diff --git a/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c b/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
index fe74f26a54..fcd0484a6d 100644
--- a/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
+++ b/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
@@ -69,28 +69,6 @@ int print_cpuinfo(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-
-/* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-	static ulong next_reset;
-	ulong now;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = get_timer(0);
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		next_reset = now + 1000;	/* reset every 1000ms */
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-	}
-}
-#endif
-
 int arch_misc_init(void)
 {
 	/*
@@ -103,19 +81,5 @@ int arch_misc_init(void)
 	flush_dcache_range(gd->bd->bi_memstart,
 			   gd->bd->bi_memstart + gd->ram_size - 1);
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-	/* Init watchdog */
-	if (uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		debug("Watchdog: Not found by seq!\n");
-		if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-			puts("Watchdog: Not found!\n");
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
-	wdt_start(watchdog_dev, 60000, 0);	/* 60 seconds */
-	printf("Watchdog: Started\n");
-#endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
index 96cb9c7e5c..8a4872343b 100644
--- a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
+++ b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
@@ -119,41 +119,11 @@ int board_fix_fdt(void *blob)
 }
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WDT_ARMADA_37XX
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-	static ulong next_reset;
-	ulong now;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = timer_get_us();
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-		next_reset = now + 100000;
-	}
-}
-#endif
-
 int board_init(void)
 {
 	/* address of boot parameters */
 	gd->bd->bi_boot_params = CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_BASE + 0x100;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WDT_ARMADA_37XX
-	if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		printf("Cannot find Armada 3720 watchdog!\n");
-	} else {
-		printf("Enabling Armada 3720 watchdog (3 minutes timeout).\n");
-		wdt_start(watchdog_dev, 180000, 0);
-	}
-#endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
index c7f6479a0c..8101cfd88a 100644
--- a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
+++ b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
@@ -364,25 +364,12 @@ static bool disable_mcu_watchdog(void)
 }
 #endif
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT_ORION)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-#endif
-
 int board_init(void)
 {
 	/* adress of boot parameters */
 	gd->bd->bi_boot_params = mvebu_sdram_bar(0) + 0x100;
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_SPL_BUILD
-# ifdef CONFIG_WDT_ORION
-	if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		puts("Cannot find Armada 385 watchdog!\n");
-	} else {
-		puts("Enabling Armada 385 watchdog.\n");
-		wdt_start(watchdog_dev, (u32) 25000000 * 120, 0);
-	}
-# endif
-
 	if (disable_mcu_watchdog())
 		puts("Disabled MCU startup watchdog.\n");
 
@@ -392,28 +379,6 @@ int board_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-/* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-# if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT_ORION)
-	static ulong next_reset = 0;
-	ulong now;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = timer_get_us();
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-		next_reset = now + 1000;
-	}
-# endif
-}
-#endif
-
 int board_late_init(void)
 {
 #ifndef CONFIG_SPL_BUILD
diff --git a/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c b/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
index 28c9efa3a2..ba82292e35 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-#endif /* !CONFIG_SPL_BUILD && CONFIG_WDT */
-
 ulong ram_base;
 
 int dram_init_banksize(void)
@@ -43,44 +39,8 @@ int dram_init(void)
 	return 0;
 };
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WDT
-/* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
-	ulong now;
-	static ulong next_reset;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = timer_get_us();
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-		next_reset = now + 1000;
-	}
-#endif /* !CONFIG_SPL_BUILD */
-}
-#endif /* CONFIG_WDT */
-
 int board_late_init(void)
 {
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-	watchdog_dev = NULL;
-
-	if (uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		debug("Watchdog: Not found by seq!\n");
-		if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-			puts("Watchdog: Not found!\n");
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
-	wdt_start(watchdog_dev, 0, 0);
-	puts("Watchdog: Started\n");
-#endif /* !CONFIG_SPL_BUILD && CONFIG_WDT */
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_SYSRESET_MICROBLAZE)
 	int ret;
 
diff --git a/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c b/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
index ea26aad16f..6857f2c0b8 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-#endif
-
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F)
 int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
@@ -31,19 +27,6 @@ int board_early_init_f(void)
 
 int board_init(void)
 {
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-	if (uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		debug("Watchdog: Not found by seq!\n");
-		if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-			puts("Watchdog: Not found!\n");
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
-	wdt_start(watchdog_dev, 0, 0);
-	puts("Watchdog: Started\n");
-# endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -127,25 +110,3 @@ int dram_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
-
-#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG)
-/* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-# if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
-	static ulong next_reset;
-	ulong now;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = timer_get_us();
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-		next_reset = now + 1000;
-	}
-# endif
-}
-#endif
diff --git a/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c b/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
index db27247850..1c12891b82 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
-#endif
-
 #if defined(CONFIG_FPGA) && defined(CONFIG_FPGA_ZYNQMPPL) && \
     !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
 static xilinx_desc zynqmppl = XILINX_ZYNQMP_DESC;
@@ -340,44 +336,9 @@ int board_init(void)
 	}
 #endif
 
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-	if (uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-		debug("Watchdog: Not found by seq!\n");
-		if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0, &watchdog_dev)) {
-			puts("Watchdog: Not found!\n");
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
-	wdt_start(watchdog_dev, 0, 0);
-	puts("Watchdog: Started\n");
-#endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-/* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
-void watchdog_reset(void)
-{
-# if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
-	static ulong next_reset;
-	ulong now;
-
-	if (!watchdog_dev)
-		return;
-
-	now = timer_get_us();
-
-	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
-	if (now > next_reset) {
-		wdt_reset(watchdog_dev);
-		next_reset = now + 1000;
-	}
-# endif
-}
-#endif
-
 int board_early_init_r(void)
 {
 	u32 val;
diff --git a/common/board_r.c b/common/board_r.c
index 472987d5d5..d457b6715f 100644
--- a/common/board_r.c
+++ b/common/board_r.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 #include <linux/compiler.h>
 #include <linux/err.h>
 #include <efi_loader.h>
+#include <wdt.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
@@ -621,6 +622,43 @@ static int initr_bedbug(void)
 }
 #endif
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+#ifndef CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS
+#define CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS	(60 * 1000)
+#endif
+#define WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_SECS	(CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS / 1000)
+
+static int initr_watchdog(void)
+{
+	u32 timeout = WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_SECS;
+
+	/*
+	 * Init watchdog: This will call the probe function of the
+	 * watchdog driver, enabling the use of the device
+	 */
+	if (uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_WDT, 0,
+				     (struct udevice **)&gd->watchdog_dev)) {
+		debug("WDT:   Not found by seq!\n");
+		if (uclass_get_device(UCLASS_WDT, 0,
+				      (struct udevice **)&gd->watchdog_dev)) {
+			printf("WDT:   Not found!\n");
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_CONTROL)) {
+		timeout = dev_read_u32_default(gd->watchdog_dev, "timeout-sec",
+					       WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_SECS);
+	}
+
+	wdt_start(gd->watchdog_dev, timeout * 1000, 0);
+	gd->flags |= GD_FLG_WDT_READY;
+	printf("WDT:   Started (%ds timeout)\n", timeout);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+#endif
+
 static int run_main_loop(void)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SANDBOX
@@ -670,6 +708,9 @@ static init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_DM
 	initr_dm,
 #endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+	initr_watchdog,
+#endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARM) || defined(CONFIG_NDS32) || defined(CONFIG_RISCV) || \
 	defined(CONFIG_SANDBOX)
 	board_init,	/* Setup chipselects */
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
index 34e78beb2a..82080d3867 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ config ULP_WATCHDOG
 config WDT
 	bool "Enable driver model for watchdog timer drivers"
 	depends on DM
+	imply WATCHDOG
 	help
 	  Enable driver model for watchdog timer. At the moment the API
 	  is very simple and only supports four operations:
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wdt-uclass.c b/drivers/watchdog/wdt-uclass.c
index 23b7e3360d..bbfac4f0f9 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wdt-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wdt-uclass.c
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #include <dm/device-internal.h>
 #include <dm/lists.h>
 
+DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
+
 int wdt_start(struct udevice *dev, u64 timeout_ms, ulong flags)
 {
 	const struct wdt_ops *ops = device_get_ops(dev);
@@ -63,6 +65,30 @@ int wdt_expire_now(struct udevice *dev, ulong flags)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG)
+/*
+ * Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET. This function be called *very* early,
+ * so we need to make sure, that the watchdog driver is ready before using
+ * it in this function.
+ */
+void watchdog_reset(void)
+{
+	static ulong next_reset;
+	ulong now;
+
+	/* Exit if GD is not ready or watchdog is not initialized yet */
+	if (!gd || !(gd->flags & GD_FLG_WDT_READY))
+		return;
+
+	/* Do not reset the watchdog too often */
+	now = get_timer(0);
+	if (now > next_reset) {
+		next_reset = now + 1000;	/* reset every 1000ms */
+		wdt_reset(gd->watchdog_dev);
+	}
+}
+#endif
+
 static int wdt_post_bind(struct udevice *dev)
 {
 #if defined(CONFIG_NEEDS_MANUAL_RELOC)
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
index 78dcf40bff..d16f50f677 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ typedef struct global_data {
 	struct spl_handoff *spl_handoff;
 # endif
 #endif
+#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+	struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+#endif
 } gd_t;
 #endif
 
@@ -161,5 +164,6 @@ typedef struct global_data {
 #define GD_FLG_ENV_DEFAULT	0x02000 /* Default variable flag	   */
 #define GD_FLG_SPL_EARLY_INIT	0x04000 /* Early SPL init is done	   */
 #define GD_FLG_LOG_READY	0x08000 /* Log system is ready for use	   */
+#define GD_FLG_WDT_READY	0x10000 /* Watchdog is ready for use	   */
 
 #endif /* __ASM_GENERIC_GBL_DATA_H */
diff --git a/include/configs/turris_omnia.h b/include/configs/turris_omnia.h
index 038f6398eb..78e3cf2ff4 100644
--- a/include/configs/turris_omnia.h
+++ b/include/configs/turris_omnia.h
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@
 #define CONFIG_SPL_I2C_MUX
 #define CONFIG_SYS_I2C_MVTWSI
 
-/* Watchdog support */
-#if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT_ORION)
-# define CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-#endif
-
 /* SPI NOR flash default params, used by sf commands */
 #define CONFIG_SPI_FLASH_SPANSION
 
