diff --git a/boards/thingy52/Makefile.include b/boards/thingy52/Makefile.include
index 4056b13ce5c8227faa82077e8c9f3942bdec92b5..44f5685687803aa337af5dab99085bef0e9e26fe 100644
--- a/boards/thingy52/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/thingy52/Makefile.include
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 # CPU configuration for the Thingy:52
 CPU_MODEL = nrf52832xxaa
 
-# override default PORT
-PORT_LINUX ?= /dev/ttyUSB0
-PORT_DARWIN ?= $(firstword $(sort $(wildcard /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART*)))
+# for this board, we are using Segger's RTT as default terminal interface
+USEMODULE += rtt_stdio
+TERMPROG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/jlink/jlink.sh
+TERMFLAGS = term_rtt
 
 # use shared Makefile.include
 include $(RIOTBOARD)/common/nrf52xxxdk/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile b/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile
index 7c6e479f4fe5eb34ffc69c58b1b49fa2841ed83d..2546b6e97d131d753adf95e1ff7b0c79ec37c443 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile
+++ b/examples/gnrc_border_router/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ BOARD_INSUFFICIENT_MEMORY := airfy-beacon b-l072z-lrwan1 bluepill calliope-mini
                              wsn430-v1_4 yunjia-nrf51822 z1
 
 # The following boards do not have an available UART
-BOARD_BLACKLIST += mips-malta pic32-wifire pic32-clicker ruuvitag
+BOARD_BLACKLIST += mips-malta pic32-wifire pic32-clicker ruuvitag thingy52
 
 # use ethos (ethernet over serial) for network communication and stdio over
 # UART, but not on native, as native has a tap interface towards the host.