diff --git a/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include b/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
index 8c9813306820..ed57c9d0228a 100644
--- a/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/common/blxxxpill/Makefile.include
@@ -17,10 +17,9 @@ ifeq (dfu-util,$(PROGRAMMER))
     # from this software reset.
     FFLAGS_OPTS += --reset
   endif
-
-else ifeq (openocd,$(PROGRAMMER))
-  STLINK_VERSION ?= 2
 endif
 
+STLINK_VERSION ?= 2
+
 # Setup of programmer and serial is shared between STM32 based boards
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/boards/stm32.inc.mk
diff --git a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
index 1d2834fd4168..e89adb411321 100644
--- a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ INCLUDES += -I$(RIOTBOARD)/common/stm32/include
 PROGRAMMER ?= openocd
 
 OPENOCD_DEBUG_ADAPTER ?= stlink
+STLINK_VERSION ?= 2
+
 ifeq (openocd,$(PROGRAMMER))
-  STLINK_VERSION ?= 2
   PORT_LINUX ?= /dev/ttyUSB0
 endif