diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/mtk_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/mtk_wdt.c
index d6a6393f609d..2cc668b295fd 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/mtk_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/mtk_wdt.c
@@ -153,9 +153,15 @@ static int mtk_wdt_restart(struct watchdog_device *wdt_dev,
 {
 	struct mtk_wdt_dev *mtk_wdt = watchdog_get_drvdata(wdt_dev);
 	void __iomem *wdt_base;
+	u32 reg;
 
 	wdt_base = mtk_wdt->wdt_base;
 
+	/* Enable reset in order to issue a system reset instead of an IRQ */
+	reg = readl(wdt_base + WDT_MODE);
+	reg &= ~WDT_MODE_IRQ_EN;
+	writel(reg | WDT_MODE_KEY, wdt_base + WDT_MODE);
+
 	while (1) {
 		writel(WDT_SWRST_KEY, wdt_base + WDT_SWRST);
 		mdelay(5);