diff --git a/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-conf.h b/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-conf.h
index 0839607f9..92c2ef1b3 100644
--- a/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-conf.h
+++ b/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-conf.h
@@ -87,6 +87,12 @@
 #define BLOCKING_TX 1
 #define NULLRDC_CONF_802154_AUTOACK_HW 1
 
+#define USE_WDT 0
+
+#ifndef WDT_TIMEOUT
+#define WDT_TIMEOUT 5000 /* watchdog timeout in ms */
+#endif
+
 /* end of mc1322x specific config. */
 
 /* start of conitki config. */
diff --git a/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-mc1322x-main.c b/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-mc1322x-main.c
index ff456e82c..268d1602a 100644
--- a/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-mc1322x-main.c
+++ b/platform/redbee-econotag/contiki-mc1322x-main.c
@@ -203,6 +203,13 @@ init_lowlevel(void)
 	*CRM_RTC_TIMEOUT = cal_rtc_secs * 10;
 #endif
 
+#if (USE_WDT == 1)
+	/* set the watchdog timer timeout to 1 sec */
+	cop_timeout_ms(WDT_TIMEOUT);
+	/* enable the watchdog timer */
+	CRM->COP_CNTLbits.COP_EN = 1;
+#endif
+
 	/* XXX debug */
 	/* trigger periodic rtc int */
 //	clear_rtc_wu_evt();
@@ -479,6 +486,10 @@ main(void)
   while(1) {
 	  check_maca();
 
+#if (USE_WDT == 1)
+	  cop_service();
+#endif
+
 	  /* TODO: replace this with a uart rx interrupt */
 	  if(uart1_input_handler != NULL) {
 		  if(uart1_can_get()) {