diff --git a/components/boards/src/nk3am.rs b/components/boards/src/nk3am.rs
index 0a469ae8..6b644592 100644
--- a/components/boards/src/nk3am.rs
+++ b/components/boards/src/nk3am.rs
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ pub fn power_handler(power: &mut POWER) {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn init_watchdog(wdt: WDT) -> wdt::Parts<(WatchdogHandle<Hdl0>,)> {
+pub fn init_watchdog(wdt: WDT) -> Result<wdt::Parts<(WatchdogHandle<Hdl0>,)>, WDT> {
     const WDT_FREQUENCY: u32 = 32_768;
     // Watchdog triggers after 3 minutes
     const DURATION_SECONS: u32 = 3 * 60;
@@ -274,15 +274,14 @@ pub fn init_watchdog(wdt: WDT) -> wdt::Parts<(WatchdogHandle<Hdl0>,)> {
         Ok(mut watchdog) => {
             watchdog.set_lfosc_ticks(TICKS);
             watchdog.enable_interrupt();
-            let parts = watchdog.activate::<One>();
+            let mut parts = watchdog.activate::<One>();
             parts.handles.0.pet();
-            parts
+            Ok(parts)
         }
         Err(wdt) => {
-            let parts = Watchdog::try_recover::<One>(wdt)
-                .expect("Recover should always work for one handle");
+            let mut parts = Watchdog::try_recover::<One>(wdt)?;
             parts.handles.0.pet();
-            parts
+            Ok(parts)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/runners/embedded/src/bin/app-nrf.rs b/runners/embedded/src/bin/app-nrf.rs
index 3901bfcf..3f34df3c 100644
--- a/runners/embedded/src/bin/app-nrf.rs
+++ b/runners/embedded/src/bin/app-nrf.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ mod app {
     use nrf52840_hal::{
         gpiote::Gpiote,
         rng::Rng,
-        wdt::{self, handles::Hdl0, Watchdog, WatchdogHandle},
+        wdt::{self, handles::Hdl0, WatchdogHandle},
     };
 
     use embedded_runner_lib::{VERSION, VERSION_STRING};
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ mod app {
     struct LocalResources {
         gpiote: Gpiote,
         power: nrf52840_pac::POWER,
-        watchdog_handle: WatchdogHandle<Hdl0>,
-        _watchdog: Watchdog<wdt::Active>,
+        watchdog_parts: Option<wdt::Parts<WatchdogHandle<Hdl0>>>,
     }
 
     #[monotonic(binds = RTC0, default = true)]
@@ -147,14 +146,16 @@ mod app {
             LocalResources {
                 gpiote: board_gpio.gpiote,
                 power: ctx.device.POWER,
-                watchdog_handle: wdt_parts.handles.0,
-                _watchdog: wdt_parts.watchdog,
+                watchdog_parts: wdt_parts.ok().map(|parts| wdt::Parts {
+                    watchdog: parts.watchdog,
+                    handles: parts.handles.0,
+                }),
             },
             init::Monotonics(rtc_mono),
         )
     }
 
-    #[idle(shared = [apps, apdu_dispatch, ctaphid_dispatch, usb_classes], local = [watchdog_handle])]
+    #[idle(shared = [apps, apdu_dispatch, ctaphid_dispatch, usb_classes], local = [watchdog_parts])]
     fn idle(ctx: idle::Context) -> ! {
         let idle::SharedResources {
             mut apps,
@@ -168,7 +169,10 @@ mod app {
         // cortex_m::asm::wfi();
 
         loop {
-            ctx.local.watchdog_handle.pet();
+            ctx.local
+                .watchdog_parts
+                .as_mut()
+                .map(|mut parts| parts.handles.pet());
 
             #[cfg(not(feature = "no-delog"))]
             boards::init::Delogger::flush();