diff --git a/conf/layer.conf b/conf/layer.conf
index 0a61c684d4f38eaad0fe6d650d29d117446cffda..0eba1dde2d16258a43c231cdf8dc2aa457c0a347 100644
--- a/conf/layer.conf
+++ b/conf/layer.conf
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ display_auto_detect=1\n\
 arm_boost=1\n\
 "
 
+ENABLE_UART = "1"
+
 # when building edgehog-things, lirc package is not built therefore the bbappend contained in meta-raspberrypi causes an error
 BBMASK:rpi += " \
     /dynamic-layers/meta-python/recipes-connectivity/lirc/ \