diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/nmi.c b/arch/x86/kernel/nmi.c
index 2c97f07f1c2c..c4869e4532a3 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/nmi.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/nmi.c
@@ -199,12 +199,17 @@ static int __init setup_nmi_watchdog(char *str)
 		++str;
 	}
 
-	get_option(&str, &nmi);
+	if (!strncmp(str, "lapic", 5))
+		nmi_watchdog = NMI_LOCAL_APIC;
+	else if (!strncmp(str, "ioapic", 6))
+		nmi_watchdog = NMI_IO_APIC;
+	else {
+		get_option(&str, &nmi);
+		if (nmi >= NMI_INVALID)
+			return 0;
+		nmi_watchdog = nmi;
+	}
 
-	if (nmi >= NMI_INVALID)
-		return 0;
-
-	nmi_watchdog = nmi;
 	return 1;
 }
 __setup("nmi_watchdog=", setup_nmi_watchdog);