diff --git a/src/startup.cpp b/src/startup.cpp
index 73a5b21..8556665 100644
--- a/src/startup.cpp
+++ b/src/startup.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 // Tacos-specific includes.
 #include <sta/tacos/manager.hpp>
 #include <sta/tacos/statemachine.hpp>
+#include <sta/tacos/watchdog.hpp>
 
 
 // The UART mutex defined in freertos.c
@@ -72,8 +73,6 @@ namespace sta
 			UARTSettings settings = { .mode =  UARTMode::RX_TX };
 			STM32UART * intf_ptr = new STM32UART(getUARThandle(), settings, mutex);
 			Debug = new PrintableUART(intf_ptr);
-
-			STA_DEBUG_PRINTLN("UART SUCCESSFULLY INITIALIZED");
 		}
 	}
 #endif // STA_DEBUGGING_ENABLED
@@ -113,6 +112,19 @@ namespace sta
 
 			Manager::instance()->start();
 		}
+
+#ifdef STA_TACOS_WATCHDOG_ENABLED
+		STA_WEAK
+		void onWatchdogInit()
+		{}
+
+		void initWatchdog()
+		{
+			onWatchdogInit();
+
+			Watchdog::instance()->start();
+		}
+#endif // STA_TACOS_WATCHDOG_ENABLED
 	}  // namespace tacos
 
 
@@ -128,6 +140,10 @@ namespace sta
 			tacos::initStatemachine();
 
 			tacos::initManager();
+
+#ifdef STA_TACOS_WATCHDOG_ENABLED
+			tacos::initWatchdog();
+#endif // STA_TACOS_WATCHDOG_ENABLED
 		}
 	} // namespace rtos
 } // namespace sta
diff --git a/src/watchdog.cpp b/src/watchdog.cpp
index 63ff4fe..f82fa89 100644
--- a/src/watchdog.cpp
+++ b/src/watchdog.cpp
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ namespace sta
 
 		Watchdog::Watchdog()
 			: TacosThread{"Watchdog", STA_TACOS_WATCHDOG_PRIORITY}
-		{
-
-		}
+		{}
 
 		Watchdog* Watchdog::_instance = nullptr;
     } // namespace tacos