diff --git a/src/hal/avr/cpu.cpp b/src/hal/avr/cpu.cpp
index 96d539d..110e8be 100644
--- a/src/hal/avr/cpu.cpp
+++ b/src/hal/avr/cpu.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #include "../cpu.h"
+#include <avr/interrupt.h>
+#include "../watchdog.h"
 
 namespace hal {
 namespace cpu {
@@ -6,5 +8,12 @@ namespace cpu {
 void Init() {
 }
 
+void Reset() {
+    cli();
+    watchdog::Enable(0); //minimum amount of watchdog
+    for (;;)
+        ; //endless loop while waiting for the watchdog to reset
+}
+
 } // namespace CPU
 } // namespace hal
diff --git a/src/hal/avr/watchdog.cpp b/src/hal/avr/watchdog.cpp
index a707047..86f1b52 100644
--- a/src/hal/avr/watchdog.cpp
+++ b/src/hal/avr/watchdog.cpp
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 namespace hal {
 namespace watchdog {
 
-void ConfigureWatchDog(uint16_t period) {
+void Enable(uint16_t period) {
     // @@TODO
 }
 
-void ResetWatchDog() {
+void Reset() {
     asm("wdr");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hal/cpu.h b/src/hal/cpu.h
index 604c7b9..ace6a9e 100644
--- a/src/hal/cpu.h
+++ b/src/hal/cpu.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ namespace cpu {
 
 /// CPU init routines (not really necessary for the AVR)
 void Init();
+void Reset();
 
 } // namespace cpu
 } // namespace hal
diff --git a/src/hal/watchdog.h b/src/hal/watchdog.h
index 90c3f10..c585281 100644
--- a/src/hal/watchdog.h
+++ b/src/hal/watchdog.h
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ namespace hal {
 namespace watchdog {
 
 /// watchdog interface
-void ConfigureWatchDog(uint16_t period);
-void ResetWatchDog();
+void Enable(uint16_t period);
+void Reset();
 
 } // namespace watchdog
 } // namespace hal
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 08713da..c24082c 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void setup() {
 
     mt::timebase.Init();
 
-    hal::watchdog::ConfigureWatchDog(8);
+    watchdog::Enable(8000); //8s timeout
 
     mg::globals.Init();
 
@@ -294,9 +294,7 @@ void ProcessRequestMsg(const mp::RequestMsg &rq) {
         break;
     case mp::RequestMsgCodes::Reset:
         // immediately reset the board - there is no response in this case
-        hal::watchdog::ConfigureWatchDog(1); // set the watchdog to the lowest possible timeout
-        for (;;)
-            ; // cycle indefinitely (i.e. let the watchdog reset the CPU)
+        hal::cpu::Reset();
         break;
     case mp::RequestMsgCodes::Version:
         ReportVersion(rq);
@@ -370,7 +368,7 @@ void loop() {
     mui::userInput.Step();
     currentCommand->Step();
 
-    hal::watchdog::ResetWatchDog();
+    hal::watchdog::Reset();
 }
 
 int main() {