diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6af1f16e21..2495a363ae 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -14,12 +14,22 @@ include $(PX4_BASE)/makefiles/setup.mk
 CONFIGS			?= px4fmu_default px4io_default
 
 #
-# Platforms (boards) that we build NuttX export kits for.
+# Boards that we build NuttX export kits for.
 #
-PLATFORMS		 = px4fmu px4io
+BOARDS			 = px4fmu px4io
 
 #
-# If the user has listed a config as a target, strip it out and override CONFIGS
+# Debugging
+#
+MQUIET			 = --no-print-directory
+#MQUIET			 = --print-directory
+
+################################################################################
+# No user-serviceable parts below
+################################################################################
+
+#
+# If the user has listed a config as a target, strip it out and override CONFIGS.
 #
 EXPLICIT_CONFIGS	:= $(filter $(CONFIGS),$(MAKECMDGOALS))
 ifneq ($(EXPLICIT_CONFIGS),)
@@ -34,12 +44,6 @@ endif
 STAGED_FIRMWARES	 = $(foreach config,$(CONFIGS),$(IMAGE_DIR)/$(config).px4)
 FIRMWARES		 = $(foreach config,$(CONFIGS),$(BUILD_DIR)/$(config).build/firmware.px4)
 
-#
-# Debugging
-#
-MQUIET			 = --no-print-directory
-#MQUIET			 = --print-directory
-
 all:			$(STAGED_FIRMWARES)
 
 #
@@ -76,18 +80,18 @@ $(FIRMWARES): $(BUILD_DIR)/%.build/firmware.px4:
 #
 # XXX PX4IO configuration name is bad - NuttX configs should probably all be "px4"
 #
-NUTTX_ARCHIVES		 = $(foreach platform,$(PLATFORMS),$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/$(platform).export)
+NUTTX_ARCHIVES		 = $(foreach board,$(BOARDS),$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/$(board).export)
 .PHONY:			archives
 archives:		$(NUTTX_ARCHIVES)
 
-$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/%.export:	platform = $(notdir $(basename $@))
-$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/%.export:	configuration = $(if $(filter $(platform),px4io),io,nsh)
+$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/%.export:	board = $(notdir $(basename $@))
+$(ARCHIVE_DIR)/%.export:	configuration = $(if $(filter $(board),px4io),io,nsh)
 $(NUTTX_ARCHIVES): $(ARCHIVE_DIR)/%.export: $(NUTTX_SRC) $(NUTTX_APPS)
-	@echo %% Configuring NuttX for $(platform)
+	@echo %% Configuring NuttX for $(board)
 	$(Q) (cd $(NUTTX_SRC) && $(RMDIR) nuttx-export)
 	$(Q) make -C $(NUTTX_SRC) -r $(MQUIET) distclean
-	$(Q) (cd $(NUTTX_SRC)/tools && ./configure.sh $(platform)/$(configuration))
-	@echo %% Exporting NuttX for $(platform)
+	$(Q) (cd $(NUTTX_SRC)/tools && ./configure.sh $(board)/$(configuration))
+	@echo %% Exporting NuttX for $(board)
 	$(Q) make -C $(NUTTX_SRC) -r $(MQUIET) export
 	$(Q) mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(Q) $(COPY) $(NUTTX_SRC)/nuttx-export.zip $@
diff --git a/makefiles/platform_px4fmu.mk b/makefiles/board_px4fmu.mk
similarity index 67%
rename from makefiles/platform_px4fmu.mk
rename to makefiles/board_px4fmu.mk
index a9e103cc8a..959e4ed263 100644
--- a/makefiles/platform_px4fmu.mk
+++ b/makefiles/board_px4fmu.mk
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 #
 CONFIG_ARCH			 = CORTEXM4F
 
-include $(PX4_MK_INCLUDE)/toolchain_gnu-arm-eabi.mk
+include $(PX4_MK_DIR)/toolchain_gnu-arm-eabi.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/platform_px4io.mk b/makefiles/board_px4io.mk
similarity index 67%
rename from makefiles/platform_px4io.mk
rename to makefiles/board_px4io.mk
index 7de24a60bd..275014aba5 100644
--- a/makefiles/platform_px4io.mk
+++ b/makefiles/board_px4io.mk
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
 #
 CONFIG_ARCH			 = CORTEXM3
 
-include $(PX4_MK_INCLUDE)/toolchain_gnu-arm-eabi.mk
+include $(PX4_MK_DIR)/toolchain_gnu-arm-eabi.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/config_px4fmu_default.mk b/makefiles/config_px4fmu_default.mk
index e0c1aff9dc..5a61e94287 100644
--- a/makefiles/config_px4fmu_default.mk
+++ b/makefiles/config_px4fmu_default.mk
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ CONFIG		 = px4fmu_default
 SRCS		 = $(PX4_BASE)/platforms/empty.c
 ROMFS_ROOT	 = $(PX4_BASE)/ROMFS/$(CONFIG)
 
-include $(PX4_BASE)/makefiles/firmware.mk
+include $(PX4_MK_DIR)/firmware.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/config_px4io_default.mk b/makefiles/config_px4io_default.mk
index f47e7968b5..4361ce3ccf 100644
--- a/makefiles/config_px4io_default.mk
+++ b/makefiles/config_px4io_default.mk
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 CONFIG		 = px4io_default
 SRCS		 = $(PX4_BASE)/platforms/empty.c
 
-include $(PX4_BASE)/makefiles/firmware.mk
+include $(PX4_MK_DIR)/firmware.mk
diff --git a/makefiles/firmware.mk b/makefiles/firmware.mk
index 574818d640..eade36905a 100644
--- a/makefiles/firmware.mk
+++ b/makefiles/firmware.mk
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 #
 # Requires:
 #
-# PLATFORM
-#	Must be set to a platform name known to the PX4 distribution (as
+# BOARD
+#	Must be set to a board name known to the PX4 distribution (as
 #	we need a corresponding NuttX export archive to link with).
 #
 # Optional:
@@ -41,16 +41,16 @@
 # If PX4_BASE wasn't set previously, work out what it should be
 # and set it here now.
 #
-export PX4_MK_INCLUDE	?= $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+export MK_DIR	?= $(dir $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
 ifeq ($(PX4_BASE),)
-export PX4_BASE		:= $(abspath $(PX4_MK_INCLUDE)/..)
+export PX4_BASE		:= $(abspath $(MK_DIR)/..)
 $(info %% set PX4_BASE to $(PX4_BASE))
 endif
 
 #
 # Get path and tool config
 #
-include $(PX4_MK_INCLUDE)/setup.mk
+include $(MK_DIR)/setup.mk
 
 #
 # If WORK_DIR is not set, create a 'build' directory next to the
@@ -63,18 +63,18 @@ endif
 $(info %% WORK_DIR $(WORK_DIR))
 
 #
-# Sanity-check the PLATFORM variable and then get the platform config.
-# If PLATFORM is not set, but CONFIG is, use that.
+# Sanity-check the BOARD variable and then get the board config.
+# If BOARD is not set, but CONFIG is, use that.
 #
-# The platform config in turn will fetch the toolchain configuration.
+# The board config in turn will fetch the toolchain configuration.
 #
-ifeq ($(PLATFORM),)
+ifeq ($(BOARD),)
 ifeq ($(CONFIG),)
-$(error At least one of the PLATFORM or CONFIG variables must be set before including firmware.mk)
+$(error At least one of the BOARD or CONFIG variables must be set before including firmware.mk)
 endif
-PLATFORM		:= $(firstword $(subst _, ,$(CONFIG)))
+BOARD		:= $(firstword $(subst _, ,$(CONFIG)))
 endif
-include $(PX4_MK_INCLUDE)/platform_$(PLATFORM).mk
+include $(PX4_MK_DIR)/board_$(BOARD).mk
 
 #
 # Things that, if they change, might affect everything
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ GLOBAL_DEPS		+= $(MAKEFILE_LIST)
 ################################################################################
 
 #
-# Check that the NuttX archive for the selected platform is available.
+# Check that the NuttX archive for the selected board is available.
 #
-NUTTX_ARCHIVE		:= $(wildcard $(ARCHIVE_DIR)/$(PLATFORM).export)
+NUTTX_ARCHIVE		:= $(wildcard $(ARCHIVE_DIR)/$(BOARD).export)
 ifeq ($(NUTTX_ARCHIVE),)
-$(error The NuttX export archive for $(PLATFORM) is missing from $(ARCHIVE_DIR) - try 'make archives' in $(PX4_BASE))
+$(error The NuttX export archive for $(BOARD) is missing from $(ARCHIVE_DIR) - try 'make archives' in $(PX4_BASE))
 endif
 
 #
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ $(filter %.S.o,$(OBJS)): $(WORK_DIR)/%.S.o: %.S $(GLOBAL_DEPS)
 
 $(PRODUCT_BUNDLE):	$(PRODUCT_BIN)
 	@echo %% Generating $@
-	$(Q) $(MKFW) --prototype $(IMAGE_DIR)/$(PLATFORM).prototype \
+	$(Q) $(MKFW) --prototype $(IMAGE_DIR)/$(BOARD).prototype \
 		--git_identity $(PX4_BASE) \
 		--image $< > $@
 
diff --git a/makefiles/setup.mk b/makefiles/setup.mk
index 97893921db..94efd401d4 100644
--- a/makefiles/setup.mk
+++ b/makefiles/setup.mk
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #
 export PX4_APP_SRC	 = $(PX4_BASE)/src/apps
 export PX4_LIB_SRC	 = $(PX4_BASE)/src/libs
+export PX4_MK_DIR	 = $(PX4_BASE)/makefiles
 export NUTTX_SRC	 = $(PX4_BASE)/nuttx
 export NUTTX_APP_SRC	 = $(PX4_BASE)/apps
 export MAVLINK_SRC	 = $(PX4_BASE)/mavlink