diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/rti_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/rti_wdt.c
index 6e9253761fc1..ea617c0f9747 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/rti_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/rti_wdt.c
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ static int rti_wdt_start(struct watchdog_device *wdd)
 {
 	u32 timer_margin;
 	struct rti_wdt_device *wdt = watchdog_get_drvdata(wdd);
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = pm_runtime_resume_and_get(wdd->parent);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
 
 	/* set timeout period */
 	timer_margin = (u64)wdd->timeout * wdt->freq;
@@ -295,6 +300,9 @@ static int rti_wdt_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	if (last_ping)
 		watchdog_set_last_hw_keepalive(wdd, last_ping);
 
+	if (!watchdog_hw_running(wdd))
+		pm_runtime_put_sync(&pdev->dev);
+
 	return 0;
 
 err_iomap:
@@ -309,7 +317,10 @@ static int rti_wdt_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	struct rti_wdt_device *wdt = platform_get_drvdata(pdev);
 
 	watchdog_unregister_device(&wdt->wdd);
-	pm_runtime_put(&pdev->dev);
+
+	if (!pm_runtime_suspended(&pdev->dev))
+		pm_runtime_put(&pdev->dev);
+
 	pm_runtime_disable(&pdev->dev);
 
 	return 0;