diff --git a/app/CMakeLists.txt b/app/CMakeLists.txt
index fd4b7ab5519..75925b7e0d3 100644
--- a/app/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.13.1)
 
 set(CONFIG_APPLICATION_DEFINED_SYSCALL true)
 
+set(ZEPHYR_BOARD_ALIASES "boards/aliases.cmake")
 set(ZEPHYR_EXTRA_MODULES "${ZMK_EXTRA_MODULES};${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/module;${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/keymap-module")
 
 # Find Zephyr. This also loads Zephyr's build system.
diff --git a/app/boards/aliases.cmake b/app/boards/aliases.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4723eb717f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/boards/aliases.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# defines board aliases (eg. mikoto_520 -> mikoto@5.20)
+set(mikoto_520_BOARD_ALIAS "mikoto")
diff --git a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.dts b/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.dts
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e01f6c7bdd..00000000000
--- a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.dts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2023 The ZMK Contributors
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
- */
-
-#include "mikoto.dts"
-
-#include "mikoto-pinctrl.dtsi"
-#include "arduino_pro_micro_pins_v5.dtsi"
-
diff --git a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.yaml b/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 8d9f49ae855..00000000000
--- a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-identifier: mikoto_520
-name: mikoto_520
-type: mcu
-arch: arm
-toolchain:
-  - zephyr
-  - gnuarmemb
-  - xtools
-supported:
-  - adc
-  - usb_device
-  - ble
-  - ieee802154
-  - pwm
-  - watchdog
diff --git a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.zmk.yml b/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.zmk.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index d897e3f3eb1..00000000000
--- a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520.zmk.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-file_format: "1"
-id: mikoto_520
-name: Mikoto v5.20
-type: board
-arch: arm
-outputs:
-  - usb
-  - ble
-url: https://github.com/zhiayang/mikoto
-exposes: [pro_micro]
diff --git a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520_defconfig b/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520_defconfig
deleted file mode 100644
index 76c5831516a..00000000000
--- a/app/boards/arm/mikoto/mikoto_520_defconfig
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
-# NOTE: copied from mikoto_defconfig
-
-CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_NRF52X=y
-CONFIG_SOC_NRF52840_QIAA=y
-CONFIG_BOARD_MIKOTO=y
-
-# Enable MPU
-CONFIG_ARM_MPU=y
-CONFIG_PINCTRL=y
-
-# enable GPIO
-CONFIG_GPIO=y
-
-CONFIG_USE_DT_CODE_PARTITION=y
-CONFIG_BUILD_OUTPUT_UF2=y
-
-CONFIG_MPU_ALLOW_FLASH_WRITE=y
-CONFIG_NVS=y
-CONFIG_SETTINGS_NVS=y
-CONFIG_FLASH=y
-CONFIG_FLASH_PAGE_LAYOUT=y
-CONFIG_FLASH_MAP=y
-
-CONFIG_ZMK_USB=y
-CONFIG_ZMK_BLE=y