diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/wdt.c
index 3bbefe9a2634..bfda2e99dd89 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wdt.c
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ static long wdt_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg)
 	int new_heartbeat;
 	int status;
 
-	static struct watchdog_info ident = {
+	struct watchdog_info ident = {
 		.options =		WDIOF_SETTIMEOUT|
 					WDIOF_MAGICCLOSE|
 					WDIOF_KEEPALIVEPING,
diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wdt_pci.c b/drivers/watchdog/wdt_pci.c
index f368dd87083a..7b22e3cdbc81 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wdt_pci.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wdt_pci.c
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ static long wdtpci_ioctl(struct file *file, unsigned int cmd,
 	int new_heartbeat;
 	int status;
 
-	static struct watchdog_info ident = {
+	struct watchdog_info ident = {
 		.options =		WDIOF_SETTIMEOUT|
 					WDIOF_MAGICCLOSE|
 					WDIOF_KEEPALIVEPING,