diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/Kconfig b/cpu/atmega_common/Kconfig
index 386916f5bd..3748434b00 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/Kconfig
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/Kconfig
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ config CPU_COMMON_ATMEGA
     bool
     select CPU_CORE_AVR
     select HAS_ATMEGA_PCINT0
+    select HAS_CPP
     select HAS_PERIPH_CPUID
     select HAS_PERIPH_EEPROM
     select HAS_PERIPH_GPIO
diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile
index 41d51c7b31..d945090d16 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile
@@ -4,4 +4,8 @@ MODULE = atmega_common
 # add a list of subdirectories, that should also be build
 DIRS = periph avr_libc_extra
 
+ifneq (,$(filter cpu_atmega_common_cxx,$(USEMODULE)))
+  DIRS += cxx
+endif
+
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.base
diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.dep
index 33fa82c5cf..cafee551b8 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -34,3 +34,8 @@ endif
 ifneq (,$(filter atmega_pcint3,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += atmega_pcint3
 endif
+
+# static C++ constructors need guards for thread safe initialization
+ifneq (,$(filter cpp,$(FEATURES_USED)))
+  USEMODULE += cxx_ctor_guards
+endif
diff --git a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.features b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.features
index eb49bcd72f..489c684bf3 100644
--- a/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.features
+++ b/cpu/atmega_common/Makefile.features
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += arch_8bit
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += arch_avr8
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += atmega_pcint0
+FEATURES_PROVIDED += cpp
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_cpuid
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_eeprom
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_gpio periph_gpio_irq