diff --git a/man/systemd-system.conf.xml b/man/systemd-system.conf.xml
index 2307a8f5c9..3805a010e2 100644
--- a/man/systemd-system.conf.xml
+++ b/man/systemd-system.conf.xml
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
         depending on hardware capabilities).</para>
 
         <para>If <varname>RuntimeWatchdogSec=</varname> is set to a non-zero value, the watchdog hardware
-        (<filename>/dev/watchdog</filename> or the path specified with <varname>WatchdogDevice=</varname> or
+        (<filename>/dev/watchdog0</filename> or the path specified with <varname>WatchdogDevice=</varname> or
         the kernel option <varname>systemd.watchdog-device=</varname>) will be programmed to automatically
         reboot the system if it is not contacted within the specified timeout interval. The system manager
         will ensure to contact it at least once in half the specified timeout interval. This feature requires
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
 
         <listitem><para>Configure the hardware watchdog device that the
         runtime and shutdown watchdog timers will open and use. Defaults
-        to <filename>/dev/watchdog</filename>. This setting has no
+        to <filename>/dev/watchdog0</filename>. This setting has no
         effect if a hardware watchdog is not available.</para></listitem>
       </varlistentry>
 
diff --git a/src/shared/watchdog.c b/src/shared/watchdog.c
index 4de6003039..3f4c72826d 100644
--- a/src/shared/watchdog.c
+++ b/src/shared/watchdog.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "errno-util.h"
 #include "fd-util.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "path-util.h"
 #include "string-util.h"
 #include "time-util.h"
 #include "watchdog.h"
@@ -21,12 +22,10 @@ static usec_t watchdog_last_ping = USEC_INFINITY;
 
 static int watchdog_set_enable(bool enable) {
         int flags = enable ? WDIOS_ENABLECARD : WDIOS_DISABLECARD;
-        int r;
 
         assert(watchdog_fd >= 0);
 
-        r = ioctl(watchdog_fd, WDIOC_SETOPTIONS, &flags);
-        if (r < 0) {
+        if (ioctl(watchdog_fd, WDIOC_SETOPTIONS, &flags) < 0) {
                 if (!enable)
                         return log_warning_errno(errno, "Failed to disable hardware watchdog, ignoring: %m");
 
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ static int watchdog_set_enable(bool enable) {
 static int watchdog_get_timeout(void) {
         int sec = 0;
 
-        assert(watchdog_fd > 0);
+        assert(watchdog_fd >= 0);
 
         if (ioctl(watchdog_fd, WDIOC_GETTIMEOUT, &sec) < 0)
                 return -errno;
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ static int update_timeout(void) {
         if (watchdog_timeout == USEC_INFINITY) {
                 r = watchdog_get_timeout();
                 if (r < 0)
-                        return log_error_errno(errno, "Failed to query watchdog HW timeout: %m");
+                        return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to query watchdog HW timeout: %m");
         }
 
         r = watchdog_set_enable(true);
@@ -127,7 +126,13 @@ static int open_watchdog(void) {
         if (watchdog_fd >= 0)
                 return 0;
 
-        fn = watchdog_device ?: "/dev/watchdog";
+        /* Let's prefer new-style /dev/watchdog0 (i.e. kernel 3.5+) over classic /dev/watchdog. The former
+         * has the benefit that we can easily find the matching directory in sysfs from it, as the relevant
+         * sysfs attributes can only be found via /sys/dev/char/<major>:<minor> if the new-style device
+         * major/minor is used, not the old-style. */
+        fn = !watchdog_device || path_equal(watchdog_device, "/dev/watchdog") ?
+                "/dev/watchdog0" : watchdog_device;
+
         watchdog_fd = open(fn, O_WRONLY|O_CLOEXEC);
         if (watchdog_fd < 0)
                 return log_debug_errno(errno, "Failed to open watchdog device %s, ignoring: %m", fn);