diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index 3de73559e..a0f7799b4 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -8,11 +8,8 @@ CFLAGS += -DCONTIKI_TARGET=$(TARGET)
 ifeq ($(TARGET),)
   -include Makefile.target
   ifeq ($(TARGET),)
-    ifeq ($(DEFAULT_TARGET),)
-      DEFAULT_TARGET=native
-    endif
-    ${info TARGET not defined, using target '$(DEFAULT_TARGET)'}
-    TARGET=$(DEFAULT_TARGET)
+    ${info TARGET not defined, using target 'native'}
+    TARGET=native
   else
     ${info using saved target '$(TARGET)'}
   endif
diff --git a/examples/esb/Makefile b/examples/esb/Makefile
index 4da37e3c6..c33cf63e2 100644
--- a/examples/esb/Makefile
+++ b/examples/esb/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 CONTIKI_PROJECT = blinker
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
-DEFAULT_TARGET = esb
-
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/esb/Makefile.target b/examples/esb/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5718cd682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/esb/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = esb
diff --git a/examples/sky-ip/Makefile b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
index b9c26c6d8..bd906e360 100644
--- a/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
+++ b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = telnet-webserver
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = telnetd webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET = sky
-
 CFLAGS = -DWITH_UIP=1 #-DWITH_NULLMAC=1
 
 # The webserver application normally contains a built-in file system and support
diff --git a/examples/sky-ip/Makefile.target b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d56a50bcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/sky-ip/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = sky
diff --git a/examples/sky-shell/Makefile b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
index 69a5a7334..49ff1fd43 100644
--- a/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
+++ b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = sky-shell
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = shell
-DEFAULT_TARGET = sky
-
 CONTIKI = ../..
 
 ifdef MOTE
diff --git a/examples/sky-shell/Makefile.target b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d56a50bcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/sky-shell/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = sky
diff --git a/examples/telnet-server/Makefile b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
index e369dd60a..9a90d844b 100644
--- a/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
+++ b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = telnet-server
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = telnetd program-handler
-DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/telnet-server/Makefile.target b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d5d95ee2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/telnet-server/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = minimal-net
diff --git a/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
index 95dffd5e4..0092c5d3f 100644
--- a/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
+++ b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = testv6
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
 CFLAGS = -DUIP_CONF_IPV6
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
diff --git a/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile.target b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d5d95ee2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/test-ipv6/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = minimal-net
diff --git a/examples/webbrowser/Makefile b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
index 02002d728..a7216d061 100644
--- a/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
+++ b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = webbrowser
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = webbrowser
-DEFAULT_TARGET = win32
 
 CONTIKI = ../..
 include $(CONTIKI)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/webbrowser/Makefile.target b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53fcf94bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/webbrowser/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = win32
diff --git a/examples/webserver/Makefile b/examples/webserver/Makefile
index 8b95d9104..1ba06b475 100644
--- a/examples/webserver/Makefile
+++ b/examples/webserver/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ CONTIKI_PROJECT = webserver-example
 all: $(CONTIKI_PROJECT)
 
 APPS = webserver
-DEFAULT_TARGET = minimal-net
 
 # The webserver application normally contains a built-in file system and support
 # for server-side includes.
diff --git a/examples/webserver/Makefile.target b/examples/webserver/Makefile.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d5d95ee2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/webserver/Makefile.target
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+TARGET = minimal-net