diff --git a/include/linux/nmi.h b/include/linux/nmi.h
index cfebb3bc4eed..5774b443dba1 100644
--- a/include/linux/nmi.h
+++ b/include/linux/nmi.h
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ extern unsigned int hardlockup_panic;
 static inline void hardlockup_detector_disable(void) {}
 #endif
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_HAVE_NMI_WATCHDOG) || defined(CONFIG_HARDLOCKUP_DETECTOR)
+# define NMI_WATCHDOG_SYSCTL_PERM	0644
+#else
+# define NMI_WATCHDOG_SYSCTL_PERM	0444
+#endif
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_HARDLOCKUP_DETECTOR_PERF)
 extern void arch_touch_nmi_watchdog(void);
 extern void hardlockup_detector_perf_stop(void);
diff --git a/kernel/sysctl.c b/kernel/sysctl.c
index 6648fbbb8157..539cb4e97bb8 100644
--- a/kernel/sysctl.c
+++ b/kernel/sysctl.c
@@ -891,14 +891,10 @@ static struct ctl_table kern_table[] = {
 		.procname       = "nmi_watchdog",
 		.data           = &nmi_watchdog_enabled,
 		.maxlen         = sizeof (int),
-		.mode           = 0644,
+		.mode		= NMI_WATCHDOG_SYSCTL_PERM,
 		.proc_handler   = proc_nmi_watchdog,
 		.extra1		= &zero,
-#if defined(CONFIG_HAVE_NMI_WATCHDOG) || defined(CONFIG_HARDLOCKUP_DETECTOR)
 		.extra2		= &one,
-#else
-		.extra2		= &zero,
-#endif
 	},
 	{
 		.procname	= "watchdog_cpumask",