diff --git a/docker/init_scripts/init b/docker/init_scripts/init
index d0a73b79c..671996fe4 100755
--- a/docker/init_scripts/init
+++ b/docker/init_scripts/init
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ shopt -s inherit_errexit # inherit errexit
 # use virtualenvs
 source /backend/bin/activate
 
+# make it possible to disable the inotify watcher process
+ENABLE_RESCAN_ON_FILESYSTEM_CHANGE="${ENABLE_RESCAN_ON_FILESYSTEM_CHANGE:="true"}"
+
 # Set redis to false if not set by docker env
 ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_REDIS="${ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_REDIS:="false"}"
 
@@ -112,8 +115,12 @@ while true; do
     # Start uvicorn if we dont have a corresponding PID file
     watchdog_process_pid bin uvicorn
 
-    # Start watcher if we dont have a corresponding PID file
-    watchdog_process_pid python watcher
+    # Start background worker processes when we have a REDIS configured
+    # ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_REDIS is defaulted to false, unless its set from our docker env
+    if [[ ${ENABLE_RESCAN_ON_FILESYSTEM_CHANGE} == "true" ]]; then
+        # Start watcher if we dont have a corresponding PID file
+        watchdog_process_pid python watcher
+    fi
 
     # Start background worker processes when we have a REDIS configured
     # ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_REDIS is defaulted to false, unless its set from our docker env