diff --git a/manifests/config.pp b/manifests/config.pp
index 45b5f6a..6842359 100644
--- a/manifests/config.pp
+++ b/manifests/config.pp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         group   => 0,
         mode    => '0644',
         content => epp('watchdog/watchdog.conf.epp', {
+          'keep_alive' => $watchdog::keep_alive_enabled,
           'period'     => $period,
           'tickle'     => $tickle,
           'interfaces' => $watchdog::interfaces,
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index c2275e2..0b1e149 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # @param service_name Name of the service.
 # @param interfaces Array of network interfaces to watch, empty by default.
 # @param pings Array of network addresess to ping, empty by default.
+# @param keep_alive_enabled Whether to enable keep alive functionality
 class watchdog (
   Boolean                              $manage_package,
   Optional[String]                     $package_name,
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
   String                               $service_name,
   Array[String]                        $interfaces     = [],
   Array[Stdlib::IP::Address::NoSubnet] $pings          = [],
+  Boolean                              $keep_alive_enabled = true,
 ) {
 
   contain watchdog::install
diff --git a/templates/watchdog.conf.epp b/templates/watchdog.conf.epp
index db0dc22..bcb4a20 100644
--- a/templates/watchdog.conf.epp
+++ b/templates/watchdog.conf.epp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-<%- | Integer $period, Integer $tickle, Array[String] $interfaces = [], Array[Stdlib::IP::Address::NoSubnet] $pings = [] | -%>
+<%- | Boolean $keep_alive = true, Integer $period, Integer $tickle, Array[String] $interfaces = [], Array[Stdlib::IP::Address::NoSubnet] $pings = [] | -%>
 # !!! Managed by Puppet !!!
+<% if $keep_alive { -%>
 watchdog-device		= /dev/watchdog
+<% } -%>
 watchdog-timeout	= <%= $period %>
 interval		= <%= $tickle %>
 realtime		= yes