diff --git a/common/recipes-lib/watchdog/libwatchdog-0.1/watchdog.c b/common/recipes-lib/watchdog/libwatchdog-0.1/watchdog.c
index ec930bfd8bba..88c7de449565 100644
--- a/common/recipes-lib/watchdog/libwatchdog-0.1/watchdog.c
+++ b/common/recipes-lib/watchdog/libwatchdog-0.1/watchdog.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ int open_watchdog(const int auto_mode, int kick_interval)
   }
 
   pthread_mutex_unlock(&watchdog_lock);
-  syslog(LOG_INFO, "system watchdog opened and started.\n");
+  syslog(LOG_DEBUG, "system watchdog opened and started.\n");
   return 0;
 
 error:
diff --git a/common/recipes-utils/wdtcli/files/wdtcli.c b/common/recipes-utils/wdtcli/files/wdtcli.c
index c45347c3bf56..467cb71213fb 100644
--- a/common/recipes-utils/wdtcli/files/wdtcli.c
+++ b/common/recipes-utils/wdtcli/files/wdtcli.c
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	openlog(NULL, 0, LOG_USER);
+	setlogmask(LOG_UPTO(LOG_INFO));
+
 	cmd_info = wdtcli_match_cmd(user_cmd);
 	if (cmd_info == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr,