diff --git a/include/usage.h b/include/usage.h
index 6f8558800..094eae8d9 100644
--- a/include/usage.h
+++ b/include/usage.h
@@ -2620,9 +2620,11 @@
 	"Mon Dec 17 10:31:44 GMT 2000" 
 
 #define watchdog_trivial_usage \
-	"DEV"
+	"[-t <seconds>] DEV"
 #define watchdog_full_usage \
-	"Periodically write to watchdog device DEV"
+	"Periodically write to watchdog device DEV.\n" \
+	"Options:\n" \
+	"\t-t\tTimer period in seconds - default is 30."
 
 #define wc_trivial_usage \
 	"[OPTION]... [FILE]..."
diff --git a/miscutils/watchdog.c b/miscutils/watchdog.c
index cfe19abc3..b1167dc90 100644
--- a/miscutils/watchdog.c
+++ b/miscutils/watchdog.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /*
  * Mini watchdog implementation for busybox
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2000  spoon <spoon@ix.netcom.com>.
+ * Copyright (C) 2003  Paul Mundt <lethal@linux-sh.org>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -20,30 +20,62 @@
  *
  */
 
-/* getopt not needed */
-
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #include "busybox.h"
 
+/* Userspace timer duration, in seconds */
+static unsigned int timer_duration = 30;
+
+/* Watchdog file descriptor */
+static int fd;
+
+static void watchdog_shutdown(int unused)
+{
+	write(fd, "V", 1);	/* Magic */
+	close(fd);
+	exit(0);
+}
+
 extern int watchdog_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	int fd;
+	int opt;
 
-	if (argc != 2) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "t:")) > 0) {
+		switch (opt) {
+			case 't':
+				timer_duration = bb_xgetlarg(optarg, 10, 0, INT_MAX);
+				break;
+			default:
+				bb_show_usage();
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* We're only interested in the watchdog device .. */
+	if (optind < argc - 1 || argc == 1)
 		bb_show_usage();
-	}
 
-	if ((fd=open(argv[1], O_WRONLY)) == -1) {
-		bb_perror_msg_and_die(argv[1]);
-	}
+	if (daemon(0, 1) < 0)
+		bb_perror_msg_and_die("Failed forking watchdog daemon");
+
+	signal(SIGHUP, watchdog_shutdown);
+	signal(SIGINT, watchdog_shutdown);
+
+	fd = bb_xopen(argv[argc - 1], O_WRONLY);
 
 	while (1) {
-		sleep(30);
+		/* 
+		 * Make sure we clear the counter before sleeping, as the counter value
+		 * is undefined at this point -- PFM
+		 */
 		write(fd, "\0", 1);
+		sleep(timer_duration);
 	}
 
-	return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	watchdog_shutdown(0);
+
+	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }