diff --git a/cc3200/misc/FreeRTOSHooks.c b/cc3200/misc/FreeRTOSHooks.c
index 260cd84e0..a31edccf0 100644
--- a/cc3200/misc/FreeRTOSHooks.c
+++ b/cc3200/misc/FreeRTOSHooks.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include "inc/hw_memmap.h"
 #include "pybuart.h"
 #include "osi.h"
-#include "pybwdt.h"
 #include "mperror.h"
 
 
@@ -49,8 +48,6 @@
 //*****************************************************************************
 void vApplicationIdleHook (void)
 {
-    // kick the watchdog
-    pybwdt_kick();
     // signal that we are alive and kicking
     mperror_heartbeat_signal();
     // gate the processor's clock to save power
diff --git a/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.c b/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.c
index b1a6145c2..d213d319d 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.c
+++ b/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.c
@@ -73,15 +73,6 @@ __attribute__ ((section (".boot")))
 void pybwdt_init0 (void) {
 }
 
-void pybwdt_kick (void) {
-    // check that the servers and simplelink are running fine
-    if ((pybwdt_data.servers || pybwdt_data.servers_sleeping) && pybwdt_data.simplelink && pybwdt_data.running) {
-        pybwdt_data.servers = false;
-        pybwdt_data.simplelink = false;
-        MAP_WatchdogIntClear(WDT_BASE);
-    }
-}
-
 void pybwdt_srv_alive (void) {
     pybwdt_data.servers = true;
 }
@@ -139,7 +130,11 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_wdt_make_new (mp_obj_t type_in, mp_uint_t n_args, mp_uint_t
 /// \function wdt_kick()
 /// Kicks the watchdog timer
 STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_kick_wdt(mp_obj_t self) {
-    pybwdt_kick ();
+    if ((pybwdt_data.servers || pybwdt_data.servers_sleeping) && pybwdt_data.simplelink) {
+        pybwdt_data.servers = false;
+        pybwdt_data.simplelink = false;
+        MAP_WatchdogIntClear(WDT_BASE);
+    }
     return mp_const_none;
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(pyb_kick_wdt_obj, pyb_kick_wdt);
diff --git a/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.h b/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.h
index 9b96e0922..f87f0a773 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.h
+++ b/cc3200/mods/pybwdt.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 extern const mp_obj_type_t pyb_wdt_type;
 
 void pybwdt_init0 (void);
-void pybwdt_kick (void);
 void pybwdt_srv_alive (void);
 void pybwdt_srv_sleeping (bool state);
 void pybwdt_sl_alive (void);