diff --git a/src/node_watchdog.cc b/src/node_watchdog.cc
index 01b39123be5e7c..5d95c4132f1b3f 100644
--- a/src/node_watchdog.cc
+++ b/src/node_watchdog.cc
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ void SigintWatchdogHelper::HandleSignal(int signum) {
 // Windows starts a separate thread for executing the handler, so no extra
 // helper thread is required.
 BOOL WINAPI SigintWatchdogHelper::WinCtrlCHandlerRoutine(DWORD dwCtrlType) {
-  if (dwCtrlType == CTRL_C_EVENT || dwCtrlType == CTRL_BREAK_EVENT) {
+  if (!instance.watchdog_disabled_ &&
+      (dwCtrlType == CTRL_C_EVENT || dwCtrlType == CTRL_BREAK_EVENT)) {
     InformWatchdogsAboutSignal();
 
     // Return true because the signal has been handled.
@@ -207,7 +208,11 @@ int SigintWatchdogHelper::Start() {
 
   RegisterSignalHandler(SIGINT, HandleSignal);
 #else
-  SetConsoleCtrlHandler(WinCtrlCHandlerRoutine, TRUE);
+  if (watchdog_disabled_) {
+    watchdog_disabled_ = false;
+  } else {
+    SetConsoleCtrlHandler(WinCtrlCHandlerRoutine, TRUE);
+  }
 #endif
 
   return 0;
@@ -251,7 +256,7 @@ bool SigintWatchdogHelper::Stop() {
 
   RegisterSignalHandler(SIGINT, SignalExit, true);
 #else
-  SetConsoleCtrlHandler(WinCtrlCHandlerRoutine, FALSE);
+  watchdog_disabled_ = true;
 #endif
 
   had_pending_signal = has_pending_signal_;
@@ -292,6 +297,8 @@ SigintWatchdogHelper::SigintWatchdogHelper()
   has_running_thread_ = false;
   stopping_ = false;
   CHECK_EQ(0, uv_sem_init(&sem_, 0));
+#else
+  watchdog_disabled_ = false;
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/node_watchdog.h b/src/node_watchdog.h
index dd97e4e735ccdf..2d55d782d0af5d 100644
--- a/src/node_watchdog.h
+++ b/src/node_watchdog.h
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ class SigintWatchdogHelper {
   static void* RunSigintWatchdog(void* arg);
   static void HandleSignal(int signum);
 #else
+  bool watchdog_disabled_;
   static BOOL WINAPI WinCtrlCHandlerRoutine(DWORD dwCtrlType);
 #endif
 };