diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index c9a2d804a6..6d5b56d742 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -703,9 +703,10 @@ ifneq (,$(filter saul_reg,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_saul
   USEMODULE += saul
   USEMODULE += saul_reg
-  USEMODULE += auto_init_saul
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_saul
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_adc,$(USEMODULE)))
@@ -737,8 +738,9 @@ ifneq (,$(filter can_linux,$(USEMODULE)))
 endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter can,$(USEMODULE)))
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_can
   USEMODULE += can_raw
-  USEMODULE += auto_init_can
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_can
   ifneq (,$(filter can_mbox,$(USEMODULE)))
     USEMODULE += core_mbox
   endif
diff --git a/pkg/cryptoauthlib/Makefile.dep b/pkg/cryptoauthlib/Makefile.dep
index 5ac1d3b493..d07ee8b23b 100644
--- a/pkg/cryptoauthlib/Makefile.dep
+++ b/pkg/cryptoauthlib/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 USEMODULE += xtimer
 FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_i2c
-USEMODULE += auto_init_security
+DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_security
 USEMODULE += cryptoauthlib_contrib
diff --git a/pkg/fatfs/Makefile.dep b/pkg/fatfs/Makefile.dep
index 812803ae1e..d4a91becd2 100644
--- a/pkg/fatfs/Makefile.dep
+++ b/pkg/fatfs/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 USEMODULE += fatfs_diskio_mtd
-USEMODULE += auto_init_storage
+DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_storage
 USEMODULE += mtd
 
 # Use RTC for timestamps if available