diff --git a/boards/airfy-beacon/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/airfy-beacon/dist/openocd.cfg
index 111ca5e773..6d346ee828 100644
--- a/boards/airfy-beacon/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/airfy-beacon/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ transport select hla_swd
 
 set WORKAREASIZE 0x4000
 source [find target/nrf51.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/ek-lm4f120xl/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/ek-lm4f120xl/dist/openocd.cfg
index b2ebfa8cf1..28e8f46c12 100644
--- a/boards/ek-lm4f120xl/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/ek-lm4f120xl/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ transport select hla_jtag
 set WORKAREASIZE 0x8000
 set CHIPNAME lm4f120h5qr
 source [find target/stellaris.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/fox/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/fox/dist/openocd.cfg
index fe70f18cf3..6b7b7a59d0 100644
--- a/boards/fox/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/fox/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@ jtag_ntrst_delay 100
 reset_config trst_and_srst
 
 source [find target/stm32f1x.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/frdm-k64f/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/frdm-k64f/dist/openocd.cfg
index 10b7b1c0d8..85d81531aa 100644
--- a/boards/frdm-k64f/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/frdm-k64f/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -48,3 +48,4 @@ adapter_khz 1000
 $_TARGETNAME configure -event gdb-attach {
   halt
 }
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/iotlab-a8-m3/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/iotlab-a8-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
index efd4f0c325..d9b5985367 100644
--- a/boards/iotlab-a8-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/iotlab-a8-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ ftdi_layout_signal nTRST -data 0x0800
 ftdi_layout_signal nSRST -data 0x0400
 
 source [find target/stm32f1x.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/iotlab-m3/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/iotlab-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
index efd4f0c325..d9b5985367 100644
--- a/boards/iotlab-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/iotlab-m3/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ ftdi_layout_signal nTRST -data 0x0800
 ftdi_layout_signal nSRST -data 0x0400
 
 source [find target/stm32f1x.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/limifrog-v1/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/limifrog-v1/dist/openocd.cfg
index 2bf52e0664..530d12f689 100644
--- a/boards/limifrog-v1/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/limifrog-v1/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ transport select hla_swd
 
 set WORKAREASIZE 0x2800
 source [find target/stm32l1.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/msbiot/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/msbiot/dist/openocd.cfg
index 0350e7eba3..a2f4a92046 100644
--- a/boards/msbiot/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/msbiot/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/stm32f4discovery.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f072/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f072/dist/openocd.cfg
index 4f0cfb3a02..ba0fc41dfb 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f072/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f072/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f0.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f091/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f091/dist/openocd.cfg
index 4f0cfb3a02..ba0fc41dfb 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f091/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f091/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f0.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f103/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f103/dist/openocd.cfg
index 82df176c41..befcac3250 100755
--- a/boards/nucleo-f103/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f103/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 #source [find board/st_nucleo_f1.cfg]
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f103rb.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f303/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f303/dist/openocd.cfg
index 2489007535..915eebc912 100755
--- a/boards/nucleo-f303/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f303/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f3.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f334/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f334/dist/openocd.cfg
index 2489007535..915eebc912 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f334/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f334/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f3.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-f401/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-f401/dist/openocd.cfg
index 9a3061f0bf..27ae019aeb 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-f401/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-f401/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_f4.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/nucleo-l1/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/nucleo-l1/dist/openocd.cfg
index 1553507ee5..939ea7d896 100644
--- a/boards/nucleo-l1/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/nucleo-l1/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/st_nucleo_l1.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/pba-d-01-kw2x/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/pba-d-01-kw2x/dist/openocd.cfg
index 806b323bb5..f2fb040b80 100644
--- a/boards/pba-d-01-kw2x/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/pba-d-01-kw2x/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -69,3 +69,4 @@ if {![using_hla]} {
 $_TARGETNAME configure -event reset-init {
     adapter_khz 24000
 }
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/saml21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/saml21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
index 2070f15e3d..3186498088 100644
--- a/boards/saml21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/saml21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/atmel_saml21_xplained_pro.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
index 2c81bdfbfa..597b433bc9 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/atmel_samr21_xplained_pro.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/stm32f0discovery/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/stm32f0discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
index 7cc0fd8900..9a408c9d13 100644
--- a/boards/stm32f0discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/stm32f0discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/stm32f0discovery.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/stm32f3discovery/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/stm32f3discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
index f032f7a0c3..d164f1c152 100644
--- a/boards/stm32f3discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/stm32f3discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/stm32f3discovery.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/stm32f4discovery/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/stm32f4discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
index 0350e7eba3..a2f4a92046 100644
--- a/boards/stm32f4discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/stm32f4discovery/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 source [find board/stm32f4discovery.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/dist/openocd.cfg
index 111ca5e773..6d346ee828 100644
--- a/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/dist/openocd.cfg
+++ b/boards/yunjia-nrf51822/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ transport select hla_swd
 
 set WORKAREASIZE 0x4000
 source [find target/nrf51.cfg]
+$_TARGETNAME configure -rtos auto
diff --git a/core/sched.c b/core/sched.c
index f32a10963e..f1414b369b 100644
--- a/core/sched.c
+++ b/core/sched.c
@@ -57,6 +57,17 @@ volatile kernel_pid_t sched_active_pid = KERNEL_PID_UNDEF;
 clist_node_t sched_runqueues[SCHED_PRIO_LEVELS];
 static uint32_t runqueue_bitcache = 0;
 
+/* Needed by OpenOCD to read sched_threads */
+__attribute__((used)) __attribute__((section (".openocd")))
+uint8_t max_threads = sizeof(sched_threads) / sizeof(thread_t*);
+
+#ifdef DEVELHELP
+/* OpenOCD can't determine struct offsets and additionally this member is only
+ * available if compiled with DEVELHELP */
+__attribute__((used)) __attribute__((section (".openocd")))
+uint8_t _tcb_name_offset = offsetof(thread_t, name);
+#endif
+
 #ifdef MODULE_SCHEDSTATISTICS
 static void (*sched_cb) (uint32_t timestamp, uint32_t value) = NULL;
 schedstat sched_pidlist[KERNEL_PID_LAST + 1];
diff --git a/cpu/cortexm_common/ldscripts/cortexm_base.ld b/cpu/cortexm_common/ldscripts/cortexm_base.ld
index 8f5d08b854..68c19e7d3e 100644
--- a/cpu/cortexm_common/ldscripts/cortexm_base.ld
+++ b/cpu/cortexm_common/ldscripts/cortexm_base.ld
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ SECTIONS
         _srelocate = .;
         *(.ramfunc .ramfunc.*);
         *(.data .data.*);
+        KEEP (*(.openocd .openocd.*))
         . = ALIGN(4);
         _erelocate = .;
     } > ram