diff --git a/docs/qmp/qmp-events.txt b/docs/qmp/qmp-events.txt
index 8cad3e7..df15dc8 100644
--- a/docs/qmp/qmp-events.txt
+++ b/docs/qmp/qmp-events.txt
@@ -415,22 +415,3 @@ Example:
         "client": { "family": "ipv4", "service": "46089",
                     "host": "127.0.0.1", "sasl_username": "luiz" } },
         "timestamp": { "seconds": 1263475302, "microseconds": 150772 } }
-
-WATCHDOG
---------
-
-Emitted when the watchdog device's timer is expired.
-
-Data:
-
-- "action": Action that has been taken, it's one of the following (json-string):
-            "reset", "shutdown", "poweroff", "pause", "debug", or "none"
-
-Example:
-
-{ "event": "WATCHDOG",
-     "data": { "action": "reset" },
-     "timestamp": { "seconds": 1267061043, "microseconds": 959568 } }
-
-Note: If action is "reset", "shutdown", or "pause" the WATCHDOG event is
-followed respectively by the RESET, SHUTDOWN, or STOP events.
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c b/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
index f28161b..9284d3f 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 #include "qemu/config-file.h"
 #include "qemu/queue.h"
 #include "qapi/qmp/types.h"
-#include "monitor/monitor.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "sysemu/watchdog.h"
+#include "qapi-event.h"
 
 /* Possible values for action parameter. */
 #define WDT_RESET        1	/* Hard reset. */
@@ -101,15 +101,6 @@ int select_watchdog_action(const char *p)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void watchdog_mon_event(const char *action)
-{
-    QObject *data;
-
-    data = qobject_from_jsonf("{ 'action': %s }", action);
-    monitor_protocol_event(QEVENT_WATCHDOG, data);
-    qobject_decref(data);
-}
-
 /* This actually performs the "action" once a watchdog has expired,
  * ie. reboot, shutdown, exit, etc.
  */
@@ -117,31 +108,31 @@ void watchdog_perform_action(void)
 {
     switch(watchdog_action) {
     case WDT_RESET:             /* same as 'system_reset' in monitor */
-        watchdog_mon_event("reset");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_RESET, NULL);
         qemu_system_reset_request();
         break;
 
     case WDT_SHUTDOWN:          /* same as 'system_powerdown' in monitor */
-        watchdog_mon_event("shutdown");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_SHUTDOWN, NULL);
         qemu_system_powerdown_request();
         break;
 
     case WDT_POWEROFF:          /* same as 'quit' command in monitor */
-        watchdog_mon_event("poweroff");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_POWEROFF, NULL);
         exit(0);
 
     case WDT_PAUSE:             /* same as 'stop' command in monitor */
-        watchdog_mon_event("pause");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_PAUSE, NULL);
         vm_stop(RUN_STATE_WATCHDOG);
         break;
 
     case WDT_DEBUG:
-        watchdog_mon_event("debug");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_DEBUG, NULL);
         fprintf(stderr, "watchdog: timer fired\n");
         break;
 
     case WDT_NONE:
-        watchdog_mon_event("none");
+        qapi_event_send_watchdog(WATCHDOG_EXPIRATION_ACTION_NONE, NULL);
         break;
     }
 }
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index e6d32c2..cae60ab 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -614,6 +614,7 @@ static void monitor_qapi_event_init(void)
 {
     /* Limit RTC & BALLOON events to 1 per second */
     monitor_qapi_event_throttle(QAPI_EVENT_RTC_CHANGE, 1000);
+    monitor_qapi_event_throttle(QAPI_EVENT_WATCHDOG, 1000);
 
     qmp_event_set_func_emit(monitor_qapi_event_queue);
 }
@@ -741,7 +742,6 @@ static void monitor_protocol_event_init(void)
 {
     /* Limit RTC & BALLOON events to 1 per second */
     monitor_protocol_event_throttle(QEVENT_BALLOON_CHANGE, 1000);
-    monitor_protocol_event_throttle(QEVENT_WATCHDOG, 1000);
     /* limit the rate of quorum events to avoid hammering the management */
     monitor_protocol_event_throttle(QEVENT_QUORUM_REPORT_BAD, 1000);
     monitor_protocol_event_throttle(QEVENT_QUORUM_FAILURE, 1000);
diff --git a/qapi-event.json b/qapi-event.json
index dc20bb4..640f841 100644
--- a/qapi-event.json
+++ b/qapi-event.json
@@ -91,3 +91,18 @@
 ##
 { 'event': 'RTC_CHANGE',
   'data': { 'offset': 'int' } }
+
+##
+# @WATCHDOG
+#
+# Emitted when the watchdog device's timer is expired
+#
+# @action: action that has been taken
+#
+# Note: If action is "reset", "shutdown", or "pause" the WATCHDOG event is
+# followed respectively by the RESET, SHUTDOWN, or STOP events
+#
+# Since: 2.1
+##
+{ 'event': 'WATCHDOG',
+  'data': { 'action': 'WatchdogExpirationAction' } }
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index d04514a..a14504d 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -4799,4 +4799,28 @@
 { 'enum': 'BlockErrorAction',
   'data': [ 'ignore', 'report', 'stop' ] }
 
+##
+# @WatchdogExpirationAction
+#
+# An enumeration of the actions taken when the watchdog device's timer is
+# expired
+#
+# @reset: system resets
+#
+# @shutdown: system shutdown, note that it is similar to @powerdown, which
+#            tries to set to system status and notify guest
+#
+# @poweroff: system poweroff, the emulator program exits
+#
+# @pause: system pauses, similar to @stop
+#
+# @debug: system enters debug state
+#
+# @none: nothing is done
+#
+# Since: 2.1
+##
+{ 'enum': 'WatchdogExpirationAction',
+  'data': [ 'reset', 'shutdown', 'poweroff', 'pause', 'debug', 'none' ] }
+
 { 'include': 'qapi-event.json' }
