diff --git a/README b/README
index a565748e43..ad13092bbb 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -747,6 +747,15 @@ The following options need to be configured:
 		SoC, then define this variable and provide board
 		specific code for the "hw_watchdog_reset" function.
 
+		CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ
+		Some platforms automatically call WATCHDOG_RESET()
+		from the timer interrupt handler every
+		CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ interrupts. If not set by the
+		board configuration file, a default of CONFIG_SYS_HZ/2
+		(i.e. 500) is used. Setting CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ
+		to 0 disables calling WATCHDOG_RESET() from the timer
+		interrupt.
+
 - Real-Time Clock:
 
 		When CONFIG_CMD_DATE is selected, the type of the RTC
diff --git a/arch/m68k/lib/time.c b/arch/m68k/lib/time.c
index cbe29e72a8..ebb2ac54db 100644
--- a/arch/m68k/lib/time.c
+++ b/arch/m68k/lib/time.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void dtimer_interrupt(void *not_used)
 		timestamp++;
 
 		#if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG) || defined (CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG)
-		if ((timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0) {
+		if (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ && (timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0) {
 			WATCHDOG_RESET ();
 		}
 		#endif    /* CONFIG_WATCHDOG || CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG */
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/lib/interrupts.c b/arch/powerpc/lib/interrupts.c
index 73f270002c..5ba4cd0c13 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/lib/interrupts.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/lib/interrupts.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ void timer_interrupt(struct pt_regs *regs)
 	timestamp++;
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG) || defined (CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG)
-	if ((timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0)
+	if (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ && (timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0)
 		WATCHDOG_RESET ();
 #endif    /* CONFIG_WATCHDOG || CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG */
 
diff --git a/drivers/timer/mpc83xx_timer.c b/drivers/timer/mpc83xx_timer.c
index 9adb4b4cab..952293195f 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/mpc83xx_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/mpc83xx_timer.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ void timer_interrupt(struct pt_regs *regs)
 	priv->timestamp++;
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_WATCHDOG) || defined(CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG)
-	if ((priv->timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0)
+	if (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ && (priv->timestamp % (CONFIG_SYS_WATCHDOG_FREQ)) == 0)
 		WATCHDOG_RESET();
 #endif    /* CONFIG_WATCHDOG || CONFIG_HW_WATCHDOG */