diff --git a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/shared/baro_board.makefile b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/shared/baro_board.makefile
index 6478d0a04f..596ab7fbe1 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/shared/baro_board.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/shared/baro_board.makefile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ else ifeq ($(BOARD), lisa_m)
 # defaults to i2c baro bmp085 on the board
 LISA_M_BARO ?= BARO_BOARD_BMP085
   ifeq ($(LISA_M_BARO), BARO_MS5611_SPI)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_SPI
     include $(CFG_SHARED)/spi_master.makefile
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_SPI2 -DUSE_SPI_SLAVE3
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_SPI_DEV=spi2
@@ -35,12 +36,14 @@ LISA_M_BARO ?= BARO_BOARD_BMP085
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611_spi.c
     ap.srcs += boards/baro_board_ms5611_spi.c
   else ifeq ($(LISA_M_BARO), BARO_MS5611_I2C)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_I2C
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_I2C2
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_I2C_DEV=i2c2
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611.c
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611_i2c.c
     ap.srcs += boards/baro_board_ms5611_i2c.c
   else ifeq ($(LISA_M_BARO), BARO_BOARD_BMP085)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_BOARD_BMP085
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_I2C2
     ap.srcs += peripherals/bmp085.c
     ap.srcs += $(SRC_BOARD)/baro_board.c
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ else ifeq ($(BOARD), lisa_mx)
 # defaults to MS5611 via SPI on Aspirin
 LISA_MX_BARO ?= BARO_MS5611_SPI
   ifeq ($(LISA_MX_BARO), BARO_MS5611_SPI)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_SPI
     include $(CFG_SHARED)/spi_master.makefile
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_SPI2 -DUSE_SPI_SLAVE3
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_SPI_DEV=spi2
@@ -58,12 +62,14 @@ LISA_MX_BARO ?= BARO_MS5611_SPI
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611_spi.c
     ap.srcs += boards/baro_board_ms5611_spi.c
   else ifeq ($(LISA_MX_BARO), BARO_MS5611_I2C)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_I2C
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_I2C2
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_I2C_DEV=i2c2
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611.c
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611_i2c.c
     ap.srcs += boards/baro_board_ms5611_i2c.c
   else ifeq ($(LISA_MX_BARO), BARO_BOARD_BMP085)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_BOARD_BMP085
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_I2C2
     ap.srcs += peripherals/bmp085.c
     ap.srcs += $(SRC_BOARD)/baro_board.c
@@ -85,6 +91,7 @@ else ifeq ($(BOARD), lia)
 # fixme, reuse the baro drivers in lisa_m dir
 LIA_BARO ?= BARO_MS5611_SPI
   ifeq ($(LIA_BARO), BARO_MS5611_SPI)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_SPI
     include $(CFG_SHARED)/spi_master.makefile
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_SPI2 -DUSE_SPI_SLAVE3
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_SPI_DEV=spi2
@@ -93,6 +100,7 @@ LIA_BARO ?= BARO_MS5611_SPI
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611_spi.c
     ap.srcs += boards/baro_board_ms5611_spi.c
   else ifeq ($(LIA_BARO), BARO_MS5611_I2C)
+    ap.CFLAGS += -DBARO_BOARD=BARO_MS5611_I2C
     ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_I2C2
     ap.CFLAGS += -DBB_MS5611_I2C_DEV=i2c2
     ap.srcs += peripherals/ms5611.c
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/apogee/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/apogee/baro_board.h
index 595a8a90cb..4b8c2779d6 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/apogee/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/apogee/baro_board.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_APOGEE_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_APOGEE_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_MPL3115
+
 extern void apogee_baro_event(void);
 #define BaroEvent apogee_baro_event
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/krooz/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/krooz/baro_board.h
index c12e63138c..ec571679cc 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/krooz/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/krooz/baro_board.h
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_KROOZ_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_KROOZ_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_MS5611_I2C
+
 extern void baro_event(void);
 #define BaroEvent baro_event
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_m/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_m/baro_board.h
index bb080094ab..ddd0450544 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_m/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_m/baro_board.h
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_LISA_M_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_LISA_M_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#ifndef BARO_BOARD
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_BMP085
+#endif
+
 // for right now we abuse this file for the ms5611 baro on aspirin as well
 
 extern void baro_event(void);
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_mx/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_mx/baro_board.h
index 0457f69dff..77463b05bd 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_mx/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_mx/baro_board.h
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_LISA_MX_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_LISA_MX_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#ifndef BARO_BOARD
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_MS5611_SPI
+#endif
+
 extern void baro_event(void);
 #define BaroEvent baro_event
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_s/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_s/baro_board.h
index 8f41c8e3ca..599c05dee4 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_s/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/lisa_s/baro_board.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 /*
- * board specific functions for the lisa_m board
+ * board specific functions for the lisa_s board
  *
  */
 
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 
 #include "std.h"
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_MS5611_SPI
+
 extern void baro_event(void);
 
 #define BaroEvent baro_event
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/navgo/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/navgo/baro_board.h
index bbd56ba3f7..dde5e64c4d 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/navgo/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/navgo/baro_board.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_NAVGO_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_NAVGO_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_MPC355X
+
 extern void navgo_baro_event(void);
 
 // define BaroEvent macro
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/px4fmu/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/px4fmu/baro_board.h
index 8ef2dacaea..7cdd39b856 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/px4fmu/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/px4fmu/baro_board.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_PX4FMU_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_PX4FMU_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_MS5611_I2C
+
 extern void baro_event(void);
 
 #define BaroEvent baro_event
diff --git a/sw/airborne/boards/umarim/baro_board.h b/sw/airborne/boards/umarim/baro_board.h
index b340417909..b6c79bc7e4 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/boards/umarim/baro_board.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/boards/umarim/baro_board.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 #ifndef BOARDS_UMARIM_BARO_H
 #define BOARDS_UMARIM_BARO_H
 
+// only for printing the baro type during compilation
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_MPXA6115
+
 extern void umarim_baro_event(void);
 #define BaroEvent umarim_baro_event
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c b/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
index ea5eeac23a..92b3a70b15 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@
 #endif
 #include "subsystems/air_data.h"
 #if USE_BARO_BOARD
-PRINT_CONFIG_MSG("USE_BARO_BOARD is TRUE: Reading onboard baro.")
 #include "subsystems/sensors/baro.h"
+PRINT_CONFIG_MSG_VALUE("USE_BARO_BOARD is TRUE, reading onboard baro: ", BARO_BOARD)
 #endif
 #include "subsystems/ins.h"
 
diff --git a/sw/airborne/firmwares/rotorcraft/main.c b/sw/airborne/firmwares/rotorcraft/main.c
index 30410067b4..5dfd866d58 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/firmwares/rotorcraft/main.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/firmwares/rotorcraft/main.c
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@
 #include "subsystems/air_data.h"
 
 #if USE_BARO_BOARD
-PRINT_CONFIG_MSG("USE_BARO_BOARD is TRUE: Reading onboard baro.")
 #include "subsystems/sensors/baro.h"
+PRINT_CONFIG_MSG_VALUE("USE_BARO_BOARD is TRUE, reading onboard baro: ", BARO_BOARD)
 #endif
 
 #include "subsystems/electrical.h"
diff --git a/sw/airborne/subsystems/sensors/baro.h b/sw/airborne/subsystems/sensors/baro.h
index 643da7bbef..226d2b42b5 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/subsystems/sensors/baro.h
+++ b/sw/airborne/subsystems/sensors/baro.h
@@ -32,8 +32,12 @@
 #define SUBSYSTEMS_SENSORS_BARO_H
 
 #include BOARD_CONFIG
+
 #if USE_BARO_BOARD
 #include "baro_board.h"
+#ifndef BARO_BOARD
+#define BARO_BOARD BARO_BOARD_DEFAULT
+#endif
 #endif
 
 extern void baro_init(void);