diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/it87_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/it87_wdt.c
index 1a5a0a2c3f2e..8c42cb41fa23 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/it87_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/it87_wdt.c
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ static void _wdt_update_timeout(unsigned int t)
 		superio_outb(t >> 8, WDTVALMSB);
 }
 
+/* Internal function, should be called after superio_select(GPIO) */
+static bool _wdt_running(void)
+{
+	return superio_inb(WDTVALLSB) || (max_units > 255 && superio_inb(WDTVALMSB));
+}
+
 static int wdt_update_timeout(unsigned int t)
 {
 	int ret;
@@ -372,6 +378,12 @@ static int __init it87_wdt_init(void)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* wdt already left running by firmware? */
+	if (_wdt_running()) {
+		pr_info("Left running by firmware.\n");
+		set_bit(WDOG_HW_RUNNING, &wdt_dev.status);
+	}
+
 	superio_exit();
 
 	if (timeout < 1 || timeout > max_units * 60) {