diff --git a/drivers/rtc/rtc-ds1374.c b/drivers/rtc/rtc-ds1374.c
index 4cd115e93223..2a8b5b3e429b 100644
--- a/drivers/rtc/rtc-ds1374.c
+++ b/drivers/rtc/rtc-ds1374.c
@@ -525,6 +525,10 @@ static long ds1374_wdt_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd,
 		if (get_user(new_margin, (int __user *)arg))
 			return -EFAULT;
 
+		/* the hardware's tick rate is 4096 Hz, so
+		 * the counter value needs to be scaled accordingly
+		 */
+		new_margin <<= 12;
 		if (new_margin < 1 || new_margin > 16777216)
 			return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -533,7 +537,8 @@ static long ds1374_wdt_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd,
 		ds1374_wdt_ping();
 		/* fallthrough */
 	case WDIOC_GETTIMEOUT:
-		return put_user(wdt_margin, (int __user *)arg);
+		/* when returning ... inverse is true */
+		return put_user((wdt_margin >> 12), (int __user *)arg);
 	case WDIOC_SETOPTIONS:
 		if (copy_from_user(&options, (int __user *)arg, sizeof(int)))
 			return -EFAULT;