diff --git a/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/logger_sd_adc.xml b/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/logger_sd_adc.xml
index 817515c109..b68667ad32 100644
--- a/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/logger_sd_adc.xml
+++ b/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/logger_sd_adc.xml
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ ap.CFLAGS += -DLOG_XBEE
 #ap.CFLAGS += -DLOG_PPRZ
 
 #set the speed
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART0_RX_ONLY
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART1_RX_ONLY
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART0_TX=FALSE
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART1_TX=FALSE
 ap.srcs += $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
 
 #set SPI interface for SD card (0 or 1)
diff --git a/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/quiet.xml b/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/quiet.xml
index c1465c0da0..7c71a31966 100644
--- a/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/quiet.xml
+++ b/conf/airframes/obsolete/mm/extra/quiet.xml
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ ap.srcs = sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/sys_time_hw.c $(SRC_ARCH)/armVIC.c main_logger.
 ap.CFLAGS += -DLOG_XBEE
 
 #set the speed
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART0_RX_ONLY
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART1_RX_ONLY
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART0_TX=FALSE
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=B57600 -DUSE_UART1_TX=FALSE
 ap.srcs += $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
 
   </makefile>
diff --git a/conf/firmwares/logger.makefile b/conf/firmwares/logger.makefile
index b9d9df514b..13d73eec69 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/logger.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/logger.makefile
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ LOG_MSG_FMT = LOG_PPRZ
 endif
 
 #set the speed
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=$(UART0_BAUD) -DUSE_UART0_RX_ONLY -DPERIPHERALS_AUTO_INIT
-ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=$(UART1_BAUD) -DUSE_UART1_RX_ONLY
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART0 -DUART0_BAUD=$(UART0_BAUD) -DUSE_UART0_TX=FALSE -DPERIPHERALS_AUTO_INIT
+ap.CFLAGS += -DUSE_UART1 -DUART1_BAUD=$(UART1_BAUD) -DUSE_UART1_TX=FALSE
 ap.CFLAGS += -DLOG_STOP_KEY=$(LOG_STOP_KEY)
 ap.srcs += $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
 ap.srcs += mcu_periph/uart.c
diff --git a/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c b/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
index 761287ced5..125dac1c6f 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/arch/lpc21/mcu_periph/uart_arch.c
@@ -163,6 +163,19 @@ static inline void uart_ISR(struct uart_periph* p)
 #define UART0_VIC_SLOT 5
 #endif
 
+/* by default enable UART Tx and Rx */
+#ifndef USE_UART0_TX
+  #ifdef USE_UART0_RX_ONLY
+    #warning "USE_UART0_RX_ONLY is deprecated, please set USE_UART0_TX=FALSE instead"
+    #define USE_UART0_TX FALSE
+  #else
+    #define USE_UART0_TX TRUE
+  #endif
+#endif
+#ifndef USE_UART0_RX
+#define USE_UART0_RX TRUE
+#endif
+
 void uart0_ISR(void) __attribute__((naked));
 
 void uart0_ISR(void) {
@@ -180,16 +193,18 @@ void uart0_init( void ) {
   uart_periph_init(&uart0);
   uart0.reg_addr = UART0_BASE;
 
-#ifdef USE_UART0_RX_ONLY
-  // only use the RX0 P0.1 pin, no TX
-  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U0_PINMASK_RX) | U0_PINSEL_RX;
-#else
+#if USE_UART0_RX && USE_UART0_TX
   // set port pins for UART0
   PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U0_PINMASK) | U0_PINSEL;
+#elif USE_UART0_RX
+  // only use the RX0 P0.1 pin, no TX
+  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U0_PINMASK_RX) | U0_PINSEL_RX;
+#elif USE_UART0_TX
+  // only use tx
+  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U0_PINMASK_TX) | U0_PINSEL_TX;
 #endif
 
   // initialize uart parameters
-  uart_disable_interrupts(&uart0);
   uart_set_baudrate(&uart0, UART0_BAUD);
 
   // initialize the interrupt vector
@@ -209,6 +224,19 @@ void uart0_init( void ) {
 #define UART1_VIC_SLOT 6
 #endif
 
+/* by default enable UART Tx and Rx */
+#ifndef USE_UART1_TX
+  #ifdef USE_UART1_RX_ONLY
+    #warning "USE_UART1_RX_ONLY is deprecated, please set USE_UART1_TX=FALSE instead"
+    #define USE_UART1_TX FALSE
+  #else
+    #define USE_UART1_TX TRUE
+  #endif
+#endif
+#ifndef USE_UART1_RX
+#define USE_UART1_RX TRUE
+#endif
+
 void uart1_ISR(void) __attribute__((naked));
 
 void uart1_ISR(void) {
@@ -226,15 +254,17 @@ void uart1_init( void ) {
   uart_periph_init(&uart1);
   uart1.reg_addr = UART1_BASE;
 
-#ifdef USE_UART1_RX_ONLY
-  // only use the RX1 P0.9 pin, no TX
-  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U1_PINMASK_RX) | U1_PINSEL_RX;
-#else
+#if USE_UART1_RX && USE_UART0_TX
   // set port pins for UART1
   PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U1_PINMASK) | U1_PINSEL;
+#elif USE_UART1_RX
+  // only use the RX0 P0.1 pin, no TX
+  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U1_PINMASK_RX) | U1_PINSEL_RX;
+#elif USE_UART1_TX
+  // only use tx
+  PINSEL0 = (PINSEL0 & ~U1_PINMASK_TX) | U1_PINSEL_TX;
 #endif
 
-  uart_disable_interrupts(&uart1);
   uart_set_baudrate(&uart1, UART1_BAUD);
 
   // initialize the interrupt vector