-# z1:               not enough RAM
 
 USEMODULE += posix
 USEMODULE += pnet
diff --git a/tests/test_posix_semaphore/Makefile b/tests/test_posix_semaphore/Makefile
index 3940ad0eb9..b4c1f03f1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_posix_semaphore/Makefile
+++ b/tests/test_posix_semaphore/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 export PROJECT = test_posix_semaphore
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := mbed_lpc1768 redbee-econotag chronos
-# mbed_lpc1768: not enough RAM
-# redbee-econotag: not enough RAM
-# chronos: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := mbed_lpc1768 redbee-econotag chronos
 
 USEMODULE += posix
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pthread_rwlock/Makefile b/tests/test_pthread_rwlock/Makefile
index 4cb40dfe58..bdd41fff3b 100644
--- a/tests/test_pthread_rwlock/Makefile
+++ b/tests/test_pthread_rwlock/Makefile
@@ -9,10 +9,6 @@ DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init
 
 CFLAGS += -DNATIVE_AUTO_EXIT
 
-# these boards provide too little RAM for the example to run
-BOARD_BLACKLIST += chronos
-BOARD_BLACKLIST += mbed_lpc1768
-BOARD_BLACKLIST += msb-430
-BOARD_BLACKLIST += msb-430h
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM += chronos mbed_lpc1768 msb-430 msb-430h
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/test_thread_cooperation/Makefile b/tests/test_thread_cooperation/Makefile
index 0ef7411c45..f7cc70779f 100644
--- a/tests/test_thread_cooperation/Makefile
+++ b/tests/test_thread_cooperation/Makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 export PROJECT = test_thread_cooperation
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-BOARD_BLACKLIST := chronos msb-430 msb-430h mbed_lpc1768 redbee-econotag
-# chronos: not enough RAM
-# mbed_lpc1768: not enough RAM
-# msb-430: not enough RAM
-# msb-430h: not enough RAM
-# redbee-econotag: not enough RAM
+BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_RAM := chronos msb-430 msb-430h mbed_lpc1768 redbee-econotag
 
 DISABLE_MODULE += auto_init