diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.cpp b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.cpp
index a5df09f11b8e8..9a291887b5b06 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 #if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
 
-
 #include "AC_CustomControl_Backend.h"
 // #include "AC_CustomControl_Empty.h"
 #include "AC_CustomControl_PID.h"
@@ -123,30 +122,30 @@ void AC_CustomControl::set_custom_controller(bool enabled)
 
     // don't allow accidental main controller reset without active custom controller
     if (_controller_type == CustomControlType::CONT_NONE) {
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is not enabled");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is not enabled");
         return;
     }
 
     // controller type is out of range
     if (_controller_type > CUSTOMCONTROL_MAX_TYPES) {
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller type is out of range");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller type is out of range");
         return;
     }
 
     // backend is not created
     if (_backend == nullptr) {
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Reboot to enable selected custom controller");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Reboot to enable selected custom controller");
         return;
     }
 
     if (_custom_controller_mask == 0 && enabled) {
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Axis mask is not set");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Axis mask is not set");
         return;
     }
 
     // reset main controller
     if (!enabled) {
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is OFF");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is OFF");
         // don't reset if the empty backend is selected
         if (_controller_type > CustomControlType::CONT_EMPTY) {
             reset_main_att_controller();
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ void AC_CustomControl::set_custom_controller(bool enabled)
     if (enabled && _controller_type > CustomControlType::CONT_NONE) {
         // reset custom controller filter, integrator etc.
         _backend->reset();
-        gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is ON");
+        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Custom controller is ON");
     }
 
     _custom_controller_active = enabled;
@@ -193,4 +192,4 @@ void AC_CustomControl::set_notch_sample_rate(float sample_rate)
 #endif
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.h b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.h
index e4405b3c28a77..93f33a7300a90 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl.h
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 /// @file    AC_CustomControl.h
 /// @brief   ArduCopter custom control library
 
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
+
+#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
+
 #include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
 #include <AP_Param/AP_Param.h>
 #include <AP_AHRS/AP_AHRS_View.h>
@@ -10,8 +14,6 @@
 #include <AP_Motors/AP_MotorsMulticopter.h>
 #include <AP_Logger/AP_Logger.h>
 
-#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
-
 #ifndef CUSTOMCONTROL_MAX_TYPES
 #define CUSTOMCONTROL_MAX_TYPES 2
 #endif
@@ -72,4 +74,4 @@ class AC_CustomControl {
     AC_CustomControl_Backend *_backend;
 };
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Backend.h b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Backend.h
index 5355ef9cbc18d..391353585ae4f 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Backend.h
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "AC_CustomControl.h"
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
 
 #if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
 
+#include "AC_CustomControl.h"
+
 class AC_CustomControl_Backend
 {
 public:
@@ -34,4 +36,4 @@ class AC_CustomControl_Backend
     AC_CustomControl& _frontend;
 };
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.cpp b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.cpp
index 5c0550b0898d9..7b7f0d5dcfbff 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-#include "AC_CustomControl_Empty.h"
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
+
+#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
 
-#if CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
+#include "AC_CustomControl_Empty.h"
 
 #include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h>
 
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ Vector3f AC_CustomControl_Empty::update(void)
     // arducopter main attitude controller already ran
     // we don't need to do anything else
 
-    gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "empty custom controller working");
+    GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "empty custom controller working");
 
     // return what arducopter main controller outputted
     return Vector3f(_motors->get_roll(), _motors->get_pitch(), _motors->get_yaw());
@@ -69,4 +71,4 @@ void AC_CustomControl_Empty::reset(void)
 {
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.h b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.h
index e3a6374d21624..4628d7c4a20b6 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_Empty.h
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "AC_CustomControl_Backend.h"
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
 
-#ifndef CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
-    #define CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
-#endif
+#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
 
-#if CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
+#include "AC_CustomControl_Backend.h"
 
 class AC_CustomControl_Empty : public AC_CustomControl_Backend {
 public:
@@ -26,4 +24,4 @@ class AC_CustomControl_Empty : public AC_CustomControl_Backend {
     AP_Float param3;
 };
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.cpp b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.cpp
index 5535d44990940..cd6d00cd2af04 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
+
+#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
+
 #include "AC_CustomControl_PID.h"
 #include "AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Multi.h"
 
-#if CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
-
 // table of user settable parameters
 const AP_Param::GroupInfo AC_CustomControl_PID::var_info[] = {
     // @Param: ANG_RLL_P
@@ -403,4 +405,4 @@ void AC_CustomControl_PID::set_notch_sample_rate(float sample_rate)
 #endif
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.h b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.h
index 75649a5dd92bf..e0eb0957fb739 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_PID.h
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "AC_CustomControl_config.h"
+
+#if AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
+
 #include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
 #include <AP_Param/AP_Param.h>
 #include <AC_PID/AC_PID.h>
@@ -7,12 +11,6 @@
 
 #include "AC_CustomControl_Backend.h"
 
-#ifndef CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
-    #define CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
-#endif
-
-#if CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
-
 class AC_CustomControl_PID : public AC_CustomControl_Backend {
 public:
     AC_CustomControl_PID(AC_CustomControl& frontend, AP_AHRS_View*& ahrs, AC_AttitudeControl*& att_control, AP_MotorsMulticopter*& motors, float dt);
@@ -42,4 +40,4 @@ class AC_CustomControl_PID : public AC_CustomControl_Backend {
     AC_PID _pid_atti_rate_yaw;
 };
 
-#endif
+#endif  // AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
diff --git a/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_config.h b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_config.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..368b0b3233046
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AC_CustomControl/AC_CustomControl_config.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL_Boards.h>
+
+// note boards.py sets this, so the default value in here doesn't
+// really matter:
+//#ifndef AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
+//#define AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED 0
+//#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#define AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_ENABLED
+#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED
+#define AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_EMPTY_ENABLED AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED
+#define AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_PID_ENABLED AP_CUSTOMCONTROL_BACKEND_DEFAULT_ENABLED
+#endif