diff --git a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/Makefile.include b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/Makefile.include
index 3f55b658d4..1da4566356 100644
--- a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/Makefile.include
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # configure the terminal program
 PORT_LINUX ?= /dev/ttyACM0
 PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.usbmodem*)))
-BAUD ?= 9600
+BAUD ?= 115200
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 
 # Use EDBG (xplainedpro) programmer with avrdude
diff --git a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/doc.txt b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/doc.txt
index 1c7d677cad..1ac5d747a4 100644
--- a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/doc.txt
+++ b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/doc.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,20 @@ is an evaluation kit by Microchip for their ATmega256RFR2 microcontroller.
 ### Flash the board
 
 You can flash the board using the on-board EDBG programmer via JTAG. Avrdude has
-support for programming an AVR via EDBG with its xplainedpro programmer:
+support for programming an AVR via EDBG with its xplainedpro programmer.
+
+First, make sure the default fuse settings are correct. In particular, the low
+byte fuse are enabling the use of the on-board 16MHz external oscillator.<br/>
+
+WARNING: setting the fuses incorrectly can brick your board!
+```
+avrdude -p m256rfr2 -c xplainedpro -U efuse:w:0xFF:m
+avrdude -p m256rfr2 -c xplainedpro -U hfuse:w:0x1F:m
+avrdude -p m256rfr2 -c xplainedpro -U lfuse:w:0xFF:m
+```
+
+To flash the board, just call `make` from an application directory with the
+`flash` target:
 
 ```
 make BOARD=atmega256rfr2-xpro -C examples/hello-world flash
diff --git a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/board.h b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/board.h
index 327958937e..7e4edde9fa 100644
--- a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/board.h
@@ -26,16 +26,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @name    STDIO configuration
- *
- * As the CPU is too slow to handle 115200 baud, we set the default
- * baudrate to 9600 for this board
- * @{
- */
-#define STDIO_UART_BAUDRATE (9600U)
-/** @} */
-
 /**
  * @brief   Use the UART 1 for STDIO on this board
  */
@@ -44,13 +34,11 @@ extern "C" {
 /**
  * @name    xtimer configuration values
  *
- * Xtimer runs at 8MHz / 64 = 125kHz
+ * Xtimer runs at 16MHz / 64 = 250kHz
  * @{
  */
-#define XTIMER_DEV                  (0)
-#define XTIMER_CHAN                 (0)
 #define XTIMER_WIDTH                (16)
-#define XTIMER_HZ                   (125000UL)
+#define XTIMER_HZ                   (250000UL)
 #define XTIMER_BACKOFF              (40)
 /** @} */
 
diff --git a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/periph_conf.h b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
index 5c65b2290c..62e7770726 100644
--- a/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
+++ b/boards/atmega256rfr2-xpro/include/periph_conf.h
@@ -19,24 +19,14 @@
 #ifndef PERIPH_CONF_H
 #define PERIPH_CONF_H
 
+#include "periph_conf_atmega_common.h"
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @name    Clock configuration
- * @{
- */
-#ifndef CLOCK_CORECLOCK
-/* Using 8MHz internal oscillator as default clock source */
-#define CLOCK_CORECLOCK     (8000000UL)
-#endif
-/** @} */
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
 
-#include "periph_conf_atmega_common.h"
-
 #endif /* PERIPH_CONF_H */
diff --git a/tests/periph_gpio/tests/02-bench.py b/tests/periph_gpio/tests/02-bench.py
index e1cc79c21f..ea2d00371a 100755
--- a/tests/periph_gpio/tests/02-bench.py
+++ b/tests/periph_gpio/tests/02-bench.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ import sys
 from testrunner import run
 
 
+# On slow platforms, like AVR, this test can take some time to complete.
+TIMEOUT = 30
+
+
 def testfunc(child):
     child.expect_exact("GPIO peripheral driver test")
     child.expect_exact(">")
@@ -33,4 +37,4 @@ def testfunc(child):
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    sys.exit(run(testfunc, timeout=10))
+    sys.exit(run(testfunc, timeout=TIMEOUT))
diff --git a/tests/periph_timer/Makefile b/tests/periph_timer/Makefile
index 1f00d7726a..2e68164141 100644
--- a/tests/periph_timer/Makefile
+++ b/tests/periph_timer/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ BOARDS_TIMER_25kHz := \
     arduino-leonardo \
     arduino-mega2560 \
     arduino-uno \
+    atmega256rfr2-xpro \
     atmega328p \
     waspmote-pro \
     #