diff --git a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.clevis.script b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.clevis.script
index 9a1c37ba..c38c0e94 100644
--- a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.clevis.script
+++ b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.clevis.script
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ if [ -z "${create_file_system_cmd}" ]; then
 	create_file_system_cmd="mke2fs -t ext4"
 fi
 
+service_watchdog() {
+	for n in $(seq $(($SETUP_TIMEOUT / 10)) ); do
+		printf '\0'
+		sleep 10
+	done > "$WATCHDOG_DEV"
+}
+
 open_tpm2_partition() {
 	if ! /usr/bin/clevis luks unlock -n "$crypt_mount_name" \
 		 -d "$1"; then
@@ -104,6 +111,12 @@ for partition_set in $partition_sets; do
 		continue
 	fi
 
+	# service watchdog in the background during lengthy re-encryption
+	if [ -z "$watchdog_pid" ]; then
+		service_watchdog &
+		watchdog_pid=$!
+	fi
+
 	# create random password for initial encryption
 	# this will be dropped after reboot
 	tmp_key=/tmp/"$partition_label-lukskey"
@@ -136,3 +149,7 @@ for partition_set in $partition_sets; do
 	# afterwards no new keys can be enrolled
 	cryptsetup -v luksKillSlot -q  "$part_device" 0
 done
+
+if [ -n "$watchdog_pid" ]; then
+	kill "$watchdog_pid"
+fi
diff --git a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.env.tmpl b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.env.tmpl
index d04be56c..382fe45f 100644
--- a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.env.tmpl
+++ b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.env.tmpl
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 PARTITIONS="${CRYPT_PARTITIONS}"
 CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD="${CRYPT_CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD}"
+SETUP_TIMEOUT="${CRYPT_SETUP_TIMEOUT}"
+WATCHDOG_DEV="${WATCHDOG_DEVICE}"
diff --git a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.hook b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.hook
index fa37b57a..08ea631a 100755
--- a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.hook
+++ b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.hook
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ copy_exec /usr/sbin/mke2fs || hook_error "/usr/sbin/mke2fs not found"
 copy_exec /usr/bin/grep || hook_error "/usr/bin/grep not found"
 copy_exec /usr/bin/awk || hook_error "/usr/bin/awk not found"
 copy_exec /usr/bin/expr || hook_error "/usr/bin/expr not found"
+copy_exec /usr/bin/seq || hook_error "/usr/bin/seq not found"
+copy_exec /usr/bin/sleep || hook_error "/usr/bin/sleep not found"
 copy_exec /usr/sbin/e2fsck || hook_error "/usr/sbin/e2fsck not found"
 copy_exec /usr/sbin/resize2fs || hook_error "/usr/sbin/resize2fs not found"
 copy_exec /usr/sbin/cryptsetup || hook_error "/usr/sbin/cryptsetup not found"
diff --git a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.script b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.script
index eefac4bd..cf513dfe 100644
--- a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.script
+++ b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/files/encrypt_partition.systemd.script
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ if [ -z "${create_file_system_cmd}" ]; then
 	create_file_system_cmd="mke2fs -t ext4"
 fi
 
+service_watchdog() {
+	for n in $(seq $(($SETUP_TIMEOUT / 10)) ); do
+		printf '\0'
+		sleep 10
+	done > "$WATCHDOG_DEV"
+}
+
 open_tpm2_partition() {
 	if ! /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-cryptsetup attach "$crypt_mount_name" \
 		 "$1" - tpm2-device="$tpm_device"; then
@@ -111,6 +118,12 @@ for partition_set in $partition_sets; do
 		continue
 	fi
 
+	# pet watchdog in the background during lengthy re-encryption
+	if [ -z "$watchdog_pid" ]; then
+		service_watchdog &
+		watchdog_pid=$!
+	fi
+
 	# create random password for initial encryption
 	# this will be dropped after reboot
 	tmp_key=/tmp/"$partition_label-lukskey"
@@ -143,3 +156,7 @@ for partition_set in $partition_sets; do
 	# afterwards no new keys can be enrolled
 	/usr/bin/systemd-cryptenroll "$partition" --wipe-slot=0
 done
+
+if [ -n "$watchdog_pid" ]; then
+	kill "$watchdog_pid"
+fi
diff --git a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/initramfs-crypt-hook_0.1.bb b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/initramfs-crypt-hook_0.1.bb
index 997f469d..db65ea40 100644
--- a/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/initramfs-crypt-hook_0.1.bb
+++ b/recipes-initramfs/initramfs-crypt-hook/initramfs-crypt-hook_0.1.bb
@@ -33,8 +33,13 @@ CRYPT_PARTITIONS ??= "home:/home:reencrypt var:/var:reencrypt"
 # CRYPT_CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD contains the shell command to create the filesystem
 # in a newly formatted LUKS Partition
 CRYPT_CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD ??= "mke2fs -t ext4"
+# Timeout for creating / re-encrypting partitions on first boot
+CRYPT_SETUP_TIMEOUT ??= "600"
+# Watchdog to service during the initial setup of the crypto partitions
+WATCHDOG_DEVICE ??= "/dev/watchdog"
 
-TEMPLATE_VARS = "CRYPT_PARTITIONS CRYPT_CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD"
+TEMPLATE_VARS = "CRYPT_PARTITIONS CRYPT_CREATE_FILE_SYSTEM_CMD \
+    CRYPT_SETUP_TIMEOUT WATCHDOG_DEVICE"
 TEMPLATE_FILES = "encrypt_partition.env.tmpl"
 
 do_install[cleandirs] += " \
