diff --git a/usr.sbin/watchdogd/watchdogd.c b/usr.sbin/watchdogd/watchdogd.c
index 55210d612df6..9ed9de31683d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/watchdogd/watchdogd.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/watchdogd/watchdogd.c
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ static u_int timeout = WD_TO_128SEC;
 static u_int exit_timeout = WD_TO_NEVER;
 static u_int pretimeout = 0;
 static u_int timeout_sec;
-static u_int passive = 0;
+static u_int nap = 10;
+static int passive = 0;
 static int is_daemon = 0;
 static int is_dry_run = 0;  /* do not arm the watchdog, only
 			       report on timing of the watch
@@ -88,7 +89,6 @@ static int is_dry_run = 0;  /* do not arm the watchdog, only
 static int do_timedog = 0;
 static int do_syslog = 1;
 static int fd = -1;
-static int nap = 10;
 static int carp_thresh_seconds = -1;
 static char *test_cmd = NULL;
 
@@ -771,6 +771,9 @@ parseargs(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (nap > timeout_sec / 2)
+		nap = timeout_sec / 2;
+
 	if (carp_thresh_seconds == -1)
 		carp_thresh_seconds = nap;