diff --git a/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/common/sonic_platform/watchdog.py b/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/common/sonic_platform/watchdog.py
index 10c03aede1a..4507278fa6a 100644
--- a/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/common/sonic_platform/watchdog.py
+++ b/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/common/sonic_platform/watchdog.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # Watchdog punching is paused if file is present
 _WATCHDOG_PAUSE_FILE_PATH = Path("/var/lock/pddf-locks/watchdog.pause")
 # How long the watchdog is armed for by the watchdog.timer
-_WATCHDOG_PUNCH_DAEMON_ARM_SECONDS = 360
+_WATCHDOG_PUNCH_DAEMON_ARM_SECONDS = 300
 
 
 def _pause_watchdog_punching(duration: datetime.timedelta) -> None:
@@ -126,6 +126,12 @@ def _do_real_arm(self, seconds: int) -> int:
             self._toggle_watchdog_counter_enable(True)
             self._toggle_watchdog_reboot(True)
             self._update_watchdog_countdown_value(milliseconds=seconds*1_000)
+            # TODO: workaround: arm watchdog 2 to trigger watchdog 1
+            fpga_lib.write_32(
+                pci_address=self.fpga_pci_addr,
+                offset=0x1d8,
+                val=0x80000001,
+            )
         except Exception as e:
             _logger.log_error(f"cannot arm watchdog: {e}")
             return -1
diff --git a/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/test/unit/sonic_platform/test_watchdog.py b/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/test/unit/sonic_platform/test_watchdog.py
index 6d48e5e55e2..5a882cd441f 100644
--- a/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/test/unit/sonic_platform/test_watchdog.py
+++ b/platform/broadcom/sonic-platform-modules-nexthop/test/unit/sonic_platform/test_watchdog.py
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ def test_arm_seconds_out_of_bound_error(self, seconds):
 
     def test_arm_should_update_counter(
         self,
+        watchdog_module,
         mock_update_watchdog_countdown_value,
         mock_toggle_watchdog_reboot,
         mock_toggle_watchdog_counter_enable,
@@ -211,7 +212,9 @@ def test_arm_should_update_counter(
         )
 
         # Act
-        actual_return_value = self.watchdog.arm(timeout_seconds)
+        # TODO: workaround: arm watchdog 2 to trigger watchdog 1
+        with patch.object(watchdog_module.fpga_lib, "write_32", autospec=True):
+            actual_return_value = self.watchdog.arm(timeout_seconds)
 
         # Assert
         assert (