diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/jz4740_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/jz4740_wdt.c
index f1199db..d4a9091 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/jz4740_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/jz4740_wdt.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ static int jz4740_wdt_set_timeout(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev,
 	unsigned int rtc_clk_rate;
 	unsigned int timeout_value;
 	unsigned short clock_div = JZ_WDT_CLOCK_DIV_1;
+	u8 tcer;
 
 	rtc_clk_rate = clk_get_rate(drvdata->rtc_clk);
 
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ static int jz4740_wdt_set_timeout(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev,
 		clock_div += (1 << TCU_TCSR_PRESCALE_LSB);
 	}
 
+	tcer = readb(drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
 	writeb(0x0, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
 	writew(clock_div, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCSR);
 
@@ -90,7 +92,8 @@ static int jz4740_wdt_set_timeout(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev,
 	writew(0x0, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCNT);
 	writew(clock_div | JZ_WDT_CLOCK_RTC, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCSR);
 
-	writeb(0x1, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
+	if (tcer & TCU_WDT_TCER_TCEN)
+		writeb(TCU_WDT_TCER_TCEN, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
 
 	wdt_dev->timeout = new_timeout;
 	return 0;
@@ -98,9 +101,18 @@ static int jz4740_wdt_set_timeout(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev,
 
 static int jz4740_wdt_start(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev)
 {
+	struct jz4740_wdt_drvdata *drvdata = watchdog_get_drvdata(wdt_dev);
+	u8 tcer;
+
+	tcer = readb(drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
+
 	jz4740_timer_enable_watchdog();
 	jz4740_wdt_set_timeout(wdt_dev, wdt_dev->timeout);
 
+	/* Start watchdog if it wasn't started already */
+	if (!(tcer & TCU_WDT_TCER_TCEN))
+		writeb(TCU_WDT_TCER_TCEN, drvdata->base + TCU_REG_WDT_TCER);
+
 	return 0;
 }