diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wm831x_wdt.c b/drivers/watchdog/wm831x_wdt.c
index b1815c5..87d66d2 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wm831x_wdt.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wm831x_wdt.c
@@ -247,8 +247,9 @@
 		reg |= pdata->software << WM831X_WDOG_RST_SRC_SHIFT;
 
 		if (pdata->update_gpio) {
-			ret = gpio_request(pdata->update_gpio,
-					   "Watchdog update");
+			ret = gpio_request_one(pdata->update_gpio,
+					       GPIOF_DIR_OUT | GPIOF_INIT_LOW,
+					       "Watchdog update");
 			if (ret < 0) {
 				dev_err(wm831x->dev,
 					"Failed to request update GPIO: %d\n",
@@ -256,14 +257,6 @@
 				goto err;
 			}
 
-			ret = gpio_direction_output(pdata->update_gpio, 0);
-			if (ret != 0) {
-				dev_err(wm831x->dev,
-					"gpio_direction_output returned: %d\n",
-					ret);
-				goto err_gpio;
-			}
-
 			driver_data->update_gpio = pdata->update_gpio;
 
 			/* Make sure the watchdog takes hardware updates */