diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 69cc428e57..07eee030d5 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -387,6 +387,9 @@ else
   # handle removal of default modules
   USEMODULE += $(filter-out $(DISABLE_MODULE), $(DEFAULT_MODULE))
 
+  # avoid recursive expansion
+  USEMODULE := $(sort $(USEMODULE))
+
   # process dependencies
   include $(RIOTMAKE)/dependency_resolution.inc.mk
 endif
diff --git a/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.default b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9e448d4ffc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Default modules for e104-bt50xxa-tb boards
+DEFAULT_MODULE += board_software_reset
diff --git a/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
index e3cbcd8cbe..0cb51653e7 100644
--- a/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
+++ b/boards/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.dep
@@ -7,6 +7,4 @@ ifneq (,$(filter board_software_reset,$(USEMODULE)))
   FEATURES_REQUIRED += periph_gpio_irq
 endif
 
-DEFAULT_MODULE += board_software_reset
-
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/nrf52/Makefile.dep
diff --git a/boards/e104-bt5010a-tb/Makefile.default b/boards/e104-bt5010a-tb/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a4ccee4cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/e104-bt5010a-tb/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.default
diff --git a/boards/e104-bt5011a-tb/Makefile.default b/boards/e104-bt5011a-tb/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a4ccee4cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boards/e104-bt5011a-tb/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/e104-bt50xxa-tb/Makefile.default
diff --git a/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.default b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0a5f9cc4c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# msp430 uses newlib by default
+DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib
diff --git a/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
index 54590f7a88..907a9870bc 100644
--- a/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
+++ b/cpu/msp430_common/Makefile.dep
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 USEMODULE += msp430_common msp430_common_periph
 
-# msp430 uses newlib by default
-DEFAULT_MODULE += newlib
-
 ifneq (,$(filter newlib,$(USEMODULE)))
   USEMODULE += newlib_nano
 endif
diff --git a/cpu/msp430fxyz/Makefile.default b/cpu/msp430fxyz/Makefile.default
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..72e709ca8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpu/msp430fxyz/Makefile.default
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include $(RIOTCPU)/msp430_common/Makefile.default
diff --git a/makefiles/defaultmodules.inc.mk b/makefiles/defaultmodules.inc.mk
index 2eee5cad37..f0bc0f9bad 100644
--- a/makefiles/defaultmodules.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/defaultmodules.inc.mk
@@ -4,3 +4,9 @@ DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init
 
 # Initialize all used peripherals by default
 DEFAULT_MODULE += periph_init
+
+# Include potentially added default modules by the board
+-include $(BOARDDIR)/Makefile.default
+
+# Include potentially added default modules by the CPU
+-include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.default
diff --git a/sys/Makefile.dep b/sys/Makefile.dep
index b13c0d6155..8a343cd8a4 100644
--- a/sys/Makefile.dep
+++ b/sys/Makefile.dep
@@ -723,6 +723,7 @@ endif
 
 ifneq (,$(filter saul_default,$(USEMODULE)))
   DEFAULT_MODULE += auto_init_saul
+  DEFAULT_MODULE += saul_init_devs
   USEMODULE += saul
   USEMODULE += saul_reg
 endif