diff --git a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
index bd3031b2df8..2d1c365cd33 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/stm32/stm32_i2c.c
@@ -116,8 +116,10 @@
 
 /* Interrupt wait time timeout in system timer ticks */
 
-#define CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOTICKS \
-  (SEC2TICK(CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOSEC) + MSEC2TICK(CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOMS))
+#ifndef CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOTICKS
+#  define CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOTICKS \
+    (SEC2TICK(CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOSEC) + MSEC2TICK(CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOMS))
+#endif
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_STM32_I2C_DYNTIMEO_STARTSTOP
 #  define CONFIG_STM32_I2C_DYNTIMEO_STARTSTOP TICK2USEC(CONFIG_STM32_I2CTIMEOTICKS)