diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/dw_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/dw_wdt.c
index d0bb9499d12c..a284abdb4fb6 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/dw_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/dw_wdt.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@
 #include <linux/pm.h>
 #include <linux/platform_device.h>
 #include <linux/reboot.h>
-#include <linux/spinlock.h>
 #include <linux/timer.h>
 #include <linux/uaccess.h>
 #include <linux/watchdog.h>
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(nowayout, "Watchdog cannot be stopped once started "
 #define WDT_TIMEOUT		(HZ / 2)
 
 static struct {
-	spinlock_t		lock;
 	void __iomem		*regs;
 	struct clk		*clk;
 	unsigned long		in_use;
@@ -177,7 +175,6 @@ static int dw_wdt_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	/* Make sure we don't get unloaded. */
 	__module_get(THIS_MODULE);
 
-	spin_lock(&dw_wdt.lock);
 	if (!dw_wdt_is_enabled()) {
 		/*
 		 * The watchdog is not currently enabled. Set the timeout to
@@ -190,8 +187,6 @@ static int dw_wdt_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 
 	dw_wdt_set_next_heartbeat();
 
-	spin_unlock(&dw_wdt.lock);
-
 	return nonseekable_open(inode, filp);
 }
 
@@ -348,8 +343,6 @@ static int dw_wdt_drv_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	spin_lock_init(&dw_wdt.lock);
-
 	ret = misc_register(&dw_wdt_miscdev);
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_disable_clk;