diff --git a/Documentation/watchdog/watchdog-kernel-api.txt b/Documentation/watchdog/watchdog-kernel-api.txt
index 829955bd245e..4f7c894244d2 100644
--- a/Documentation/watchdog/watchdog-kernel-api.txt
+++ b/Documentation/watchdog/watchdog-kernel-api.txt
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ struct watchdog_device {
 	const struct watchdog_ops *ops;
 	unsigned int bootstatus;
 	unsigned int timeout;
+	unsigned int min_timeout;
+	unsigned int max_timeout;
 	void *driver_data;
 	unsigned long status;
 };
@@ -52,6 +54,8 @@ It contains following fields:
   additional information about the watchdog timer itself. (Like it's unique name)
 * ops: a pointer to the list of watchdog operations that the watchdog supports.
 * timeout: the watchdog timer's timeout value (in seconds).
+* min_timeout: the watchdog timer's minimum timeout value (in seconds).
+* max_timeout: the watchdog timer's maximum timeout value (in seconds).
 * bootstatus: status of the device after booting (reported with watchdog
   WDIOF_* status bits).
 * driver_data: a pointer to the drivers private data of a watchdog device.
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_core.c b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_core.c
index 47fc1267ad4e..cfa1a1518aad 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_core.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_core.c
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ int watchdog_register_device(struct watchdog_device *wdd)
 	if (wdd->ops->start == NULL || wdd->ops->stop == NULL)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/*
+	 * Check that we have valid min and max timeout values, if
+	 * not reset them both to 0 (=not used or unknown)
+	 */
+	if (wdd->min_timeout > wdd->max_timeout) {
+		pr_info("Invalid min and max timeout values, resetting to 0!\n");
+		wdd->min_timeout = 0;
+		wdd->max_timeout = 0;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Note: now that all watchdog_device data has been verified, we
 	 * will not check this anymore in other functions. If data gets
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
index e7134a5979c6..d33520d0b4c9 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
@@ -220,6 +220,9 @@ static long watchdog_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd,
 			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 		if (get_user(val, p))
 			return -EFAULT;
+		if ((wdd->max_timeout != 0) &&
+		    (val < wdd->min_timeout || val > wdd->max_timeout))
+				return -EINVAL;
 		err = wdd->ops->set_timeout(wdd, val);
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
diff --git a/include/linux/watchdog.h b/include/linux/watchdog.h
index 325d90b6641b..111843f88b2a 100644
--- a/include/linux/watchdog.h
+++ b/include/linux/watchdog.h
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ struct watchdog_ops {
  * @ops:	Pointer to the list of watchdog operations.
  * @bootstatus:	Status of the watchdog device at boot.
  * @timeout:	The watchdog devices timeout value.
+ * @min_timeout:The watchdog devices minimum timeout value.
+ * @max_timeout:The watchdog devices maximum timeout value.
  * @driver-data:Pointer to the drivers private data.
  * @status:	Field that contains the devices internal status bits.
  *
@@ -109,6 +111,8 @@ struct watchdog_device {
 	const struct watchdog_ops *ops;
 	unsigned int bootstatus;
 	unsigned int timeout;
+	unsigned int min_timeout;
+	unsigned int max_timeout;
 	void *driver_data;
 	unsigned long status;
 /* Bit numbers for status flags */