diff --git a/arch/powerpc/Kconfig b/arch/powerpc/Kconfig
index 77c0333..af45cfe 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/powerpc/Kconfig
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ config MPC8xx
 	bool "MPC8xx"
 	select BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F
 	imply CMD_REGINFO
+	imply HW_WATCHDOG
 
 endchoice
 
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu.c b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu.c
index 6a1bd8d..7608970 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu.c
@@ -272,24 +272,11 @@ unsigned long get_tbclk(void)
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG)
-void watchdog_reset(void)
+#if defined(CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG)
+void hw_watchdog_reset(void)
 {
-	int re_enable = disable_interrupts();
+	immap_t __iomem *immr = (immap_t __iomem *)CONFIG_SYS_IMMR;
 
-	reset_8xx_watchdog((immap_t __iomem *)CONFIG_SYS_IMMR);
-	if (re_enable)
-		enable_interrupts();
-}
-#endif /* CONFIG_WATCHDOG */
-
-#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG)
-
-void reset_8xx_watchdog(immap_t __iomem *immr)
-{
-	/*
-	 * All other boards use the MPC8xx Internal Watchdog
-	 */
 	out_be16(&immr->im_siu_conf.sc_swsr, 0x556c);	/* write magic1 */
 	out_be16(&immr->im_siu_conf.sc_swsr, 0xaa39);	/* write magic2 */
 }
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
index 6127c9f..99e8c85 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
@@ -26,11 +26,12 @@ void cpu_init_f(immap_t __iomem *immr)
 
 	/* SYPCR - contains watchdog control (11-9) */
 
-	out_be32(&immr->im_siu_conf.sc_sypcr, CONFIG_SYS_SYPCR);
+#ifndef CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG
+	/* deactivate watchdog if not enabled in config */
+	out_be32(&immr->im_siu_conf.sc_sypcr, CONFIG_SYS_SYPCR & ~SYPCR_SWE);
+#endif
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG)
-	reset_8xx_watchdog(immr);
-#endif /* CONFIG_WATCHDOG */
+	WATCHDOG_RESET();
 
 	/* SIUMCR - contains debug pin configuration (11-6) */
 	setbits_be32(&immr->im_siu_conf.sc_siumcr, CONFIG_SYS_SIUMCR);
diff --git a/include/configs/MCR3000.h b/include/configs/MCR3000.h
index cb28d65..aeda474 100644
--- a/include/configs/MCR3000.h
+++ b/include/configs/MCR3000.h
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@
 
 #define CONFIG_LOADS_ECHO	1	/* echo on for serial download	*/
 
-#define CONFIG_WATCHDOG		1	/* watchdog enabled */
-
 /* Miscellaneous configurable options */
 
 #define CONFIG_SYS_MEMTEST_START	0x00002000
diff --git a/include/watchdog.h b/include/watchdog.h
index d420ab1..52f4c50 100644
--- a/include/watchdog.h
+++ b/include/watchdog.h
@@ -72,11 +72,6 @@ int init_func_watchdog_reset(void);
  * Prototypes from $(CPU)/cpu.c.
  */
 
-/* MPC 8xx */
-#if defined(CONFIG_MPC8xx) && !defined(__ASSEMBLY__)
-	void reset_8xx_watchdog(immap_t __iomem *immr);
-#endif
-
 #if defined(CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG) && !defined(__ASSEMBLY__)
 	void hw_watchdog_init(void);
 #endif