diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
index bb4791976a..5355f35bc2 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
@@ -14,9 +14,12 @@ export AS = $(PREFIX)as
 export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
 export SIZE = $(PREFIX)size
 export OBJCOPY = $(PREFIX)objcopy
-export TERMPROG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyterm/pyterm -p
-export FLASHER = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/flash.sh
-export DEBUGGER = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/debug.sh
+export DBG = $(PREFIX)gdb
+export TERMPROG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/pyterm/pyterm
+export FLASHER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+export DEBUGGER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+export DEBUGSERVER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+export RESET = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
 
 # define build specific options
 export CPU_USAGE = -mcpu=cortex-m0plus
@@ -27,10 +30,12 @@ export ASFLAGS += -ggdb -g3 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian
 export LINKFLAGS += -g3 -ggdb -std=gnu99 $(CPU_USAGE) $(FPU_USAGE) -mlittle-endian -static -lgcc -mthumb -mno-thumb-interwork -nostartfiles
 # linkerscript specified in cpu/Makefile.include
 export LINKFLAGS += -T$(LINKERSCRIPT)
-export OFLAGS += -O binary
-export FFLAGS += $(HEXFILE)
-export DEBUGGER_FLAGS = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/gdb.conf $(ELFFILE)
-export TERMFLAGS += "$(PORT)"
+export OFLAGS = -O ihex
+export TERMFLAGS += -p "$(PORT)"
+export FFLAGS = flash
+export DEBUGGER_FLAGS = debug
+export DEBUGSERVER_FLAGS = debug-server
+export RESET_FLAGS = reset
 
 # unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
 export CXXUWFLAGS +=
@@ -42,5 +47,5 @@ export LINKFLAGS += -specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys
 endif
 
 # export board specific includes to the global includes-listing
-export INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/include/ 
+export INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/include/
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 5b0fad1f71..0000000000
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/debug.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-openocd -f "board/atmel_samr21_xplained_pro.cfg" \
-    -c "tcl_port 6333" \
-    -c "telnet_port 4444" \
-    -c "init" \
-    -c "targets" \
-    -c "reset halt" \
-    -l /dev/null &
-
-# save pid to terminate afterwards
-OCD_PID=$?
-
-# needed for openocd to set up
-sleep 5
-
-arm-none-eabi-gdb -tui --command=${1} ${2}
-
-kill ${OCD_PID}
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/flash.sh b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/flash.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index e33ada6b3a..0000000000
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/flash.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-openocd -f "board/atmel_samr21_xplained_pro.cfg" \
-    -c "init" \
-    -c "targets" \
-    -c "reset halt" \
-    -c "reset init" \
-    -c "flash write_image erase $1" \
-    -c "verify_image $1" \
-    -c "reset run" \
-    -c "shutdown"
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf
deleted file mode 100644
index 8a693c6a03..0000000000
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/gdb.conf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-target remote localhost:3333
-monitor reset halt
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c81bdfbfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/dist/openocd.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+source [find board/atmel_samr21_xplained_pro.cfg]