diff --git a/boards/samd21-xpro/Makefile.include b/boards/samd21-xpro/Makefile.include
index 06056fc46..427ba1fb7 100644
--- a/boards/samd21-xpro/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/samd21-xpro/Makefile.include
@@ -2,4 +2,7 @@
 export CPU = samd21
 export CPU_MODEL = samd21j18a
 
+# set edbg device type
+EDBG_DEVICE_TYPE = atmel_cm0p
+
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/boards/sam0.inc.mk
diff --git a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
index acc6ee400..ba753cc0a 100644
--- a/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
+++ b/boards/samr21-xpro/Makefile.include
@@ -2,4 +2,7 @@
 export CPU = samd21
 export CPU_MODEL = samr21g18a
 
+# set edbg device type
+EDBG_DEVICE_TYPE = atmel_cm0p
+
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/boards/sam0.inc.mk
diff --git a/dist/tools/edbg/.gitignore b/dist/tools/edbg/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..87a897f7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/tools/edbg/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+edbg
diff --git a/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile b/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..82f7fbbf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/tools/edbg/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+PKG_NAME=edbg
+PKG_URL=https://github.com/ataradov/edbg
+PKG_VERSION=d499ffd8297233b65dd91fd58fb98b9f9a03fec1
+PKG_LICENSE=BSD-3-Clause
+PKG_BUILDDIR=$(CURDIR)/bin
+
+.PHONY: all
+
+all: git-download
+	"$(MAKE)" -C $(PKG_BUILDDIR)
+	mv $(PKG_BUILDDIR)/edbg .
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/pkg/pkg.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/boards/sam0.inc.mk b/makefiles/boards/sam0.inc.mk
index 89a76ea42..ef7578e52 100644
--- a/makefiles/boards/sam0.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/boards/sam0.inc.mk
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/serial.inc.mk
 #   Usage: SERIAL="ATML..." BOARD=<board> make flash
 ifneq (,$(SERIAL))
     export OPENOCD_EXTRA_INIT += "-c cmsis_dap_serial $(SERIAL)"
+    EDBG_ARGS += "--serial $(SERIAL)"
     SERIAL_TTY = $(firstword $(shell $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/usb-serial/find-tty.sh $(SERIAL)))
     ifeq (,$(SERIAL_TTY))
         $(error Did not find a device with serial $(SERIAL))
@@ -17,5 +18,15 @@ ifneq (,$(SERIAL))
     PORT_LINUX := $(SERIAL_TTY)
 endif
 
-# this board uses openocd
+# set this to either openocd or edbg
+PROGRAMMER ?= edbg
+
+# use edbg if selected and a device type has been set
+ifeq ($(PROGRAMMER),edbg)
+  ifneq (,$(EDBG_DEVICE_TYPE))
+    include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/edbg.inc.mk
+  endif
+endif
+
+# this board uses openocd for debug and possibly flashing
 include $(RIOTMAKE)/tools/openocd.inc.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/edbg.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/edbg.inc.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..353be21a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/tools/edbg.inc.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+RIOT_EDBG = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/edbg/edbg
+EDBG ?= $(RIOT_EDBG)
+FLASHER ?= $(EDBG)
+OFLAGS ?= -O binary
+HEXFILE = $(ELFFILE:.elf=.bin)
+FFLAGS ?= $(EDBG_ARGS) -t $(EDBG_DEVICE_TYPE) -b -e -v -p -f $(HEXFILE)
+
+ifeq ($(RIOT_EDBG),$(FLASHER))
+  FLASHDEPS += $(RIOT_EDBG)
+endif
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
index 1f836ea03..f2b694115 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/openocd.inc.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-export FLASHER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
+export FLASHER ?= $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
 export DEBUGGER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
 export DEBUGSERVER = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
 export RESET = $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/openocd/openocd.sh
diff --git a/makefiles/tools/targets.inc.mk b/makefiles/tools/targets.inc.mk
index f1a0ed503..4be923a92 100644
--- a/makefiles/tools/targets.inc.mk
+++ b/makefiles/tools/targets.inc.mk
@@ -9,3 +9,8 @@ $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/bossa/bossac:
 	@echo "[INFO] bossac binary not found - building it from source"
 	@make -C $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/bossa
 	@echo "[INFO] bossac binary successfully build!"
+
+$(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/edbg/edbg:
+	@echo "[INFO] edbg binary not found - building it from source now"
+	CC= CFLAGS= make -C $(RIOTBASE)/dist/tools/edbg
+	@echo "[INFO] edbg binary successfully build!"