diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/hpwdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/hpwdt.c
index 1eff743ec497..ae60406ea8a1 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/hpwdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/hpwdt.c
@@ -814,6 +814,9 @@ static int __devinit hpwdt_init_one(struct pci_dev *dev,
 	hpwdt_timer_reg = pci_mem_addr + 0x70;
 	hpwdt_timer_con = pci_mem_addr + 0x72;
 
+	/* Make sure that timer is disabled until /dev/watchdog is opened */
+	hpwdt_stop();
+
 	/* Make sure that we have a valid soft_margin */
 	if (hpwdt_change_timer(soft_margin))
 		hpwdt_change_timer(DEFAULT_MARGIN);