diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/watchdog.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/watchdog.c
index b67f8b03a32d..fda4d044d326 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/watchdog.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/watchdog.c
@@ -71,15 +71,20 @@ static inline void wd_smp_lock(unsigned long *flags)
 	 * This may be called from low level interrupt handlers at some
 	 * point in future.
 	 */
-	local_irq_save(*flags);
-	while (unlikely(test_and_set_bit_lock(0, &__wd_smp_lock)))
-		cpu_relax();
+	raw_local_irq_save(*flags);
+	hard_irq_disable(); /* Make it soft-NMI safe */
+	while (unlikely(test_and_set_bit_lock(0, &__wd_smp_lock))) {
+		raw_local_irq_restore(*flags);
+		spin_until_cond(!test_bit(0, &__wd_smp_lock));
+		raw_local_irq_save(*flags);
+		hard_irq_disable();
+	}
 }
 
 static inline void wd_smp_unlock(unsigned long *flags)
 {
 	clear_bit_unlock(0, &__wd_smp_lock);
-	local_irq_restore(*flags);
+	raw_local_irq_restore(*flags);
 }
 
 static void wd_lockup_ipi(struct pt_regs *regs)