diff --git a/keyboard/planck/Makefile b/keyboard/planck/Makefile
index 3ac20a55a4..328c21b1de 100644
--- a/keyboard/planck/Makefile
+++ b/keyboard/planck/Makefile
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ COMMAND_ENABLE = yes    # Commands for debug and configuration
 BACKLIGHT_ENABLE = yes  # Enable keyboard backlight functionality
 # MIDI_ENABLE = YES 		# MIDI controls
 UNICODE_ENABLE = YES 		# MIDI controls
-BACKLIGHT_ENABLE = yes
 
 ifdef MIDI_ENABLE
 	SRC += keymap_midi.c
diff --git a/keyboard/planck/matrix.c b/keyboard/planck/matrix.c
index 8a021719ce..d335a8fbe1 100644
--- a/keyboard/planck/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboard/planck/matrix.c
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ void matrix_init(void)
     MCUCR |= (1<<JTD);
     MCUCR |= (1<<JTD);
 
+    #if BACKLIGHT_ENABLE == 'yes'
     backlight_init_ports();
+    #endif
 
     // Turn status LED on
     DDRE |= (1<<6);