diff --git a/drivers/Watchdog.cpp b/drivers/Watchdog.cpp
index 6c8a6edf6d..36a6dd2e18 100644
--- a/drivers/Watchdog.cpp
+++ b/drivers/Watchdog.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ namespace mbed
 
 watchdog_status_t Watchdog::start(const uint32_t timeout)
 {
+    if (timeout == 0) {
+        return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+    }
+
+    if (timeout > max_timeout()) {
+        return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
+    }
+
     watchdog_config_t config;
     config.timeout_ms = timeout;
 
diff --git a/targets/TARGET_Freescale/TARGET_MCUXpresso_MCUS/TARGET_MCU_K64F/watchdog.c b/targets/TARGET_Freescale/TARGET_MCUXpresso_MCUS/TARGET_MCU_K64F/watchdog.c
index 34d6bab1ae..e72f04db30 100644
--- a/targets/TARGET_Freescale/TARGET_MCUXpresso_MCUS/TARGET_MCU_K64F/watchdog.c
+++ b/targets/TARGET_Freescale/TARGET_MCUXpresso_MCUS/TARGET_MCU_K64F/watchdog.c
@@ -52,20 +52,6 @@ static uint32_t calculate_prescaler_value(const uint32_t timeout_ms)
 
 watchdog_status_t hal_watchdog_init(const watchdog_config_t *config)
 {
-  // Validate the input parameters
-  if (config == NULL) {
-    return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-  }
-
-  if (config->timeout_ms == 0) {
-    return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-  }
-
-  if (config->timeout_ms > max_timeout_ms) {
-    return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-  }
-
-
   wdog_config_t cfg;
   cfg.enableWdog = true;
   cfg.clockSource = kWDOG_LpoClockSource;
diff --git a/targets/TARGET_STM/TARGET_STM32F4/watchdog.c b/targets/TARGET_STM/TARGET_STM32F4/watchdog.c
index a4550c2767..ac66d23fcf 100644
--- a/targets/TARGET_STM/TARGET_STM32F4/watchdog.c
+++ b/targets/TARGET_STM/TARGET_STM32F4/watchdog.c
@@ -59,19 +59,6 @@ static uint32_t calculate_prescaler_value(const uint32_t timeout_ms)
 
 watchdog_status_t hal_watchdog_init(const watchdog_config_t *config)
 {
-    // Validate the input parameters
-    if (config == NULL) {
-        return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-    }
-
-    if (config->timeout_ms == 0) {
-        return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-    }
-
-    if (config->timeout_ms > max_timeout_ms) {
-        return WATCHDOG_STATUS_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-    }
-
     const uint32_t prescaler = calculate_prescaler_value(config->timeout_ms);
 
     if (prescaler == 0) {