diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/w83627hf_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/w83627hf_wdt.c
index 910d43736821..c5d34f46e7ad 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/w83627hf_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/w83627hf_wdt.c
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ static void w83627hf_init(struct watchdog_device *wdog)
 	}
 
 	outb_p(0x30, WDT_EFER); /* select CR30 */
-	outb_p(0x01, WDT_EFDR); /* set bit 0 to activate GPIO2 */
+	t = inb(WDT_EFDR);
+	if (!(t & 0x01))
+		outb_p(t | 0x01, WDT_EFDR); /* set bit 0 to activate GPIO2 */
 
 	outb_p(0xF6, WDT_EFER); /* Select CRF6 */
 	t = inb_p(WDT_EFDR);      /* read CRF6 */