diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/uart.h b/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
index 9150aa2e1938afe341ca4aa3ce77abd4ddc091e5..983ccd201cd1f15af0be5b0974081f272c98bbe0 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/uart.h
@@ -111,6 +111,41 @@ enum {
     UART_NOMODE     = -4    /**< given mode is not applicable */
 };
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Definition of possible parity modes
+ */
+#ifndef HAVE_UART_PARITY_T
+typedef enum {
+   UART_PARITY_NONE,   /**< no parity */
+   UART_PARITY_EVEN,   /**< even parity */
+   UART_PARITY_ODD,    /**< odd parity */
+   UART_PARITY_MARK,   /**< mark parity */
+   UART_PARITY_SPACE   /**< space parity */
+} uart_parity_t;
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Definition of possible data bits lengths in a UART frame
+ */
+#ifndef HAVE_UART_DATA_BITS_T
+typedef enum {
+    UART_DATA_BITS_5,   /**< 5 data bits */
+    UART_DATA_BITS_6,   /**< 6 data bits */
+    UART_DATA_BITS_7,   /**< 7 data bits */
+    UART_DATA_BITS_8,   /**< 8 data bits */
+} uart_data_bits_t;
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Definition of possible stop bits lengths in a UART frame
+ */
+#ifndef HAVE_UART_STOP_BITS_T
+typedef enum {
+   UART_STOP_BITS_1,   /**< 1 stop bit */
+   UART_STOP_BITS_2,   /**< 2 stop bits */
+} uart_stop_bits_t;
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @brief   Initialize a given UART device
  *
@@ -137,6 +172,20 @@ enum {
  */
 int uart_init(uart_t uart, uint32_t baudrate, uart_rx_cb_t rx_cb, void *arg);
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Setup parity, data and stop bits for a given UART device
+ *
+ * @param[in] uart          UART device to initialize
+ * @param[in] data_bits     number of data bits in a UART frame
+ * @param[in] parity        parity mode
+ * @param[in] stop_bits     number of stop bits in a UART frame
+ *
+ * @return                  UART_OK on success
+ * @return                  UART_NOMODE on other errors
+ */
+int uart_mode(uart_t uart, uart_data_bits_t data_bits, uart_parity_t parity,
+              uart_stop_bits_t stop_bits);
+
 /**
  * @brief   Write data from the given buffer to the specified UART device
  *