diff --git a/sys/auto_init/wdt_thread/wdt.c b/sys/auto_init/wdt_thread/wdt.c
index 71f6a745b967..cd0536fee467 100644
--- a/sys/auto_init/wdt_thread/wdt.c
+++ b/sys/auto_init/wdt_thread/wdt.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "architecture.h"
 #include "periph/wdt.h"
+#include "wdt_thread.h"
 #include "ztimer.h"
 
 #ifndef WDT_THREAD_STACKSIZE
@@ -36,6 +37,14 @@
 
 static char WORD_ALIGNED wdt_stack[WDT_THREAD_STACKSIZE];
 
+static bool _wdt_enabled = true;
+
+void wdt_thread_stop(void)
+{
+    _wdt_enabled = false;
+    wdt_stop();
+}
+
 static void *_wdt_thread(void *ctx)
 {
     (void)ctx;
@@ -43,6 +52,9 @@ static void *_wdt_thread(void *ctx)
                       / 2;
     while (1) {
         ztimer_sleep(ZTIMER_MSEC, sleep_ms);
+        if (!_wdt_enabled) {
+            break;
+        }
         wdt_kick();
     }
 
diff --git a/sys/include/wdt_thread.h b/sys/include/wdt_thread.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..399ab7056bd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/wdt_thread.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 ML!PA Consulting GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup    sys_wdt_thread wdt thread control
+ * @ingroup     sys
+ * @brief       Utility functions for controlling the wdt thread
+ *
+ * @{
+ * @file
+ * @brief       WDT thread control functions
+ *
+ * @author      Mariem Charrada <mariem.charrada@ml-pa.com>
+ */
+
+#ifndef WDT_THREAD_H
+#define WDT_THREAD_H
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief  Stop the wdt thread
+ *
+ * This function is useful for stopping at any time the wdt thread
+ */
+void wdt_thread_stop(void);
+
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* WDT_THREAD_H */
+/** @} */