diff --git a/common/board_r.c b/common/board_r.c
index abc31b17b8..ee4dcedd5f 100644
--- a/common/board_r.c
+++ b/common/board_r.c
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ static init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 	stdio_init_tables,
 	initr_serial,
 	initr_announce,
-#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(WDT)
 	initr_watchdog,
 #endif
 	INIT_FUNC_WATCHDOG_RESET
diff --git a/common/spl/Kconfig b/common/spl/Kconfig
index 5978fb2934..81bd908f9b 100644
--- a/common/spl/Kconfig
+++ b/common/spl/Kconfig
@@ -1061,6 +1061,7 @@ endif
 
 config SPL_WATCHDOG_SUPPORT
 	bool "Support watchdog drivers"
+	imply SPL_WDT if !HW_WATCHDOG
 	help
 	  Enable support for watchdog drivers in SPL. A watchdog is
 	  typically a hardware peripheral which can reset the system when it
diff --git a/common/spl/spl.c b/common/spl/spl.c
index d5e3f680f4..c182705b3f 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl.c
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ void board_init_r(gd_t *dummy1, ulong dummy2)
 	spl_board_init();
 #endif
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_SPL_WATCHDOG_SUPPORT) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+#if defined(CONFIG_SPL_WATCHDOG_SUPPORT) && CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(WDT)
 	initr_watchdog();
 #endif
 
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
index ee0ddffe73..de9bd87236 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/Kconfig
@@ -169,4 +169,11 @@ config WDT_TANGIER
 	  Intel Tangier SoC. If you're using a board with Intel Tangier
 	  SoC, say Y here.
 
+config SPL_WDT
+	bool "Enable driver model for watchdog timer drivers in SPL"
+	depends on SPL_DM
+	help
+	  Enable driver model for watchdog timer in SPL.
+	  This is similar to CONFIG_WDT in U-Boot.
+
 endmenu
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/Makefile b/drivers/watchdog/Makefile
index 68c989aa0b..97aa6a836c 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_XILINX_TB_WATCHDOG) += xilinx_tb_wdt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_OMAP_WATCHDOG) += omap_wdt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_DESIGNWARE_WATCHDOG) += designware_wdt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_ULP_WATCHDOG) += ulp_wdog.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_WDT) += wdt-uclass.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_TPL_)WDT) += wdt-uclass.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_WDT_SANDBOX) += sandbox_wdt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_WDT_ARMADA_37XX) += armada-37xx-wdt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_WDT_ASPEED) += ast_wdt.o
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
index 02a3ed6838..7c2220643b 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ typedef struct global_data {
 #if defined(CONFIG_TRANSLATION_OFFSET)
 	fdt_addr_t translation_offset;	/* optional translation offset */
 #endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(WDT)
 	struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
 #endif
 } gd_t;
diff --git a/include/wdt.h b/include/wdt.h
index aa77d3e9b4..5bcff24ab3 100644
--- a/include/wdt.h
+++ b/include/wdt.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ struct wdt_ops {
 	int (*expire_now)(struct udevice *dev, ulong flags);
 };
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(WDT)
 #ifndef CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS
 #define CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS	(60 * 1000)
 #endif