diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index d85ce551da7dd4038390db2e735b17daa4d55e4f..da23a2397e38b36f56810ce5e64025409accdf3f 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -286,11 +286,12 @@ ifneq ($(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF),1)
   CFLAGS += -DGNRC_NETIF_NUMOF=$(GNRC_NETIF_NUMOF)
 endif
 
+# handle removal of default modules
+USEMODULE += $(filter-out $(DISABLE_MODULE), $(DEFAULT_MODULE))
+
 # process dependencies
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.dep
 
-USEMODULE += $(filter-out $(DISABLE_MODULE), $(DEFAULT_MODULE))
-
 ifeq ($(strip $(MCU)),)
 	MCU = $(CPU)
 endif