diff --git a/drivers/watchdog/wdt_nrfx.c b/drivers/watchdog/wdt_nrfx.c
index 23770df954..64cce1d0da 100644
--- a/drivers/watchdog/wdt_nrfx.c
+++ b/drivers/watchdog/wdt_nrfx.c
@@ -181,13 +181,13 @@ static void wdt_event_handler(struct device *dev)
 			.reload_value  = 2000,				       \
 		}							       \
 	};								       \
-	DEVICE_DEFINE(wdt_##idx, DT_NORDIC_NRF_WATCHDOG_WDT_##idx##_LABEL,     \
-		      wdt_##idx##_init,					       \
-		      NULL,						       \
-		      &wdt_##idx##_data,				       \
-		      &wdt_##idx##z_config,				       \
-		      PRE_KERNEL_1, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEVICE,	       \
-		      &wdt_nrfx_driver_api)
+	DEVICE_AND_API_INIT(wdt_##idx,					       \
+			    DT_NORDIC_NRF_WATCHDOG_WDT_##idx##_LABEL,	       \
+			    wdt_##idx##_init,				       \
+			    &wdt_##idx##_data,				       \
+			    &wdt_##idx##z_config,			       \
+			    PRE_KERNEL_1, CONFIG_KERNEL_INIT_PRIORITY_DEVICE,  \
+			    &wdt_nrfx_driver_api)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NRFX_WDT0
 WDT_NRFX_WDT_DEVICE(0);