diff --git a/app/cmake/ZephyrBuildConfig.cmake b/app/cmake/ZephyrBuildConfig.cmake
index 294098b4..469f5761 100644
--- a/app/cmake/ZephyrBuildConfig.cmake
+++ b/app/cmake/ZephyrBuildConfig.cmake
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ if(DEFINED SHIELD)
 		list(LENGTH S_PIECES S_PIECES_LEN)
 		while(NOT S_PIECES STREQUAL "")
 			list(POP_BACK S_PIECES)
-			list(JOIN S_PIECES "_" S_SUBSTR)
-			if (S_SUBSTR STREQUAL ${shield_dir_name})
+			list(JOIN S_PIECES "_" s_substr)
+			if ("%{s_substr}" STREQUAL "" OR "${s_substr}" STREQUAL ${shield_dir_name})
 				break()
 			endif()
-			list(APPEND shield_candidate_names ${S_SUBSTR})
+			list(APPEND shield_candidate_names ${s_substr})
 		endwhile()
 	endforeach()
 endif()
@@ -133,12 +133,11 @@ endif()
 if (ZMK_CONFIG)
 	if (EXISTS ${ZMK_CONFIG})
 		message(STATUS "ZMK Config directory: ${ZMK_CONFIG}")
-		list(APPEND DTS_ROOT ${ZMK_CONFIG})
 		list(PREPEND KEYMAP_DIRS "${ZMK_CONFIG}")
 
 		if (DEFINED SHIELD)
-			foreach (s ${shield_candidate_names})
-				if (DEFINED $SHIELD_DIR_${s})
+			foreach (s ${shield_candidate_names} ${SHIELD_AS_LIST})
+				if (DEFINED ${SHIELD_DIR_${s}})
 					get_filename_component(shield_dir_name ${SHIELD_DIR_${s}} NAME)
 				endif()
 				list(APPEND overlay_candidates "${ZMK_CONFIG}/${s}_${BOARD}.overlay")
diff --git a/app/drivers/CMakeLists.txt b/app/drivers/CMakeLists.txt
index c58ada48..44d69ac3 100644
--- a/app/drivers/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/drivers/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2020 The ZMK Contributors
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
-add_subdirectory(gpio)
+add_subdirectory_ifdef(CONFIG_ZMK_DRIVERS_GPIO gpio)
 add_subdirectory(kscan)
 add_subdirectory(sensor)
 add_subdirectory(display)
diff --git a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
index 0e612ea0..43c7c24e 100644
--- a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
+++ b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+menuconfig ZMK_DRIVERS_GPIO
+    bool "GPIO"
+
 rsource "Kconfig.mcp23017"
 rsource "Kconfig.max7318"
 rsource "Kconfig.595"
diff --git a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.595 b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.595
index b863adcb..f43e807b 100644
--- a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.595
+++ b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.595
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ menuconfig GPIO_595
 	default $(dt_compat_enabled,$(DT_COMPAT_ZMK_GPIO_595))
 	depends on SPI
 	select HAS_DTS_GPIO
+	select ZMK_DRIVERS_GPIO
 	help
 	  Enable driver for 595 shift register chip using SPI.
 
diff --git a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.mcp23017 b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.mcp23017
index 4953b924..049ca82e 100644
--- a/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.mcp23017
+++ b/app/drivers/gpio/Kconfig.mcp23017
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ menuconfig GPIO_MCP23017
 	bool "MCP23017 I2C-based GPIO chip"
 	depends on I2C
 	select HAS_DTS_GPIO
+	select ZMK_DRIVERS_GPIO
 	help
 	  Enable driver for MCP23017 I2C-based GPIO chip.