diff --git a/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c b/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
index 9e0ca71..fe74f26 100644
--- a/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
+++ b/arch/mips/mach-mt7620/cpu.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_WATCHDOG
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 
 /* Called by macro WATCHDOG_RESET */
 void watchdog_reset(void)
diff --git a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
index 65d50a9..96cb9c7 100644
--- a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
+++ b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_mox/turris_mox.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_WDT_ARMADA_37XX
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 
 void watchdog_reset(void)
 {
diff --git a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
index 1f7650c..c7f6479 100644
--- a/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
+++ b/board/CZ.NIC/turris_omnia/turris_omnia.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT_ORION)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev = NULL;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 #endif
 
 int board_init(void)
diff --git a/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c b/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
index c946ec3..28c9efa 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/microblaze-generic/microblaze-generic.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 #endif /* !CONFIG_SPL_BUILD && CONFIG_WDT */
 
 ulong ram_base;
diff --git a/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c b/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
index b4b84df..ea26aad 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/zynq/board.c
@@ -19,17 +19,12 @@
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 #endif
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F)
 int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
-# if defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-	/* bss is not cleared at time when watchdog_reset() is called */
-	watchdog_dev = NULL;
-# endif
-
 	return 0;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c b/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
index 5e1d211..db27247 100644
--- a/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
+++ b/board/xilinx/zynqmp/zynqmp.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD) && defined(CONFIG_WDT)
-static struct udevice *watchdog_dev;
+static struct udevice *watchdog_dev __attribute__((section(".data"))) = NULL;
 #endif
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_FPGA) && defined(CONFIG_FPGA_ZYNQMPPL) && \
@@ -322,11 +322,6 @@
 	ret = psu_init();
 #endif
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_WDT) && !defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
-	/* bss is not cleared at time when watchdog_reset() is called */
-	watchdog_dev = NULL;
-#endif
-
 	return ret;
 }