diff --git a/subsys/shell/Kconfig.backends b/subsys/shell/Kconfig.backends
index 7adfe1ee989..ceef58f3612 100644
--- a/subsys/shell/Kconfig.backends
+++ b/subsys/shell/Kconfig.backends
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@ menuconfig SHELL_BACKENDS
 
 if SHELL_BACKENDS
 
+# Workaround for not being able to have commas in macro arguments
+DT_CHOSEN_Z_SHELL_UART := zephyr,shell-uart
+
 config SHELL_BACKEND_SERIAL
 	bool "Enable serial backend"
-	default y
+	default "$(dt_chosen_enabled,$(DT_CHOSEN_Z_SHELL_UART))" if HAS_DTS
+	default y if !HAS_DTS
 	select SERIAL
 	select RING_BUFFER
 	help