diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index d31ec529af..cb186821dc 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -1066,11 +1066,6 @@ FEATURES_REQUIRED += $(filter arch_%,$(FEATURES_PROVIDED))
 # FEATURES_USED is defined in Makefile.features
 USEMODULE += $(filter periph_%,$(FEATURES_USED))
 
-# set all USED periph_% init modules as DEFAULT_MODULE
-ifneq (,$(filter periph_init, $(USEMODULE)))
-  DEFAULT_MODULE += $(subst periph_,periph_init_,$(filter periph_%,$(FEATURES_USED)))
-endif
-
 # select cpu_check_address pseudomodule if the corresponding feature is used
 USEMODULE += $(filter cpu_check_address, $(FEATURES_USED))
 
@@ -1089,6 +1084,11 @@ USEPKG := $(sort $(USEPKG))
 ifneq ($(OLD_USEMODULE) $(OLD_USEPKG),$(USEMODULE) $(USEPKG))
   include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.dep
 else
+  # set all USED periph_% init modules as DEFAULT_MODULE
+  ifneq (,$(filter periph_init, $(USEMODULE)))
+    DEFAULT_MODULE += $(subst periph_,periph_init_,$(filter periph_%,$(USEMODULE)))
+  endif
+
   # Add auto_init_% DEFAULT_MODULES. This is done after the recursive cach since
   # none of these modules can trigger dependency resolution.
   DEFAULT_MODULE := $(sort $(DEFAULT_MODULE))