diff --git a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features
index 12b64e8090a4f68656778b431ef213e3ec5f3db9..fb3c7463c75a3e44e55a84f49e0b67fb0dc61981 100644
--- a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features
+++ b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.features
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+FEATURES_PROVIDED += cpp
 FEATURES_PROVIDED += periph_gpio
diff --git a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
index f2574f96201eb92345e56437ec07584d968efcca..2de729e502e4c1822664638f44e381076d528219 100644
--- a/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/msbiot/Makefile.include
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export PORT
 # define tools used for building the project
 export PREFIX = arm-none-eabi-
 export CC = $(PREFIX)gcc
+export CXX = $(PREFIX)g++
 export AR = $(PREFIX)ar
 export AS = $(PREFIX)as
 export LINK = $(PREFIX)gcc
@@ -40,6 +41,10 @@ export FFLAGS = write bin/$(BOARD)/$(APPLICATION).hex 0x8000000
 export DEBUGGER_FLAGS = $(RIOTBOARD)/$(BOARD)/dist/gdb.conf $(BINDIR)/$(APPLICATION).elf
 export TERMFLAGS += -p "$(PORT)"
 
+# unwanted (CXXUWFLAGS) and extra (CXXEXFLAGS) flags for c++
+export CXXUWFLAGS +=
+export CXXEXFLAGS +=
+
 # use newLib nano-specs if available
 ifeq ($(shell $(LINK) -specs=nano.specs -E - 2>/dev/null >/dev/null </dev/null ; echo $$?),0)
 export LINKFLAGS += -specs=nano.specs -lc -lnosys