diff --git a/service/instance.c b/service/instance.c
index b611c0f..2b8bba0 100644
--- a/service/instance.c
+++ b/service/instance.c
@@ -1040,10 +1040,10 @@ instance_config_changed(struct service_instance *in, struct service_instance *in
 	if (in->jail.flags != in_new->jail.flags)
 		return true;
 
-	if (in->watchdog.mode != in_new->watchdog.mode)
+	if (!in->watchdog.self_managed && in->watchdog.mode != in_new->watchdog.mode)
 		return true;
 
-	if (in->watchdog.freq != in_new->watchdog.freq)
+	if (!in->watchdog.self_managed && in->watchdog.freq != in_new->watchdog.freq)
 		return true;
 
 	return false;
@@ -1517,9 +1517,11 @@ instance_config_move(struct service_instance *in, struct service_instance *in_sr
 	in->respawn_timeout = in_src->respawn_timeout;
 	in->reload_signal = in_src->reload_signal;
 	in->term_timeout = in_src->term_timeout;
-	in->watchdog.mode = in_src->watchdog.mode;
-	in->watchdog.freq = in_src->watchdog.freq;
-	in->watchdog.timeout = in_src->watchdog.timeout;
+	if (!in->watchdog.self_managed) {
+		// Note: in->watchdog.timeout is in a linked list; do not copy
+		in->watchdog.mode = in_src->watchdog.mode;
+		in->watchdog.freq = in_src->watchdog.freq;
+	}
 	in->name = in_src->name;
 	in->nice = in_src->nice;
 	in->trace = in_src->trace;
diff --git a/service/instance.h b/service/instance.h
index 32fae19..d5a10e2 100644
--- a/service/instance.h
+++ b/service/instance.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ typedef enum instance_watchdog {
 } instance_watchdog_mode_t;
 
 struct watchdog {
+	bool self_managed;
 	instance_watchdog_mode_t mode;
 	uint32_t freq;
 	struct uloop_timeout timeout;
diff --git a/service/service.c b/service/service.c
index 831f075..7f1f408 100644
--- a/service/service.c
+++ b/service/service.c
@@ -1059,6 +1059,11 @@ service_handle_watchdog(struct ubus_context *ctx, struct ubus_object *obj,
 
 	ubus_send_reply(ctx, req, b.head);
 
+	// If the service adjusts the mode or timeout, mark it as self managed
+	// so that it doesn't get restarted with a new /etc/init.d/SERVICE start
+	if (tb[SERVICE_WATCHDOG_MODE] || tb[SERVICE_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT])
+		in->watchdog.self_managed = true;
+
 	return UBUS_STATUS_OK;
 }