diff --git a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
index 2750d24eba..b49a44c5b1 100755
--- a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
+++ b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
@@ -260,14 +260,14 @@ TFTP=/scratch/gitlab-runner/tftp
 CONTROLLER=control@thor.testnet
 
 echo "
-multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot $extra_xen_opts
+multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog $extra_xen_opts
 module2 (http)/gitlab-ci/vmlinuz console=hvc0 root=/dev/ram0 earlyprintk=xen
 module2 --nounzip (http)/gitlab-ci/initrd-dom0
 " > $TFTP/grub.cfg
 
 echo "#!ipxe
 
-kernel /gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot $extra_xen_opts || reboot
+kernel /gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog $extra_xen_opts || reboot
 module /gitlab-ci/vmlinuz console=hvc0 root=/dev/ram0 earlyprintk=xen || reboot
 module /gitlab-ci/initrd-dom0 || reboot
 boot
diff --git a/automation/scripts/xilinx-smoke-dom0-x86_64.sh b/automation/scripts/xilinx-smoke-dom0-x86_64.sh
index 6970a8658d..0ad8f658e3 100755
--- a/automation/scripts/xilinx-smoke-dom0-x86_64.sh
+++ b/automation/scripts/xilinx-smoke-dom0-x86_64.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ WORKDIR="${PWD}"
 TEST="$1"
 PASS_MSG="Test passed: ${TEST}"
 XEN_CMD_DOM0="dom0=pvh dom0_max_vcpus=4 dom0_mem=4G"
-XEN_CMD_XEN="sched=null loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all console_timestamps=boot"
+XEN_CMD_XEN="sched=null loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all console_timestamps=boot watchdog"
 XEN_CMD_EXTRA=""
 DOM0_CMD=""
 DOMU_CMD=""