diff --git a/examples/default/Makefile b/examples/default/Makefile
index e958d38c76..b54d85bdbc 100644
--- a/examples/default/Makefile
+++ b/examples/default/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../..
 # Uncomment these lines if you want to use platform support from external
 # repositories:
 #RIOTCPU ?= $(CURDIR)/../../RIOT/thirdparty_cpu
-#BOARDSDIR ?= $(CURDIR)/../../RIOT/thirdparty_boards
+#EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS ?= $(CURDIR)/../../RIOT/thirdparty_boards
 
 # Uncomment this to enable scheduler statistics for ps:
 #USEMODULE += schedstatistics
diff --git a/examples/riot_and_cpp/Makefile b/examples/riot_and_cpp/Makefile
index 146c8e5ecd..7ef05f0836 100644
--- a/examples/riot_and_cpp/Makefile
+++ b/examples/riot_and_cpp/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../..
 # Uncomment these lines if you want to use platform support from external
 # repositories:
 #RIOTCPU ?= $(CURDIR)/../../../thirdparty_cpu
-#BOARDSDIR ?= $(CURDIR)/../../../thirdparty_boards
+#EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS ?= $(CURDIR)/../../../thirdparty_boards
 
 # Uncomment this to enable scheduler statistics for ps:
 #CFLAGS += -DSCHEDSTATISTICS
diff --git a/tests/suit_manifest/Makefile b/tests/suit_manifest/Makefile
index 4ef7c23808..c4daddf12a 100644
--- a/tests/suit_manifest/Makefile
+++ b/tests/suit_manifest/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ USEMODULE += suit_transport_mock
 
 # Use a version of 'native' that includes flash page support
 ifeq (native, $(BOARD))
-  BOARDSDIR = $(CURDIR)/native_flashpage
+  EXTERNAL_BOARD_DIRS = $(CURDIR)/native_flashpage
 endif
 
 FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_flashpage