diff --git a/sched/wdog/wd_start.c b/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
index 1e0a1141d9d..d7a3af9bc7a 100644
--- a/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
+++ b/sched/wdog/wd_start.c
@@ -178,8 +178,6 @@ void wd_insert(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t expired,
 {
   FAR struct wdog_s *curr;
 
-  DEBUGASSERT(wdog && wdentry);
-
   /* Traverse the watchdog list */
 
   list_for_every_entry(&g_wdactivelist, curr, struct wdog_s, node)
@@ -295,8 +293,8 @@ int wd_start_absolute(FAR struct wdog_s *wdog, clock_t ticks,
 
   wd_insert(wdog, ticks, wdentry, arg);
 
-  reassess |= list_is_head(&g_wdactivelist, &wdog->node);
-  if (!g_wdtimernested && reassess)
+  if (!g_wdtimernested &&
+      (reassess || list_is_head(&g_wdactivelist, &wdog->node)))
     {
       /* Resume the interval timer that will generate the next
        * interval event. If the timer at the head of the list changed,