diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CubeBlack/hwdef.dat b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CubeBlack/hwdef.dat
index fd85c55423..f973de0f8c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CubeBlack/hwdef.dat
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CubeBlack/hwdef.dat
@@ -24,6 +24,29 @@ PB1 PB1_ADC ADC1 SCALE(1)
 SPIDEV icm20948_ext   SPI4 DEVID1  MPU_EXT_CS   MODE3  4*MHZ  8*MHZ
 SPIDEV icm20602_ext   SPI4 DEVID3  GYRO_EXT_CS  MODE3  4*MHZ  8*MHZ
 
+
+# Sensor Check alias for validating board type
+CHECK_MPU9250           spi_check_register("mpu9250", MPUREG_WHOAMI, MPU_WHOAMI_MPU9250)
+CHECK_MPU9250_EXT       spi_check_register("mpu9250_ext", MPUREG_WHOAMI, MPU_WHOAMI_MPU9250)
+CHECK_ICM20602_EXT      spi_check_register("icm20602_ext", MPUREG_WHOAMI, MPU_WHOAMI_ICM20602)
+CHECK_LSM9DS0_EXT_G     spi_check_register("lsm9ds0_ext_g", LSMREG_WHOAMI, LSM_WHOAMI_L3GD20)
+CHECK_LSM9DS0_EXT_AM    spi_check_register("lsm9ds0_ext_am", LSMREG_WHOAMI, LSM_WHOAMI_LSM303D)
+CHECK_ICM20948_EXT      spi_check_register("icm20948_ext", INV2REG_WHOAMI, INV2_WHOAMI_ICM20948)
+CHECK_MS5611            check_ms5611("ms5611")
+CHECK_MS5611_EXT        check_ms5611("ms5611_ext")
+
+# Sensor Check Macros to be used for validating board type
+CHECK_IMU0_PRESENT   $CHECK_MPU9250_EXT || $CHECK_ICM20602_EXT
+CHECK_IMU1_PRESENT   ($CHECK_LSM9DS0_EXT_G && $CHECK_LSM9DS0_EXT_AM) || $CHECK_ICM20948_EXT
+CHECK_IMU2_PRESENT   $CHECK_MPU9250
+CHECK_BARO0_PRESENT  $CHECK_MS5611
+CHECK_BARO1_PRESENT  $CHECK_MS5611_EXT
+
+BOARD_VALIDATE $CHECK_IMU0_PRESENT $CHECK_IMU1_PRESENT $CHECK_IMU2_PRESENT $CHECK_BARO0_PRESENT $CHECK_BARO1_PRESENT
+
+# also define the default board type
+define BOARD_TYPE_DEFAULT 3
+
 # three IMUs, but allow for different varients. First two IMUs are
 # isolated, 3rd isn't
 IMU Invensense SPI:mpu9250_ext ROTATION_PITCH_180
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/scripts/chibios_hwdef.py b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/scripts/chibios_hwdef.py
index 939a600860..165f7aed30 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/scripts/chibios_hwdef.py
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/scripts/chibios_hwdef.py
@@ -847,12 +847,12 @@ def write_USB_config(f):
     (USB_VID, USB_PID) = get_USB_IDs()
     f.write('#define HAL_USB_VENDOR_ID 0x%04x\n' % int(USB_VID))
     f.write('#define HAL_USB_PRODUCT_ID 0x%04x\n' % int(USB_PID))
-    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_MANUFACTURER "%s"\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_MANUFACTURER", default="ArduPilot"))
+    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_MANUFACTURER %s\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_MANUFACTURER", default="\"ArduPilot\""))
     default_product = "%BOARD%"
     if args.bootloader:
         default_product += "-BL"
-    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_PRODUCT "%s"\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_PRODUCT", default=default_product))
-    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_SERIAL "%s"\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_SERIAL", default="%SERIAL%"))
+    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_PRODUCT %s\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_PRODUCT", default="\"%s\""%default_product))
+    f.write('#define HAL_USB_STRING_SERIAL %s\n' % get_config("USB_STRING_SERIAL", default="\"%SERIAL%\""))
 
     f.write('\n\n')
 
@@ -1032,6 +1032,28 @@ def write_BARO_config(f):
     if len(devlist) > 0:
         f.write('#define HAL_BARO_PROBE_LIST %s\n\n' % ';'.join(devlist))
 
+def write_board_validate_macro(f):
+    '''write board validation macro'''
+    global config
+    validate_string = ''
+    validate_dict = {}
+    if 'BOARD_VALIDATE' in config:
+        for check in config['BOARD_VALIDATE']:
+            check_name = check
+            check_string = check
+            while True:
+                def substitute_alias(m):
+                    return '(' + get_config(m.group(1), spaces=True) + ')'
+                output = re.sub(r'\$(\w+|\{([^}]*)\})', substitute_alias, check_string)
+                if (output == check_string):
+                    break
+                check_string = output
+            validate_dict[check_name] = check_string
+        # Finally create check conditional
+        for check_name in validate_dict:
+            validate_string += "!" + validate_dict[check_name] + "?" + "\"" + check_name + "\"" + ":"
+        validate_string += "nullptr"
+        f.write('#define HAL_VALIDATE_BOARD (%s)\n\n' % validate_string) 
 
 def get_gpio_bylabel(label):
     '''get GPIO(n) setting on a pin label, or -1'''
@@ -1624,6 +1646,7 @@ def write_hwdef_header(outfilename):
     write_IMU_config(f)
     write_MAG_config(f)
     write_BARO_config(f)
+    write_board_validate_macro(f)
 
     write_peripheral_enable(f)
 
@@ -1843,7 +1866,7 @@ def process_line(line):
     global allpins, imu_list, compass_list, baro_list
     global mcu_type, mcu_series
     all_lines.append(line)
-    a = shlex.split(line)
+    a = shlex.split(line, posix=False)
     # keep all config lines for later use
     alllines.append(line)