diff --git a/boards/msba2-common/Makefile.include b/boards/msba2-common/Makefile.include
index e3c6a3c90a..919d1ee7e5 100644
--- a/boards/msba2-common/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/msba2-common/Makefile.include
@@ -10,21 +10,30 @@ export PREFIX = $(if $(TARGET_TRIPLE),$(TARGET_TRIPLE)-)
 export CC = $(PREFIX)gcc
 export CXX = $(PREFIX)g++
 export AR = $(PREFIX)ar
-export CFLAGS += -O2 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -mcpu=arm7tdmi-s -gdwarf-2 -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections
-export ASFLAGS = -gdwarf-2 -mcpu=arm7tdmi-s
 export AS = $(PREFIX)as
 export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
 export SIZE = $(PREFIX)size
 export OBJCOPY = $(PREFIX)objcopy
 FLASHER = lpc2k_pgm
 TERMPROG ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyterm/pyterm
-LINKFLAGS += -gdwarf-2 -mcpu=arm7tdmi-s -static -lgcc -nostartfiles -T$(RIOTBASE)/cpu/$(CPU)/ldscripts/$(CPU).ld -Wl,--gc-sections
 
-# unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
-export CXXUWFLAGS +=
-export CXXEXFLAGS +=
+export CFLAGS_CPU   = -mcpu=arm7tdmi-s
+export CFLAGS_LINK  = -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-builtin -fshort-enums
+export CFLAGS_DBG   = -ggdb -g3
+export CFLAGS_OPT  ?= -Os
 
-ifeq ($(strip $(PORT)),)
+export CFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_CPU) $(CFLAGS_LINK) $(CFLAGS_DBG) $(CFLAGS_OPT)
+export ASFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_CPU) $(CFLAGS_DBG)
+export LINKFLAGS += -T$(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/ldscripts/$(CPU).ld
+export LINKFLAGS += $(CFLAGS_CPU) $(CFLAGS_DBG) $(CFLAGS_OPT) -static -lgcc -nostartfiles
+export LINKFLAGS += -Wl,--gc-sections
+
+# use the nano-specs of Newlib when available
+ifeq ($(shell $(LINK) -specs=nano.specs -E - 2>/dev/null >/dev/null </dev/null ; echo $$?),0)
+export LINKFLAGS += -specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(PORT),)
 	export PORT = /dev/ttyUSB0
 endif
 export FFLAGS = $(PORT) $(HEXFILE)