diff --git a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
index 10585ddac4..1fd4646dd7 100644
--- a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.features
@@ -1 +1 @@
-FEATURES_PROVIDED += transceiver periph_gpio periph_uart periph_spi periph_i2c periph_rtt periph_cpuid
+FEATURES_PROVIDED += transceiver periph_gpio periph_uart periph_spi periph_i2c periph_rtt periph_cpuid cpp
diff --git a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.include b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.include
index 32ea808781..c44a05b97f 100644
--- a/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/iot-lab_M3/Makefile.include
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export PORT
 # define tools used for building the project
 export PREFIX = arm-none-eabi-
 export CC = $(PREFIX)gcc
+export CXX = $(PREFIX)g++
 export AR = $(PREFIX)ar
 export AS = $(PREFIX)as
 export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
@@ -32,6 +33,11 @@ export CPU_USAGE = -mcpu=cortex-m3
 export FPU_USAGE =
 export CFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 -std=gnu99 -Os -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -mthumb -mthumb-interwork -nostartfiles
 export CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-builtin
+
+# unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
+export CXXUWFLAGS +=
+export CXXEXFLAGS +=
+
 export ASFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian
 export LINKFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 -std=gnu99 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -static -lgcc -mthumb -mthumb-interwork -nostartfiles
 # $(LINKERSCRIPT) is specified in cpu/Makefile.include