diff --git a/src/config-schema.js b/src/config-schema.js
index 65c6d7a25..bd8b604cc 100644
--- a/src/config-schema.js
+++ b/src/config-schema.js
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ const configSchema = {
         default: 40
       },
       fileSystemWatcher: {
-        description: 'Choose the underlying implementation used to watch for filesystem changes. Emulating changes will miss any events caused by applications other than Atom, but may help prevent crashes or freezes.',
+        description: 'Choose the underlying implementation used to watch for filesystem changes. Emulating changes will miss any events caused by applications other than Atom, but may help prevent crashes or freezes.<br>This setting will require a relaunch of Atom to take effect.',
         type: 'string',
         default: 'experimental',
         enum: [
diff --git a/src/main-process/atom-application.js b/src/main-process/atom-application.js
index d5b577775..d44b2bfa6 100644
--- a/src/main-process/atom-application.js
+++ b/src/main-process/atom-application.js
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ class AtomApplication extends EventEmitter {
       }
       this.config.onDidChange('core.titleBar', () => this.promptForRestart())
       this.config.onDidChange('core.colorProfile', () => this.promptForRestart())
+      this.config.onDidChange('core.fileSystemWatcher', () => this.promptForRestart())
     }
 
     let optionsForWindowsToOpen = []