diff --git a/sys/include/xtimer.h b/sys/include/xtimer.h
index 4825a63947..06532fa77b 100644
--- a/sys/include/xtimer.h
+++ b/sys/include/xtimer.h
@@ -343,11 +343,11 @@ int xtimer_msg_receive_timeout64(msg_t *msg, uint64_t us);
 #endif
 
 #if (XTIMER_SHIFT < 0)
-#define XTIMER_RSHIFT(value) ( (value) << -XTIMER_SHIFT )
-#define XTIMER_LSHIFT(value) ( (value) >> -XTIMER_SHIFT )
+#define XTIMER_USEC_TO_TICKS(value) ( (value) << -XTIMER_SHIFT )
+#define XTIMER_TICKS_TO_USEC(value) ( (value) >> -XTIMER_SHIFT )
 #else
-#define XTIMER_RSHIFT(value) ( (value) >> XTIMER_SHIFT )
-#define XTIMER_LSHIFT(value) ( (value) << XTIMER_SHIFT )
+#define XTIMER_USEC_TO_TICKS(value) ( (value) >> XTIMER_SHIFT )
+#define XTIMER_TICKS_TO_USEC(value) ( (value) << XTIMER_SHIFT )
 #endif
 
 /**
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ int xtimer_msg_receive_timeout64(msg_t *msg, uint64_t us);
  */
 #define XTIMER_MASK (0)
 #endif
-#define XTIMER_MASK_SHIFTED XTIMER_LSHIFT(XTIMER_MASK)
+#define XTIMER_MASK_SHIFTED XTIMER_TICKS_TO_USEC(XTIMER_MASK)
 
 #ifndef XTIMER_USLEEP_UNTIL_OVERHEAD
 /**
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ extern volatile uint32_t _high_cnt;
 static inline uint32_t _lltimer_now(void)
 {
 #if XTIMER_SHIFT
-    return XTIMER_LSHIFT((uint32_t)timer_read(XTIMER));
+    return XTIMER_TICKS_TO_USEC((uint32_t)timer_read(XTIMER));
 #else
     return timer_read(XTIMER);
 #endif
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static inline void xtimer_spin_until(uint32_t value);
 /**
  * @brief Minimal value xtimer_spin() can spin
  */
-#define XTIMER_MIN_SPIN XTIMER_LSHIFT(1)
+#define XTIMER_MIN_SPIN XTIMER_TICKS_TO_USEC(1)
 #endif
 
 static inline uint32_t xtimer_now(void)
diff --git a/sys/xtimer/xtimer_core.c b/sys/xtimer/xtimer_core.c
index 28a84ddf9f..6fa5b10f08 100644
--- a/sys/xtimer/xtimer_core.c
+++ b/sys/xtimer/xtimer_core.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static inline int _is_set(xtimer_t *timer)
 void xtimer_init(void)
 {
     /* initialize low-level timer */
-    timer_init(XTIMER, XTIMER_RSHIFT(1000000ul), _periph_timer_callback, NULL);
+    timer_init(XTIMER, XTIMER_USEC_TO_TICKS(1000000ul), _periph_timer_callback, NULL);
 
     /* register initial overflow tick */
     _lltimer_set(0xFFFFFFFF);
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static inline void _lltimer_set(uint32_t target)
     }
     DEBUG("_lltimer_set(): setting %" PRIu32 "\n", _lltimer_mask(target));
 #ifdef XTIMER_SHIFT
-    target = XTIMER_RSHIFT(target);
+    target = XTIMER_USEC_TO_TICKS(target);
     if (!target) {
         target++;
     }