diff --git a/redbee-econotag/Makefile b/redbee-econotag/Makefile
index ae4ccfd0a7..8b1d55d8b4 100644
--- a/redbee-econotag/Makefile
+++ b/redbee-econotag/Makefile
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ $(BINDIR)$(ARCH): $(OBJ)
 
 # compile and generate dependency info
 $(BINDIR)%.o: %.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -c $*.c -o $(BINDIR)$*.o
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -MM $*.c > $(BINDIR)$*.d
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_MTHUMB) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -c $*.c -o $(BINDIR)$*.o
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_MTHUMB) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -MM $*.c > $(BINDIR)$*.d
 	@printf "$(BINDIR)"|cat - $(BINDIR)$*.d > /tmp/riot_out && mv /tmp/riot_out $(BINDIR)$*.d
 
 # remove compilation products
diff --git a/redbee-econotag/Makefile.include b/redbee-econotag/Makefile.include
index 53a4eec202..19179c3c2d 100644
--- a/redbee-econotag/Makefile.include
+++ b/redbee-econotag/Makefile.include
@@ -6,13 +6,11 @@ export PREFIX = @arm-none-eabi-
 export CC = @$(PREFIX)gcc
 export AR = @$(PREFIX)ar
 export CFLAGS = -std=gnu99 -march=armv4t -mtune=arm7tdmi-s -mlong-calls \
-
-export CFLAGS_BASIC = -std=gnu99 -march=armv4t -mtune=arm7tdmi-s -mlong-calls \
 		-msoft-float -mthumb-interwork -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common \
 		-ffixed-r8 -ffunction-sections -ffreestanding -fno-builtin \
 		-nodefaultlibs -Wcast-align -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wextra \
 		-Os -pipe 
-export CFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_BASIC) -mthumb
+export CFLAGS_MTHUMB ?= -mthumb
 $(warning TODO add -mthumb)
 export AFLAGS = -Wa,-gstabs $(CFLAGS)
 export AS = $(PREFIX)as
diff --git a/redbee-econotag/drivers/Makefile b/redbee-econotag/drivers/Makefile
index 0a40ae1d50..cec1080b64 100644
--- a/redbee-econotag/drivers/Makefile
+++ b/redbee-econotag/drivers/Makefile
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ $(BINDIR)redbee-econotag_common_drivers.a: $(OBJ)
 
 # compile and generate dependency info
 $(BINDIR)%.o: %.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -c $*.c -o $(BINDIR)$*.o
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -MM $*.c > $(BINDIR)$*.d
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_MTHUMB) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -c $*.c -o $(BINDIR)$*.o
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_MTHUMB) $(INCLUDES) $(BOARDINCLUDE) $(PROJECTINCLUDE) $(CPUINCLUDE) -MM $*.c > $(BINDIR)$*.d
 	@printf "$(BINDIR)" | cat - $(BINDIR)$*.d > /tmp/riot_out && mv /tmp/riot_out $(BINDIR)$*.d
 
 # remove compilation products