diff --git a/sys/shell/shell.c b/sys/shell/shell.c
index 5b1d5d02d..67b7b830e 100644
--- a/sys/shell/shell.c
+++ b/sys/shell/shell.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #include "shell.h"
 #include "shell_commands.h"
 
-#ifndef SHELL_NO_ECHO
+#if !defined(SHELL_NO_ECHO) || !defined(SHELL_NO_PROMPT)
 #ifdef MODULE_NEWLIB
 /* use local copy of putchar, as it seems to be inlined,
  * enlarging code by 50% */