diff --git a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
index d476cb7e33..6b43c064f9 100644
--- a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
+++ b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
@@ -126,6 +126,11 @@ riotboot/slot1: $(SLOT1_RIOT_BIN)
 # Default flashing rule for bootloader + slot 0
 riotboot/flash: riotboot/flash-slot0 riotboot/flash-bootloader
 
+# make applications that use the riotboot feature default to actually using it
+# Target 'all' will generate the combined file directly.
+# It also makes 'flash' and 'flash-only' work without specific command.
+FLASHFILE = $(RIOTBOOT_EXTENDED_BIN)
+
 else
 riotboot:
 	$(Q)echo "error: riotboot feature not selected! (try FEATURES_REQUIRED += riotboot)"
diff --git a/tests/riotboot/Makefile b/tests/riotboot/Makefile
index 6f580a8dae..9ad94ca5b2 100644
--- a/tests/riotboot/Makefile
+++ b/tests/riotboot/Makefile
@@ -18,9 +18,5 @@ DEVELHELP ?= 1
 # Change this to 0 show compiler invocation lines by default:
 QUIET ?= 1
 
-# Target 'all' will generate the combined file directly.
-# It also makes 'flash' and 'flash-only' work without specific command.
-FLASHFILE = $(RIOTBOOT_COMBINED_BIN)
-
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include