diff --git a/mk/config.mk b/mk/config.mk
index d2629a13faa..f33ef42305a 100644
--- a/mk/config.mk
+++ b/mk/config.mk
@@ -1035,7 +1035,9 @@ endif
 CFG_CALLOUT ?= $(CFG_CORE_ASYNC_NOTIF)
 
 # Enable notification based test watchdog
-CFG_NOTIF_TEST_WD ?= $(CFG_ENABLE_EMBEDDED_TESTS)
+ifeq (yyy,$(CFG_ENABLE_EMBEDDED_TESTS)$(CFG_CALLOUT)$(CFG_CORE_ASYNC_NOTIF))
+CFG_NOTIF_TEST_WD ?= y
+endif
 $(eval $(call cfg-depends-all,CFG_NOTIF_TEST_WD,CFG_CALLOUT \
 	 CFG_CORE_ASYNC_NOTIF))