diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
index 6c18a58..930cc7c 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/watchdog_dev.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
 static int watchdog_ping(struct watchdog_device *wddev)
 {
-	if (test_bit(WDOG_ACTIVE, &wddev->status)) {
+	if (watchdog_active(wddev)) {
 		if (wddev->ops->ping)
 			return wddev->ops->ping(wddev);  /* ping the watchdog */
 		else
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
 {
 	int err;
 
-	if (!test_bit(WDOG_ACTIVE, &wddev->status)) {
+	if (!watchdog_active(wddev)) {
 		err = wddev->ops->start(wddev);
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 		return err;
 	}
 
-	if (test_bit(WDOG_ACTIVE, &wddev->status)) {
+	if (watchdog_active(wddev)) {
 		err = wddev->ops->stop(wddev);
 		if (err < 0)
 			return err;