diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/msc313e_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/msc313e_wdt.c
index c3018b970164..8ce24df8e338 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/msc313e_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/msc313e_wdt.c
@@ -31,20 +31,26 @@ struct msc313e_wdt_priv {
 	struct clk *clk;
 };
 
+static void msc313e_wdt_set_hw_timeout(struct msc313e_wdt_priv *priv,
+				       unsigned int timeout)
+{
+	u32 t = timeout * clk_get_rate(priv->clk);
+
+	writew(t & 0xffff, priv->base + REG_WDT_MAX_PRD_L);
+	writew((t >> 16) & 0xffff, priv->base + REG_WDT_MAX_PRD_H);
+	writew(1, priv->base + REG_WDT_CLR);
+}
+
 static int msc313e_wdt_start(struct watchdog_device *wdev)
 {
 	struct msc313e_wdt_priv *priv = watchdog_get_drvdata(wdev);
-	u32 timeout;
 	int err;
 
 	err = clk_prepare_enable(priv->clk);
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	timeout = wdev->timeout * clk_get_rate(priv->clk);
-	writew(timeout & 0xffff, priv->base + REG_WDT_MAX_PRD_L);
-	writew((timeout >> 16) & 0xffff, priv->base + REG_WDT_MAX_PRD_H);
-	writew(1, priv->base + REG_WDT_CLR);
+	msc313e_wdt_set_hw_timeout(priv, wdev->timeout);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -69,9 +75,13 @@ static int msc313e_wdt_stop(struct watchdog_device *wdev)
 
 static int msc313e_wdt_settimeout(struct watchdog_device *wdev, unsigned int new_time)
 {
+	struct msc313e_wdt_priv *priv = watchdog_get_drvdata(wdev);
+
 	wdev->timeout = new_time;
 
-	return msc313e_wdt_start(wdev);
+	if (watchdog_hw_running(wdev) || watchdog_active(wdev))
+		msc313e_wdt_set_hw_timeout(priv, wdev->timeout);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static const struct watchdog_info msc313e_wdt_ident = {