diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_acx.h b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_acx.h
index 758916760912..b7c490845f3e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_acx.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_acx.h
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@
 					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_HW_AVAILABLE  | \
 					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_DATA)
 
-#define WL1271_INTR_MASK                   (WL1271_ACX_INTR_EVENT_A      | \
+#define WL1271_INTR_MASK                   (WL1271_ACX_INTR_WATCHDOG     | \
+					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_EVENT_A      | \
 					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_EVENT_B      | \
 					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_HW_AVAILABLE | \
 					    WL1271_ACX_INTR_DATA)
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_main.c
index a3a1ebc578a3..f5b1d19bc88d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/wl12xx/wl1271_main.c
@@ -529,6 +529,15 @@ static void wl1271_irq_work(struct work_struct *work)
 
 		intr &= WL1271_INTR_MASK;
 
+		if (unlikely(intr & WL1271_ACX_INTR_WATCHDOG)) {
+			wl1271_error("watchdog interrupt received! "
+				     "starting recovery.");
+			ieee80211_queue_work(wl->hw, &wl->recovery_work);
+
+			/* restarting the chip. ignore any other interrupt. */
+			goto out;
+		}
+
 		if (intr & WL1271_ACX_INTR_DATA) {
 			wl1271_debug(DEBUG_IRQ, "WL1271_ACX_INTR_DATA");