diff --git a/platformio.ini b/platformio.ini
index 25a2b69a..c7ebc600 100644
--- a/platformio.ini
+++ b/platformio.ini
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ build_flags = -std=gnu++2b
 	-I conf
 	-Wno-deprecated-declarations
   -Wno-attributes
-  -D CORE_DEBUG_LEVEL=1
+  -D CORE_DEBUG_LEVEL=0
 build_src_flags = -Wformat=2
 	-Wformat-truncation
 	-Wall
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 926557d3..a3465247 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -142,11 +142,19 @@ namespace fabomatic
       if (!initialized)
       {
         constexpr auto msecs = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(conf::tasks::WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT).count();
-        constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = msecs, .idle_core_mask = 0, .trigger_panic = true};
-        esp_task_wdt_init(&conf); // enable panic so ESP32 restarts
-        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "taskEspWatchdog - initialized %lld milliseconds", msecs);
-        esp_task_wdt_add(NULL); // add current thread to WDT watch
-        initialized = true;
+        constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = msecs, .idle_core_mask = 1, .trigger_panic = true};
+        esp_task_wdt_deinit();
+        auto result = esp_task_wdt_init(&conf); // enable panic so ESP32 restarts
+        if (result == ESP_OK)
+        {
+          ESP_LOGI(TAG, "taskEspWatchdog - initialized %lld milliseconds", msecs);
+          esp_task_wdt_add(NULL); // add current thread to WDT watch
+          initialized = true;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          ESP_LOGE(TAG, "taskEspWatchdog - failed to initialize with %lld milliseconds", msecs);
+        }
       }
       esp_task_wdt_reset(); // Signal the hardware watchdog
     }
@@ -470,7 +478,8 @@ void setup()
   if (!hw_init)
   {
     // If hardware initialization failed, wait for OTA for 3 minutes
-    constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = 60 * 3 * 1000, .idle_core_mask = 0, .trigger_panic = true};
+    constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = 60 * 3 * 1000, .idle_core_mask = 1, .trigger_panic = true};
+    esp_task_wdt_deinit();
     esp_task_wdt_init(&conf); // enable panic so ESP32 restarts
     esp_task_wdt_add(NULL);   // add current thread to WDT watch
     while (true)
diff --git a/test/test_mqtt/test_mqtt.cpp b/test/test_mqtt/test_mqtt.cpp
index 4521647d..f715f3d4 100644
--- a/test/test_mqtt/test_mqtt.cpp
+++ b/test/test_mqtt/test_mqtt.cpp
@@ -277,11 +277,19 @@ namespace fabomatic::tests
     {
       if (!initialized)
       {
-        constexpr auto msecs = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(conf::tasks::WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT).count();
-        constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = msecs, .idle_core_mask = 0, .trigger_panic = true};
-        TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, esp_task_wdt_init(&conf), "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_init failed");
-        ESP_LOGI(TAG3, "taskEspWatchdog - initialized %lld seconds", msecs);
-        TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, esp_task_wdt_add(NULL), "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_add failed");
+        constexpr uint32_t msecs{std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(conf::tasks::WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT).count()};
+        constexpr esp_task_wdt_config_t conf{.timeout_ms = msecs, .idle_core_mask = 1, .trigger_panic = true};
+
+        auto deinit = esp_task_wdt_deinit();
+        TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, deinit, "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_deinit failed");
+
+        auto result = esp_task_wdt_init(&conf);
+        TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, result, "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_init failed");
+
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG3, "taskEspWatchdog - initialized %lu seconds", msecs);
+
+        auto result2 = esp_task_wdt_add(NULL);
+        TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_INT_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, result2, "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_add failed");
         initialized = true;
       }
       TEST_ASSERT_EQUAL_MESSAGE(ESP_OK, esp_task_wdt_reset(), "taskEspWatchdog - esp_task_wdt_reset failed");