diff --git a/devices/belkin-rt3200/default.nix b/devices/belkin-rt3200/default.nix
index 248464ff..8f65265e 100644
--- a/devices/belkin-rt3200/default.nix
+++ b/devices/belkin-rt3200/default.nix
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@
         PCIE_MEDIATEK = "y";
 
         BLOCK = "y"; # move this to base option
-        NETDEVICES = "y";  # and this probably also
 
         SPI_MASTER = "y";
         SPI = "y";
diff --git a/devices/gl-ar750/default.nix b/devices/gl-ar750/default.nix
index 2a62e884..5a3fabca 100644
--- a/devices/gl-ar750/default.nix
+++ b/devices/gl-ar750/default.nix
@@ -175,7 +175,6 @@
           CONSOLE_LOGLEVEL_QUIET = "4";
 
           NET = "y";
-          NETDEVICES = "y";
           ETHERNET = "y";
           NET_VENDOR_ATHEROS = "y";
           AG71XX = "y";             # ethernet (qca,qca9530-eth)
diff --git a/devices/gl-mt300a/default.nix b/devices/gl-mt300a/default.nix
index d88c586b..b3fabbc0 100644
--- a/devices/gl-mt300a/default.nix
+++ b/devices/gl-mt300a/default.nix
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@
           CONSOLE_LOGLEVEL_QUIET = "4";
 
           NET = "y";
-          NETDEVICES = "y";
           ETHERNET = "y";
           NET_VENDOR_RALINK = "y";
           NET_RALINK_MDIO = "y";
diff --git a/devices/gl-mt300n-v2/default.nix b/devices/gl-mt300n-v2/default.nix
index d45d184f..0198b6cb 100644
--- a/devices/gl-mt300n-v2/default.nix
+++ b/devices/gl-mt300n-v2/default.nix
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@
           REGULATOR_FIXED_VOLTAGE = "y";
 
           NET = "y";
-          NETDEVICES = "y";
           ETHERNET = "y";
 
           PHYLIB = "y";
diff --git a/devices/qemu-aarch64/default.nix b/devices/qemu-aarch64/default.nix
index 6abab3df..61a2e65e 100644
--- a/devices/qemu-aarch64/default.nix
+++ b/devices/qemu-aarch64/default.nix
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
         VIRTIO_PCI = "y";
         BLOCK = "y";
         VIRTIO_BLK = "y";
-        NETDEVICES = "y";
         VIRTIO_NET = "y";
 
         SERIAL_EARLYCON_ARM_SEMIHOST = "y"; # earlycon=smh
diff --git a/devices/qemu/default.nix b/devices/qemu/default.nix
index 9878a378..554bbbbb 100644
--- a/devices/qemu/default.nix
+++ b/devices/qemu/default.nix
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@
         VIRTIO_PCI = "y";
         BLOCK = "y";
         VIRTIO_BLK = "y";
-        NETDEVICES = "y";
         VIRTIO_NET = "y";
 
         SERIAL_8250= "y";
diff --git a/modules/kernel.nix b/modules/kernel.nix
index ff2d9dee..26832213 100644
--- a/modules/kernel.nix
+++ b/modules/kernel.nix
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ in {
         PACKET = "y";           # for ppp, tcpdump ...
         SYSVIPC= "y";
 
+        NETDEVICES = "y";       # even PPP needs this
+
         # disabling this option causes the kernel to use an "empty"
         # initramfs instead: it has a /dev/console node and not much
         # else.  Note that pid 1 is started *before* the root