diff --git a/fhem/FHEM/91_watchdog.pm b/fhem/FHEM/91_watchdog.pm
index f69e15d03..d3c3e9365 100755
--- a/fhem/FHEM/91_watchdog.pm
+++ b/fhem/FHEM/91_watchdog.pm
@@ -47,8 +47,13 @@ watchdog_Define($$)
   $ntfy->{CMD} = $command;
 
 
-  $ntfy->{STATE} = ($re1 eq ".") ? "active" : "defined";
-  watchdog_Activate($ntfy) if($ntfy->{STATE} eq "active");
+  if($re1 eq ".") {
+    watchdog_Activate($ntfy)
+
+  } else {
+    $ntfy->{STATE} = "defined";
+
+  }
 
   return undef;
 }
@@ -71,12 +76,15 @@ watchdog_Notify($$)
   for (my $i = 0; $i < $max; $i++) {
     my $s = $dev->{CHANGED}[$i];
     $s = "" if(!defined($s));
+    my $dotTrigger = ($ln eq $n && $s eq "."); # trigger w .
+    my $dontReAct = AttrVal($ln, "regexp1WontReactivate", 0);
 
     if($ntfy->{STATE} =~ m/Next:/) {
+
       if($n =~ m/^$re2$/ || "$n:$s" =~ m/^$re2$/) {
         RemoveInternalTimer($ntfy);
 
-        if($re1 eq $re2 || $re1 eq ".") {
+        if(($re1 eq $re2 || $re1 eq ".") && !$dontReAct) {
           watchdog_Activate($ntfy);
           return "";
 
@@ -85,14 +93,20 @@ watchdog_Notify($$)
 
         }
 
+      } elsif($n =~ m/^$re1$/ || "$n:$s" =~ m/^$re1$/) {
+        watchdog_Activate($ntfy) if(!$dontReAct);
+
       }
 
-    }
+    } elsif($ntfy->{STATE} eq "defined") {
+      if($dotTrigger ||      # trigger w .
+         ($n =~ m/^$re1$/ || "$n:$s" =~ m/^$re1$/)) {
+        watchdog_Activate($ntfy)
+      }
+
+    } elsif($dotTrigger) {
+      $ntfy->{STATE} = "defined";       # trigger w . 
 
-    if(($ln eq $n && $s eq ".") ||                        # trigger w .
-       (($n =~ m/^$re1$/ || "$n:$s" =~ m/^$re1$/) &&
-       !AttrVal($ln, "regexp1WontReactivate", 0))) {
-      watchdog_Activate($ntfy)
     }
 
   }
@@ -130,5 +144,4 @@ watchdog_Undef($$)
   return undef;
 }
 
-
 1;
diff --git a/fhem/docs/commandref.html b/fhem/docs/commandref.html
index 33872cad6..8928dcb52 100644
--- a/fhem/docs/commandref.html
+++ b/fhem/docs/commandref.html
@@ -7260,9 +7260,11 @@ href="http://www.elv.de/output/controller.aspx?cid=74&detail=10&detail2=29870">U
       <li>if &lt;regexp2&gt; is SAME, then it will be the same as the first
           regexp, and it will be reactivated, when it is received. This is
           probably the normal operation.</li>
-      <li>trigger &lt;watchdogname&gt; . will activate/reactivate the
-          watchdog</li>
-      <li>generic watchdogs (one watchdog responsible for more devices) is
+      <li>trigger &lt;watchdogname&gt; . will activate the trigger if its state
+          is defined, and set it into state defined if its state is
+          triggered</li>
+      </ul>
+      <li>a generic watchdog (one watchdog responsible for more devices) is
           currently not possible.</li>
     </ul>