diff --git a/ports/esp32/machine_wdt.c b/ports/esp32/machine_wdt.c
index 88a58f056a..5c4732f4b6 100644
--- a/ports/esp32/machine_wdt.c
+++ b/ports/esp32/machine_wdt.c
@@ -41,21 +41,34 @@ typedef struct _machine_wdt_obj_t {
 
 STATIC machine_wdt_obj_t wdt_default = {{&machine_wdt_type}};
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t machine_wdt_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type_in, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args) {
-    mp_arg_check_num(n_args, n_kw, 0, 1, false);
+STATIC mp_obj_t machine_wdt_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type_in, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *all_args) {
+    enum { ARG_id, ARG_timeout };
+    static const mp_arg_t allowed_args[] = {
+        { MP_QSTR_id, MP_ARG_INT, {.u_int = 0} },
+        { MP_QSTR_timeout, MP_ARG_INT, {.u_int = 5000} }
+    };
+    mp_arg_val_t args[MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args)];
+    mp_arg_parse_all_kw_array(n_args, n_kw, all_args, MP_ARRAY_SIZE(allowed_args), allowed_args, args);
 
-    mp_int_t id = 0;
-    if (n_args > 0) {
-        id = mp_obj_get_int(args[0]);
+    if (args[ARG_id].u_int != 0) {
+        mp_raise_ValueError(NULL);
     }
 
-    switch (id) {
-        case 0:
-            esp_task_wdt_add(NULL);
-            return &wdt_default;
-        default:
-            mp_raise_ValueError(NULL);
+    // Convert milliseconds to seconds (esp_task_wdt_init needs seconds)
+    args[ARG_timeout].u_int /= 1000;
+
+    if (args[ARG_timeout].u_int <= 0) {
+        mp_raise_ValueError("WDT timeout too short");
     }
+
+    mp_int_t rs_code = esp_task_wdt_init(args[ARG_timeout].u_int, true);
+    if (rs_code != ESP_OK) {
+        mp_raise_OSError(rs_code);
+    }
+
+    esp_task_wdt_add(NULL);
+
+    return &wdt_default;
 }
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t machine_wdt_feed(mp_obj_t self_in) {