diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index 169ffc0c390e..706fe6f05813 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -96,10 +96,6 @@ ifneq (,$(filter ccn_lite,$(USEMODULE)))
 	USEMODULE += crypto
 endif
 
-ifneq (,$(filter nativenet,$(USEMODULE)))
-	USEMODULE += netdev_base
-endif
-
 ifneq (,$(filter rgbled,$(USEMODULE)))
 	USEMODULE += color
 endif
diff --git a/cpu/native/net/interface.c b/cpu/native/net/interface.c
index 54762ee048f3..43ac8b9fafc8 100644
--- a/cpu/native/net/interface.c
+++ b/cpu/native/net/interface.c
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ void _nativenet_handle_packet(radio_packet_t *packet)
  * netdev_base wrapper
  ***************************************************************/
 
+#ifdef MODULE_NETDEV_BASE
 int _nativenet_send_data(netdev_t *dev, void *dest, size_t dest_len,
                          netdev_hlist_t *upper_layer_hdrs, void *data,
                          size_t data_len)
@@ -609,5 +610,11 @@ _nativenet_netdev_more_t _nativenet_default_dev_more;
 netdev_t nativenet_default_dev = {NETDEV_TYPE_BASE, &nativenet_driver,
                                   &_nativenet_default_dev_more
                                  };
+#else
+_nativenet_netdev_more_t _nativenet_default_dev_more;
+netdev_t nativenet_default_dev = {NETDEV_TYPE_BASE, NULL,
+                                  &_nativenet_default_dev_more
+                                 };
+#endif /* MODULE_NETDEV_BASE */
 
 /** @} */