diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event.c
index 3a0338b4b179..8a57f9aa8e36 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event.c
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ struct x86_pmu {
 	void		(*enable_all)(int added);
 	void		(*enable)(struct perf_event *);
 	void		(*disable)(struct perf_event *);
+	void		(*hw_watchdog_set_attr)(struct perf_event_attr *attr);
 	int		(*hw_config)(struct perf_event *event);
 	int		(*schedule_events)(struct cpu_hw_events *cpuc, int n, int *assign);
 	unsigned	eventsel;
@@ -315,6 +316,12 @@ static u64 __read_mostly hw_cache_extra_regs
 				[PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_OP_MAX]
 				[PERF_COUNT_HW_CACHE_RESULT_MAX];
 
+void hw_nmi_watchdog_set_attr(struct perf_event_attr *wd_attr)
+{
+	if (x86_pmu.hw_watchdog_set_attr)
+		x86_pmu.hw_watchdog_set_attr(wd_attr);
+}
+
 /*
  * Propagate event elapsed time into the generic event.
  * Can only be executed on the CPU where the event is active.
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event_p4.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event_p4.c
index ead584fb6a7d..f76fddf63381 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event_p4.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event_p4.c
@@ -705,6 +705,31 @@ static int p4_validate_raw_event(struct perf_event *event)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void p4_hw_watchdog_set_attr(struct perf_event_attr *wd_attr)
+{
+	/*
+	 * Watchdog ticks are special on Netburst, we use
+	 * that named "non-sleeping" ticks as recommended
+	 * by Intel SDM Vol3b.
+	 */
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(wd_attr->type	!= PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE ||
+		     wd_attr->config	!= PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES);
+
+	wd_attr->type	= PERF_TYPE_RAW;
+	wd_attr->config	=
+		p4_config_pack_escr(P4_ESCR_EVENT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, NBOGUS0)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, NBOGUS1)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, NBOGUS2)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, NBOGUS3)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, BOGUS0)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, BOGUS1)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, BOGUS2)		|
+			P4_ESCR_EMASK_BIT(P4_EVENT_EXECUTION_EVENT, BOGUS3))		|
+		p4_config_pack_cccr(P4_CCCR_THRESHOLD(15) | P4_CCCR_COMPLEMENT		|
+			P4_CCCR_COMPARE);
+}
+
 static int p4_hw_config(struct perf_event *event)
 {
 	int cpu = get_cpu();
@@ -1179,6 +1204,7 @@ static __initconst const struct x86_pmu p4_pmu = {
 	.cntval_bits		= ARCH_P4_CNTRVAL_BITS,
 	.cntval_mask		= ARCH_P4_CNTRVAL_MASK,
 	.max_period		= (1ULL << (ARCH_P4_CNTRVAL_BITS - 1)) - 1,
+	.hw_watchdog_set_attr	= p4_hw_watchdog_set_attr,
 	.hw_config		= p4_hw_config,
 	.schedule_events	= p4_pmu_schedule_events,
 	/*
diff --git a/kernel/watchdog.c b/kernel/watchdog.c
index 3d0c56ad4792..752b75ba662b 100644
--- a/kernel/watchdog.c
+++ b/kernel/watchdog.c
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ static int is_softlockup(unsigned long touch_ts)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_HARDLOCKUP_DETECTOR
+void __weak hw_nmi_watchdog_set_attr(struct perf_event_attr *wd_attr) { }
+
 static struct perf_event_attr wd_hw_attr = {
 	.type		= PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE,
 	.config		= PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES,
@@ -368,9 +370,11 @@ static int watchdog_nmi_enable(int cpu)
 	if (event != NULL)
 		goto out_enable;
 
-	/* Try to register using hardware perf events */
 	wd_attr = &wd_hw_attr;
 	wd_attr->sample_period = hw_nmi_get_sample_period(watchdog_thresh);
+	hw_nmi_watchdog_set_attr(wd_attr);
+
+	/* Try to register using hardware perf events */
 	event = perf_event_create_kernel_counter(wd_attr, cpu, NULL, watchdog_overflow_callback);
 	if (!IS_ERR(event)) {
 		printk(KERN_INFO "NMI watchdog enabled, takes one hw-pmu counter.\n");