diff --git a/Makefile.features b/Makefile.features
index 00655cc41bc3..06419e66408d 100644
--- a/Makefile.features
+++ b/Makefile.features
@@ -10,3 +10,8 @@
 #   reflect the state of all boards for the moment.
 
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.features
+
+# Transitional conditional include until all boards define 'CPU'
+ifneq (,$(CPU))
+  include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.features
+endif
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index d0468a86124b..456c4804f20a 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ include $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.include
 # The check is only done after 'include $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/Makefile.include'
 # because we need to have the 'CPU' variable defined
 ifeq (,$(filter $(RIOTCPU)/$(CPU)/Makefile.features,$(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
-  $(error $$(RIOTCPU)/$$(CPU)/Makefile.features must have been included by the board / board common Makefile.features)
+  $(error $$(RIOTCPU)/$$(CPU)/Makefile.features must have been included by the board / board common Makefile.features or Makefile.features)
 endif
 
 # Assume GCC/GNU as supported toolchain if CPU's Makefile.include doesn't