diff --git a/kernel/watchdog.c b/kernel/watchdog.c
index 5b082156cd21..b4560a8480c9 100644
--- a/kernel/watchdog.c
+++ b/kernel/watchdog.c
@@ -430,9 +430,6 @@ static int watchdog_enable(int cpu)
 		wake_up_process(p);
 	}
 
-	/* if any cpu succeeds, watchdog is considered enabled for the system */
-	watchdog_enabled = 1;
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -460,12 +457,16 @@ static void watchdog_disable(int cpu)
 static void watchdog_enable_all_cpus(void)
 {
 	int cpu;
-	int result = 0;
+
+	watchdog_enabled = 0;
 
 	for_each_online_cpu(cpu)
-		result += watchdog_enable(cpu);
+		if (!watchdog_enable(cpu))
+			/* if any cpu succeeds, watchdog is considered
+			   enabled for the system */
+			watchdog_enabled = 1;
 
-	if (result)
+	if (!watchdog_enabled)
 		printk(KERN_ERR "watchdog: failed to be enabled on some cpus\n");
 
 }