diff --git a/ports/nrf/boards/itsybitsy_nrf52840_express/mpconfigboard.mk b/ports/nrf/boards/itsybitsy_nrf52840_express/mpconfigboard.mk
index 659480250e..11be3121f7 100644
--- a/ports/nrf/boards/itsybitsy_nrf52840_express/mpconfigboard.mk
+++ b/ports/nrf/boards/itsybitsy_nrf52840_express/mpconfigboard.mk
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ endif
 
 NRF_DEFINES += -DNRF52840_XXAA -DNRF52840
 
+# Don't use up a hardware SPI peripheral for the status DotStar: we only have two or three.
+CIRCUITPY_BITBANG_APA102 = 1
+
 QSPI_FLASH_FILESYSTEM = 1
 EXTERNAL_FLASH_DEVICE_COUNT = 1
 EXTERNAL_FLASH_DEVICES = "GD25Q16C"