diff --git a/news/20200929160957.misc b/news/20200929160957.misc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7065d3b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/20200929160957.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Don't emit _PRESENT macros. Depend on Mbed OS to define these from CMake.
diff --git a/src/mbed_tools/build/_internal/config/config.py b/src/mbed_tools/build/_internal/config/config.py
index 8a99f565..450bfd63 100644
--- a/src/mbed_tools/build/_internal/config/config.py
+++ b/src/mbed_tools/build/_internal/config/config.py
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ def from_sources(cls, sources: Iterable[Source]) -> "Config":
         config = Config()
         for source in sources:
             for key, value in source.config.items():
+                # If the config item is about a certain component or feature
+                # being present, avoid adding it to the mbed_config.cmake
+                # configuration file. Instead, applications should depend on
+                # the feature or component with target_link_libraries() and the
+                # component's CMake flle (in the Mbed OS repo) will create
+                # any necessary macros or definitions.
+                if key.endswith(".present"):
+                    continue
                 _create_config_option(config, key, value, source)
             for key, value in source.overrides.items():
                 if key in IGNORED_OVERRIDE_KEYS_IN_SOURCE: