diff --git a/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile b/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
index 0419c8501752..1adb5771f03e 100644
--- a/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
+++ b/bootloaders/riotboot/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ BOARD ?= samr21-xpro
 # Select the boards with riotboot feature
 FEATURES_REQUIRED += riotboot
 
+# Set RIOTBOOT_BUILD to indicate a riotboot application build
+RIOTBOOT_BUILD = 1
 # Provide a define to detect if building the bootloader
 CFLAGS += -DRIOTBOOT
 
diff --git a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
index d4a6ab6c72b7..1cdbba05e75d 100644
--- a/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
+++ b/makefiles/boot/riotboot.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ifneq (,$(filter riotboot,$(FEATURES_USED)))
+ifneq (1,$(RIOTBOOT_BUILD))
 
 .PHONY: riotboot/flash riotboot/flash-bootloader riotboot/flash-slot0 riotboot/flash-slot1 riotboot/bootloader/%
 
@@ -154,4 +155,5 @@ riotboot:
 	$(Q)echo "error: riotboot feature not selected! (try FEATURES_REQUIRED += riotboot)"
 	$(Q)false
 
+endif # (1,$(RIOTBOOT_BUILD))
 endif # (,$(filter riotboot,$(FEATURES_USED)))