diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
index b277eebd377e..b7d750b24e49 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
@@ -994,6 +994,15 @@ static int watchdog_cdev_register(struct watchdog_device *wdd)
 	if (IS_ERR_OR_NULL(watchdog_kworker))
 		return -ENODEV;
 
+	device_initialize(&wd_data->dev);
+	wd_data->dev.devt = MKDEV(MAJOR(watchdog_devt), wdd->id);
+	wd_data->dev.class = &watchdog_class;
+	wd_data->dev.parent = wdd->parent;
+	wd_data->dev.groups = wdd->groups;
+	wd_data->dev.release = watchdog_core_data_release;
+	dev_set_drvdata(&wd_data->dev, wdd);
+	dev_set_name(&wd_data->dev, "watchdog%d", wdd->id);
+
 	kthread_init_work(&wd_data->work, watchdog_ping_work);
 	hrtimer_init(&wd_data->timer, CLOCK_MONOTONIC, HRTIMER_MODE_REL_HARD);
 	wd_data->timer.function = watchdog_timer_expired;
@@ -1014,15 +1023,6 @@ static int watchdog_cdev_register(struct watchdog_device *wdd)
 		}
 	}
 
-	device_initialize(&wd_data->dev);
-	wd_data->dev.devt = MKDEV(MAJOR(watchdog_devt), wdd->id);
-	wd_data->dev.class = &watchdog_class;
-	wd_data->dev.parent = wdd->parent;
-	wd_data->dev.groups = wdd->groups;
-	wd_data->dev.release = watchdog_core_data_release;
-	dev_set_drvdata(&wd_data->dev, wdd);
-	dev_set_name(&wd_data->dev, "watchdog%d", wdd->id);
-
 	/* Fill in the data structures */
 	cdev_init(&wd_data->cdev, &watchdog_fops);