diff --git a/left/src/i2c_watchdog.c b/left/src/i2c_watchdog.c
index 79a5764..fdd6fc5 100644
--- a/left/src/i2c_watchdog.c
+++ b/left/src/i2c_watchdog.c
@@ -3,47 +3,42 @@
 #include "i2c_watchdog.h"
 #include "test_led.h"
 #include "init_peripherals.h"
+#include "main.h"
 
 /* NOTE: Because of a bug in the ROM bootloader of the KL03Z, the watchdog timer is disabled and cannot be re-enabled.
  * See https://community.nxp.com/thread/457893
  * Therefore the hardware watchdog timer cannot be used without an extra way to enter bootloader or application mode.
  */
-
-#define WATCH_ENABLE_WATCHDOG   (1)  /* additionally, un-comment InitI2cWatchdog() in init_peripherals.c */
-
-#if WATCH_ENABLE_WATCHDOG
-static uint32_t prevWatchdogCounter = 0;
+#if KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER
+  static uint32_t prevWatchdogCounter = 0;
+  static uint32_t I2cWatchdog_RecoveryCounter; /* counter for how many times we had to recover and restart */
 #endif
-static uint32_t I2cWatchdog_RecoveryCounter; /* counter for how many times we had to recover and restart */
 
 void InitI2cWatchdog(void)
 {
-    lptmr_config_t lptmrConfig;
-    LPTMR_GetDefaultConfig(&lptmrConfig);
-    LPTMR_Init(LPTMR0, &lptmrConfig);
-    LPTMR_SetTimerPeriod(LPTMR0, USEC_TO_COUNT(LPTMR_USEC_COUNT, LPTMR_SOURCE_CLOCK)); /* set LPTM for a 100 ms period */
-    LPTMR_EnableInterrupts(LPTMR0, kLPTMR_TimerInterruptEnable);
-    EnableIRQ(LPTMR0_IRQn);
-    LPTMR_StartTimer(LPTMR0);
 }
 
-#if WATCH_ENABLE_WATCHDOG
-void I2C_WATCHDOG_LPTMR_HANDLER(void)
+#if KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER
+void RunWatchdog(void)
 {
 	static volatile uint32_t I2cWatchdog_WatchCounter = 0; /* counter for timer */
-    TEST_LED_TOGGLE();
-    I2cWatchdog_WatchCounter++;
+	static int cntr = 0;
 
-    if (I2cWatchdog_WatchCounter>1) { /* do not check within the first 100 ms, as I2C might not be running yet */
-		if (I2C_Watchdog == prevWatchdogCounter) { // Restart I2C if there hasn't been any interrupt during 100 ms. I2C_Watchdog gets incremented for every I2C transaction
-	//        NVIC_SystemReset();
-			I2cWatchdog_RecoveryCounter++;
-			I2C_SlaveDeinit(I2C_BUS_BASEADDR);
-			InitI2c();
+	cntr++;
+	if (cntr==100) { /* we get called from KEY_SCANNER_HANDLER() which runs at 1ms, thus scaling down by 100 here to get 100 ms period */
+		cntr=0;
+		TEST_LED_TOGGLE();
+		I2cWatchdog_WatchCounter++;
+
+		if (I2cWatchdog_WatchCounter>10) { /* do not check within the first 1000 ms, as I2C might not be running yet */
+			if (I2C_Watchdog == prevWatchdogCounter) { // Restart I2C if there hasn't been any interrupt during 100 ms. I2C_Watchdog gets incremented for every I2C transaction
+		//        NVIC_SystemReset();
+				I2cWatchdog_RecoveryCounter++;
+				I2C_SlaveDeinit(I2C_BUS_BASEADDR);
+				InitI2c();
+			}
 		}
-    }
-    prevWatchdogCounter = I2C_Watchdog; /* remember previous counter */
-
-    LPTMR_ClearStatusFlags(LPTMR0, kLPTMR_TimerCompareFlag);
+		prevWatchdogCounter = I2C_Watchdog; /* remember previous counter */
+	}
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/left/src/init_peripherals.c b/left/src/init_peripherals.c
index 267cdaf..4f2356d 100644
--- a/left/src/init_peripherals.c
+++ b/left/src/init_peripherals.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "slave_protocol_handler.h"
 #include "i2c_watchdog.h"
 #include "debug_over_spi.h"
+#include "main.h"
 
 i2c_slave_config_t slaveConfig;
 i2c_slave_handle_t slaveHandle;
@@ -87,5 +88,7 @@ void InitPeripherals(void)
     LedPwm_Init();
     DebugOverSpi_Init();
     InitI2c();
+#if KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER
     InitI2cWatchdog();
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/left/src/key_scanner.c b/left/src/key_scanner.c
index d8990ee..96499ef 100644
--- a/left/src/key_scanner.c
+++ b/left/src/key_scanner.c
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 #include "fsl_lptmr.h"
 #include "key_scanner.h"
 #include "main.h"
+#if KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER
+  #include "i2c_watchdog.h"
+#endif
 
 void KEY_SCANNER_HANDLER(void)
 {
     KeyMatrix_ScanRow(&keyMatrix);
+#if KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER
+    RunWatchdog();
+#endif
     LPTMR_ClearStatusFlags(KEY_SCANNER_LPTMR_BASEADDR, kLPTMR_TimerCompareFlag);
 }
 
diff --git a/left/src/main.h b/left/src/main.h
index 7df0c8c..0397f7a 100644
--- a/left/src/main.h
+++ b/left/src/main.h
@@ -14,4 +14,6 @@
 
     extern key_matrix_t keyMatrix;
 
+   #define KEY_USE_I2C_WATCHDOG_TIMER   (1) /* if set to 1, every 100 ms the I2C communication is checked */
+
 #endif