diff --git a/sys/dev/ichwd/ichwd.c b/sys/dev/ichwd/ichwd.c
index f878d39f933..a109f807822 100644
--- a/sys/dev/ichwd/ichwd.c
+++ b/sys/dev/ichwd/ichwd.c
@@ -183,8 +183,11 @@ ichwd_event(void *arg, unsigned int cmd, int *error)
 	timeout = ((uint64_t)1 << cmd) / ICHWD_TICK;
 	if (cmd > 0 && cmd <= 63
 	    && timeout >= ICHWD_MIN_TIMEOUT && timeout <= ICHWD_MAX_TIMEOUT) {
-		if (timeout != sc->timeout)
+		if (timeout != sc->timeout) {
+			if (!sc->active)
+				ichwd_tmr_enable(sc);
 			ichwd_tmr_set(sc, timeout);
+		}
 
 		ichwd_tmr_reload(sc);
 		*error = 0;