diff --git a/wled00/wled.cpp b/wled00/wled.cpp
index 54c723c8..d15cd354 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled.cpp
@@ -276,6 +276,44 @@ void WLED::loop()
   loops++;
 #endif        // WLED_DEBUG
   toki.resetTick();
+
+#if WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT > 0
+  // we finished our mainloop, reset the watchdog timer
+  #ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
+    esp_task_wdt_reset();
+  #else
+    ESP.wdtFeed();
+  #endif
+#endif
+}
+
+void WLED::enableWatchdog() {
+#if WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT > 0
+#ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
+  esp_err_t watchdog = esp_task_wdt_init(WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT, true);
+  DEBUG_PRINT(F("Watchdog enabled: "));
+  if (watchdog == ESP_OK) {
+    DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("OK"));
+  } else {
+    DEBUG_PRINTLN(watchdog);
+    return;
+  }
+  esp_task_wdt_add(NULL);
+#else
+  ESP.wdtEnable(WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT * 1000);
+#endif
+#endif
+}
+
+void WLED::disableWatchdog() {
+#if WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT > 0
+DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Watchdog: disabled"));
+#ifdef ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32
+  esp_task_wdt_delete(NULL);
+#else
+  ESP.wdtDisable();
+#endif
+#endif
 }
 
 void WLED::setup()
@@ -302,6 +340,8 @@ void WLED::setup()
   DEBUG_PRINT(F("heap "));
   DEBUG_PRINTLN(ESP.getFreeHeap());
 
+  enableWatchdog();
+
   #if defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32) && defined(WLED_USE_PSRAM)
   if (psramFound()) {
     // GPIO16/GPIO17 reserved for SPI RAM
@@ -401,8 +441,13 @@ void WLED::setup()
 #ifdef ESP8266
       wifi_set_sleep_type(NONE_SLEEP_T);
 #endif
+      WLED::instance().disableWatchdog();
       DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Start ArduinoOTA"));
     });
+    ArduinoOTA.onError([](ota_error_t error) {
+      // reenable watchdog on failed update
+      WLED::instance().enableWatchdog();
+    });
     if (strlen(cmDNS) > 0)
       ArduinoOTA.setHostname(cmDNS);
   }
diff --git a/wled00/wled.h b/wled00/wled.h
index d8e40475..3739cbb0 100644
--- a/wled00/wled.h
+++ b/wled00/wled.h
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@
 // filesystem specific debugging
 //#define WLED_DEBUG_FS
 
+#ifndef WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT
+  // 3 seconds should be enough to detect a lockup
+  // define WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT=0 to disable watchdog
+  #define WLED_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT 3
+#endif
+
 //optionally disable brownout detector on ESP32.
 //This is generally a terrible idea, but improves boot success on boards with a 3.3v regulator + cap setup that can't provide 400mA peaks
 //#define WLED_DISABLE_BROWNOUT_DET
@@ -78,6 +84,7 @@
   #else
     #include <LittleFS.h>
   #endif
+  #include "esp_task_wdt.h"
 #endif
 
 #include "src/dependencies/network/Network.h"
@@ -704,5 +711,7 @@ public:
   void initConnection();
   void initInterfaces();
   void handleStatusLED();
+  void enableWatchdog();
+  void disableWatchdog();
 };
 #endif        // WLED_H
diff --git a/wled00/wled_server.cpp b/wled00/wled_server.cpp
index c4cd0980..d9a58b11 100644
--- a/wled00/wled_server.cpp
+++ b/wled00/wled_server.cpp
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ void initServer()
     },[](AsyncWebServerRequest *request, String filename, size_t index, uint8_t *data, size_t len, bool final){
       if(!index){
         DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("OTA Update Start"));
+        WLED::instance().disableWatchdog();
         #ifdef ESP8266
         Update.runAsync(true);
         #endif
@@ -214,6 +215,7 @@ void initServer()
           DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Update Success"));
         } else {
           DEBUG_PRINTLN(F("Update Failed"));
+          WLED::instance().enableWatchdog();
         }
       }
     });