diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index f613c16c964b7019bab559bf7ecda5e580287529..16afa50e038f01e9b52066cbe7c53a190b4e1489 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -593,4 +593,9 @@ CFLAGS += -include '$(RIOTBUILD_CONFIG_HEADER_C)'
 
 # include mcuboot support
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/mcuboot.mk
+
+# Sanity check, 'all' should be the default goal
+ifneq (all, $(.DEFAULT_GOAL))
+  $(error .DEFAULT_GOAL := $(.DEFAULT_GOAL))
+endif
 endif # BOARD=none