diff --git a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-conf.h b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-conf.h
index a3693f8b9..8d2f4b7b9 100644
--- a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-conf.h
+++ b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-conf.h
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@
  * This value decides if this node must stay as a leaf or not
  * as allowed by draft-ietf-roll-rpl-19#section-8.5
  */
-#ifdef RPL_CONF_LEAF_ONLY
-#define RPL_LEAF_ONLY RPL_CONF_LEAF_ONLY
+#ifdef RPL_CONF_DEFAULT_LEAF_ONLY
+#define RPL_DEFAULT_LEAF_ONLY RPL_CONF_DEFAULT_LEAF_ONLY
 #else
-#define RPL_LEAF_ONLY 0
+#define RPL_DEFAULT_LEAF_ONLY 0
 #endif
 
 /******************************************************************************/
diff --git a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-icmp6.c b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-icmp6.c
index 1e4a50423..be5ea2948 100644
--- a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-icmp6.c
+++ b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-icmp6.c
@@ -342,14 +342,14 @@ rpl_icmp6_dio_output(uip_ipaddr_t *uc_addr)
   /* Make sure we're up-to-date before sending data out */
   rpl_dag_update_state();
 
-#if RPL_LEAF_ONLY
-  /* In leaf mode, we only send DIO messages as unicasts in response to
-     unicast DIS messages. */
-  if(uc_addr == NULL) {
-    /* Do not send multicast DIO in leaf mode */
-    return;
+  if(rpl_get_leaf_only()) {
+    /* In leaf mode, we only send DIO messages as unicasts in response to
+       unicast DIS messages. */
+    if(uc_addr == NULL) {
+      /* Do not send multicast DIO in leaf mode */
+      return;
+    }
   }
-#endif /* RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
 
   /* DAG Information Object */
   pos = 0;
@@ -358,11 +358,11 @@ rpl_icmp6_dio_output(uip_ipaddr_t *uc_addr)
   buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.instance_id;
   buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.dag.version;
 
-#if RPL_LEAF_ONLY
-  set16(buffer, pos, RPL_INFINITE_RANK);
-#else /* RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
-  set16(buffer, pos, curr_instance.dag.rank);
-#endif /* RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
+  if(rpl_get_leaf_only()) {
+    set16(buffer, pos, RPL_INFINITE_RANK);
+  } else {
+    set16(buffer, pos, curr_instance.dag.rank);
+  }
   pos += 2;
 
   buffer[pos] = 0;
@@ -383,29 +383,29 @@ rpl_icmp6_dio_output(uip_ipaddr_t *uc_addr)
   memcpy(buffer + pos, &curr_instance.dag.dag_id, sizeof(curr_instance.dag.dag_id));
   pos += 16;
 
-#if !RPL_LEAF_ONLY
-  if(curr_instance.mc.type != RPL_DAG_MC_NONE) {
-    buffer[pos++] = RPL_OPTION_DAG_METRIC_CONTAINER;
-    buffer[pos++] = 6;
-    buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.type;
-    buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.flags >> 1;
-    buffer[pos] = (curr_instance.mc.flags & 1) << 7;
-    buffer[pos++] |= (curr_instance.mc.aggr << 4) | curr_instance.mc.prec;
-    if(curr_instance.mc.type == RPL_DAG_MC_ETX) {
-      buffer[pos++] = 2;
-      set16(buffer, pos, curr_instance.mc.obj.etx);
-      pos += 2;
-    } else if(curr_instance.mc.type == RPL_DAG_MC_ENERGY) {
-      buffer[pos++] = 2;
-      buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.obj.energy.flags;
-      buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.obj.energy.energy_est;
-    } else {
-      LOG_ERR("unable to send DIO because of unsupported DAG MC type %u\n",
-             (unsigned)curr_instance.mc.type);
-      return;
+  if(!rpl_get_leaf_only()) {
+    if(curr_instance.mc.type != RPL_DAG_MC_NONE) {
+      buffer[pos++] = RPL_OPTION_DAG_METRIC_CONTAINER;
+      buffer[pos++] = 6;
+      buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.type;
+      buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.flags >> 1;
+      buffer[pos] = (curr_instance.mc.flags & 1) << 7;
+      buffer[pos++] |= (curr_instance.mc.aggr << 4) | curr_instance.mc.prec;
+      if(curr_instance.mc.type == RPL_DAG_MC_ETX) {
+        buffer[pos++] = 2;
+        set16(buffer, pos, curr_instance.mc.obj.etx);
+        pos += 2;
+      } else if(curr_instance.mc.type == RPL_DAG_MC_ENERGY) {
+        buffer[pos++] = 2;
+        buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.obj.energy.flags;
+        buffer[pos++] = curr_instance.mc.obj.energy.energy_est;
+      } else {
+        LOG_ERR("unable to send DIO because of unsupported DAG MC type %u\n",
+               (unsigned)curr_instance.mc.type);
+        return;
+      }
     }
   }
-#endif /* !RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
 
   /* Always add a DAG configuration option. */
   buffer[pos++] = RPL_OPTION_DAG_CONF;
@@ -442,9 +442,9 @@ rpl_icmp6_dio_output(uip_ipaddr_t *uc_addr)
     pos += 16;
   }
 
-#if !RPL_LEAF_ONLY
-  addr = addr != NULL ? addr : &rpl_multicast_addr;
-#endif /* RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
+  if(!rpl_get_leaf_only()) {
+    addr = addr != NULL ? addr : &rpl_multicast_addr;
+  }
 
   LOG_INFO("sending a %s-DIO with rank %u to ",
          uc_addr != NULL ? "unicast" : "multicast",
diff --git a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-timers.c b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-timers.c
index f7a50b858..80a24fe66 100644
--- a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-timers.c
+++ b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl-timers.c
@@ -150,11 +150,11 @@ rpl_timers_dio_reset(const char *str)
 {
   if(rpl_dag_ready_to_advertise()) {
     LOG_INFO("reset DIO timer (%s)\n", str);
-#if !RPL_LEAF_ONLY
-    curr_instance.dag.dio_counter = 0;
-    curr_instance.dag.dio_intcurrent = curr_instance.dio_intmin;
-    new_dio_interval();
-#endif /* RPL_LEAF_ONLY */
+    if(!rpl_get_leaf_only()) {
+        curr_instance.dag.dio_counter = 0;
+        curr_instance.dag.dio_intcurrent = curr_instance.dio_intmin;
+        new_dio_interval();
+    }
   }
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.c b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.c
index acfe94c37..fd93b40e8 100644
--- a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.c
+++ b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #define LOG_LEVEL LOG_LEVEL_RPL
 
 uip_ipaddr_t rpl_multicast_addr;
+static uint8_t rpl_leaf_only = RPL_DEFAULT_LEAF_ONLY;
 
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 int
@@ -223,6 +224,18 @@ drop_route(uip_ds6_route_t *route)
   /* Do nothing. RPL-lite only supports non-storing mode, i.e. no routes */
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+void
+rpl_set_leaf_only(uint8_t value)
+{
+  rpl_leaf_only = value;
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+uint8_t
+rpl_get_leaf_only(void)
+{
+  return rpl_leaf_only;
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 const struct routing_driver rpl_lite_driver = {
   "RPL Lite",
   init,
diff --git a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.h b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.h
index 25ac3863e..e39c825c4 100644
--- a/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.h
+++ b/os/net/routing/rpl-lite/rpl.h
@@ -133,6 +133,20 @@ int rpl_lollipop_greater_than(int a, int b);
  */
 void rpl_refresh_routes(const char *str);
 
+/**
+ * Changes the value of the rpl_leaf_only flag, which determines if a node acts
+ * only as a leaf in the network
+ *
+ * \param value the value to set: 0-disable, 1-enable
+ */
+void rpl_set_leaf_only(uint8_t value);
+
+/**
+ * Get the value of the rpl_leaf_only flag
+ *
+ * \return The value of the rpl_leaf_only flag
+ */
+uint8_t rpl_get_leaf_only(void);
  /** @} */
 
 #endif /* RPL_H */