diff --git a/xen/arch/i386/setup.c b/xen/arch/i386/setup.c
index 521f135d48..059d296568 100644
--- a/xen/arch/i386/setup.c
+++ b/xen/arch/i386/setup.c
@@ -421,4 +421,6 @@ void __init start_of_day(void)
         barrier();
     }
 #endif
+
+    watchdog_on = 1;
 }
diff --git a/xen/include/asm-i386/apic.h b/xen/include/asm-i386/apic.h
index 264f6bd44b..705942596c 100644
--- a/xen/include/asm-i386/apic.h
+++ b/xen/include/asm-i386/apic.h
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ extern void enable_APIC_timer(void);
 //extern struct pm_dev *apic_pm_register(pm_dev_t, unsigned long, pm_callback);
 //extern void apic_pm_unregister(struct pm_dev*);
 
+extern unsigned int watchdog_on;
+
 extern unsigned int apic_timer_irqs [NR_CPUS];
 extern int check_nmi_watchdog (void);