diff --git a/commands/wd.c b/commands/wd.c
index 26823f8..f857291 100644
--- a/commands/wd.c
+++ b/commands/wd.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	rc = watchdog_set_timeout(timeout);
+	rc = watchdog_set_timeout(watchdog_get_default(), timeout);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		switch (rc) {
 		case -EINVAL:
diff --git a/common/boot.c b/common/boot.c
index 14d4fe9..dcbe5cc 100644
--- a/common/boot.c
+++ b/common/boot.c
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@
 	printf("Booting entry '%s'\n", be->title);
 
 	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_WATCHDOG) && boot_watchdog_timeout) {
-		ret = watchdog_set_timeout(boot_watchdog_timeout);
+		ret = watchdog_set_timeout(watchdog_get_default(),
+					   boot_watchdog_timeout);
 		if (ret)
 			pr_warn("Failed to enable watchdog: %s\n", strerror(-ret));
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c b/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
index ae29a76..80bde82 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wd_core.c
@@ -31,8 +31,15 @@
 	return "unknown";
 }
 
-static int _watchdog_set_timeout(struct watchdog *wd, unsigned timeout)
+/*
+ * start, stop or retrigger the watchdog
+ * timeout in [seconds]. timeout of '0' will disable the watchdog (if possible)
+ */
+int watchdog_set_timeout(struct watchdog *wd, unsigned timeout)
 {
+	if (!wd)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	if (timeout > wd->timeout_max)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -40,13 +47,14 @@
 
 	return wd->set_timeout(wd, timeout);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_set_timeout);
 
 static int watchdog_set_priority(struct param_d *param, void *priv)
 {
 	struct watchdog *wd = priv;
 
 	if (wd->priority == 0)
-		return _watchdog_set_timeout(wd, 0);
+		return watchdog_set_timeout(wd, 0);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -65,7 +73,7 @@
 
 static void watchdog_poller_start(struct watchdog *wd)
 {
-	_watchdog_set_timeout(wd, wd->timeout_cur);
+	watchdog_set_timeout(wd, wd->timeout_cur);
 	poller_call_async(&wd->poller, 500 * MSECOND,
 			watchdog_poller_cb, wd);
 
@@ -192,7 +200,7 @@
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_deregister);
 
-static struct watchdog *watchdog_get_default(void)
+struct watchdog *watchdog_get_default(void)
 {
 	struct watchdog *tmp, *wd = NULL;
 	int priority = 0;
@@ -206,23 +214,23 @@
 
 	return wd;
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_get_default);
 
-/*
- * start, stop or retrigger the watchdog
- * timeout in [seconds]. timeout of '0' will disable the watchdog (if possible)
- */
-int watchdog_set_timeout(unsigned timeout)
+struct watchdog *watchdog_get_by_name(const char *name)
 {
-	struct watchdog *wd;
+	struct watchdog *tmp;
+	struct device_d *dev = get_device_by_name(name);
+	if (!dev)
+		return NULL;
 
-	wd = watchdog_get_default();
+	list_for_each_entry(tmp, &watchdog_list, list) {
+		if (dev == tmp->hwdev || dev == &tmp->dev)
+			return tmp;
+	}
 
-	if (!wd)
-		return -ENODEV;
-
-	return _watchdog_set_timeout(wd, timeout);
+	return NULL;
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_set_timeout);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(watchdog_get_by_name);
 
 /**
  * of_get_watchdog_priority() - get the desired watchdog priority from device tree
diff --git a/include/watchdog.h b/include/watchdog.h
index 0db4263..891a092 100644
--- a/include/watchdog.h
+++ b/include/watchdog.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # define INCLUDE_WATCHDOG_H
 
 #include <poller.h>
+#include <driver.h>
 
 struct watchdog {
 	int (*set_timeout)(struct watchdog *, unsigned);
@@ -31,7 +32,9 @@
 #ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
 int watchdog_register(struct watchdog *);
 int watchdog_deregister(struct watchdog *);
-int watchdog_set_timeout(unsigned);
+struct watchdog *watchdog_get_default(void);
+struct watchdog *watchdog_get_by_name(const char *name);
+int watchdog_set_timeout(struct watchdog*, unsigned);
 unsigned int of_get_watchdog_priority(struct device_node *node);
 #else
 static inline int watchdog_register(struct watchdog *w)
@@ -44,11 +47,22 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static inline int watchdog_set_timeout(unsigned t)
+static inline struct watchdog *watchdog_get_default(void)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static inline struct watchdog *watchdog_get_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+static inline int watchdog_set_timeout(struct watchdog*w, unsigned t)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
 
+
 static inline unsigned int of_get_watchdog_priority(struct device_node *node)
 {
 	return 0;