diff --git a/common/startup.c b/common/startup.c
index 71a28a7..2fed4b7 100644
--- a/common/startup.c
+++ b/common/startup.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include <console_countdown.h>
 #include <environment.h>
 #include <linux/ctype.h>
+#include <watchdog.h>
 
 extern initcall_t __barebox_initcalls_start[], __barebox_early_initcalls_end[],
 		  __barebox_initcalls_end[];
@@ -356,6 +357,9 @@
 	if (autoboot == AUTOBOOT_MENU)
 		run_command(MENUFILE);
 
+	if (autoboot == AUTOBOOT_ABORT && autoboot == global_autoboot_state)
+		watchdog_inhibit_all();
+
 	run_shell();
 	run_command(MENUFILE);
 
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c b/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
index a17234f..ab1dcaa 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
 	if (timeout > wd->timeout_max)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (watchdog_hw_running(wd) == false)
+		return 0;
+
 	pr_debug("setting timeout on %s to %ds\n", watchdog_name(wd), timeout);
 
 	ret = wd->set_timeout(wd, timeout);
@@ -273,3 +276,30 @@
 	return NULL;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_get_by_name);
+
+int watchdog_inhibit_all(void)
+{
+	struct watchdog *wd;
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	list_for_each_entry(wd, &watchdog_list, list) {
+		int err;
+		if (!wd->priority || watchdog_hw_running(wd) == false)
+			continue;
+
+		err = watchdog_set_timeout(wd, 0);
+		if (!err)
+			continue;
+
+		if (err != -ENOSYS || !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_WATCHDOG_POLLER)) {
+			ret = err;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		wd->poller_enable = true;
+		watchdog_poller_start(wd);
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_inhibit_all);
diff --git a/include/watchdog.h b/include/watchdog.h
index 419c1cd..81414ef 100644
--- a/include/watchdog.h
+++ b/include/watchdog.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 struct watchdog *watchdog_get_default(void);
 struct watchdog *watchdog_get_by_name(const char *name);
 int watchdog_set_timeout(struct watchdog*, unsigned);
+int watchdog_inhibit_all(void);
 #else
 static inline int watchdog_register(struct watchdog *w)
 {
@@ -70,6 +71,11 @@
 {
 	return 0;
 }
+
+static inline int watchdog_inhibit_all(void)
+{
+	return -ENOSYS;
+}
 #endif
 
 #define WATCHDOG_DEFAULT_PRIORITY 100