diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/pcwd.c b/drivers/watchdog/pcwd.c
index 3b0ddc7fcf3f4b257a4776c1cc0f601f9ffa7d91..9e1331a3b2157e5c7e746ab164209bc0fe77cbe7 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/pcwd.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/pcwd.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ static const int heartbeat_tbl[] = {
 static int cards_found;
 
 /* internal variables */
-static atomic_t open_allowed = ATOMIC_INIT(1);
+static unsigned long open_allowed;
 static char expect_close;
 static int temp_panic;