diff --git a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
index b493f38d76..d51498f6d1 100644
--- a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
+++ b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
@@ -11404,9 +11404,9 @@
       <key>Persist</key>
       <integer>0</integer>
       <key>Type</key>
-      <string>Boolean</string>
+      <string>S32</string>
       <key>Value</key>
-      <integer>0</integer>
+      <integer>-1</integer>
     </map>
     <key>WaterEditPresets</key>
     <map>
diff --git a/indra/newview/featuretable.txt b/indra/newview/featuretable.txt
index e8591ca086..1c763453dc 100644
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable.txt
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable.txt
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ Disregard96DefaultDrawDistance	1	1
 RenderTextureMemoryMultiple		1	1.0
 RenderShaderLightingMaxLevel	1	3
 SkyUseClassicClouds			1	1
+WatchdogDisabled				1	1
+
 
 //
 // Low Graphics Settings
diff --git a/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt b/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt
index 779490c9f7..45de51f3cf 100644
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ Disregard128DefaultDrawDistance	1	1
 Disregard96DefaultDrawDistance	1	1
 RenderTextureMemoryMultiple		1	1.0
 SkyUseClassicClouds			1	1
+WatchdogDisabled				1	1
 
 //
 // Low Graphics Settings
diff --git a/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt b/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt
index 47033efc47..e89b0cc49d 100644
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ RenderTextureMemoryMultiple		1	0.5
 Disregard128DefaultDrawDistance	1	1
 Disregard96DefaultDrawDistance	1	1
 SkyUseClassicClouds			1	1
+WatchdogDisabled				1	1
 
 //
 // Low Graphics Settings
diff --git a/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt b/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt
index 6edd280686..0ae463332c 100644
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ VertexShaderEnable	1	1
 RenderTextureMemoryMultiple		1	1.0
 UseOcclusion		1       1
 RenderCubeMap		1       1
+WatchdogDisabled				1	1
+
 
 //
 // Class 0 Hardware (Unknown or just old)
diff --git a/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp b/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
index 1b5b73e3dd..dc514eafe7 100644
--- a/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/llappviewer.cpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 #include "llvoicechannel.h"
 #include "llvoavatarself.h"
 #include "llsidetray.h"
-
+#include "llfeaturemanager.h"
 
 #include "llweb.h"
 #include "llsecondlifeurls.h"
@@ -379,14 +379,8 @@ bool handleCrashSubmitBehaviorChanged(const LLSD& newvalue)
 	const S32 NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT = 2;
 	if(cb == NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT)
 	{
-// 		LLWatchdog::getInstance()->cleanup(); // SJB: cleaning up a running watchdog thread is unsafe
 		LLAppViewer::instance()->destroyMainloopTimeout();
 	}
-	else if(gSavedSettings.getBOOL("WatchdogEnabled") == TRUE)
-	{
-		// Don't re-enable the watchdog when we change the setting; this may get called before it's started
-// 		LLWatchdog::getInstance()->init();
-	}
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1689,14 +1683,6 @@ bool LLAppViewer::initThreads()
 	static const bool enable_threads = true;
 #endif
 
-	const S32 NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT = 2;
-	bool use_watchdog = gSavedSettings.getBOOL("WatchdogEnabled");
-	bool send_reports = gCrashSettings.getS32(CRASH_BEHAVIOR_SETTING) != NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT;
-	if(use_watchdog && send_reports)
-	{
-		LLWatchdog::getInstance()->init(watchdog_killer_callback);
-	}
-
 	LLVFSThread::initClass(enable_threads && false);
 	LLLFSThread::initClass(enable_threads && false);
 
@@ -1925,18 +1911,11 @@ bool LLAppViewer::initConfiguration()
 	}
 #endif
 
-	//*FIX:Mani - Set default to disabling watchdog mainloop 
-	// timeout for mac and linux. There is no call stack info 
-	// on these platform to help debug.
 #ifndef	LL_RELEASE_FOR_DOWNLOAD
-	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("WatchdogEnabled", FALSE);
 	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("QAMode", TRUE );
+	gSavedSettings.setS32("WatchdogEnabled", 0);
 #endif
-
-#ifndef LL_WINDOWS
-	gSavedSettings.setBOOL("WatchdogEnabled", FALSE);
-#endif
-
+	
 	gCrashSettings.getControl(CRASH_BEHAVIOR_SETTING)->getSignal()->connect(boost::bind(&handleCrashSubmitBehaviorChanged, _2));	
 
 	// These are warnings that appear on the first experience of that condition.
@@ -2364,6 +2343,25 @@ bool LLAppViewer::initWindow()
 		gSavedSettings.getS32("WindowWidth"), gSavedSettings.getS32("WindowHeight"),
 		FALSE, ignorePixelDepth);
 
+	// Need to load feature table before cheking to start watchdog.
+	const S32 NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT = 2;
+	bool use_watchdog = false;
+	int watchdog_enabled_setting = gSavedSettings.getS32("WatchdogEnabled");
+	if(watchdog_enabled_setting == -1){
+		use_watchdog = !LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->isFeatureAvailable("WatchdogDisabled");
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		// The user has explicitly set this setting; always use that value.
+		use_watchdog = bool(watchdog_enabled_setting);
+	}
+
+	bool send_reports = gCrashSettings.getS32(CRASH_BEHAVIOR_SETTING) != NEVER_SUBMIT_REPORT;
+	if(use_watchdog && send_reports)
+	{
+		LLWatchdog::getInstance()->init(watchdog_killer_callback);
+	}
+
 	LLNotificationsUI::LLNotificationManager::getInstance();
 		
 	if (gSavedSettings.getBOOL("WindowMaximized"))