diff --git a/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh b/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
index 19ee9065ca..df45b6f6bd 100755
--- a/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 #
 # This script is supposed to be called from RIOTs make system,
 # as it depends on certain environment variables. An OpenOCD
-# configuration file must be present in a the boards dist folder.
+# configuration file must be present in a the boards dist folder
+# or be given as "board/[...].cfg" to use an OpenOCD shipped configuration.
 #
 # Any extra command line arguments after the command name are passed on the
 # openocd command line after the configuration file name but before any other
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ fi
 # a couple of tests for certain configuration options
 #
 test_config() {
-    if [ ! -f "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" ]; then
+    if [ ! -f "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" ] && [[ ! "${OPENOCD_CONFIG}" == board/* ]] ; then
         echo "Error: Unable to locate OpenOCD configuration file"
         echo "       (${OPENOCD_CONFIG})"
         exit 1