diff --git a/docker/init_scripts/init b/docker/init_scripts/init
index 88444ee4d..34ea60ec8 100755
--- a/docker/init_scripts/init
+++ b/docker/init_scripts/init
@@ -219,10 +219,19 @@ start_bin_rq_worker() {
 
 start_bin_watcher() {
 	info_log "Starting watcher"
-	watchfiles \
-		--target-type command \
-		"opentelemetry-instrument --service_name '${OTEL_SERVICE_NAME_PREFIX-}watcher' python3 watcher.py" \
-		/romm/library &
+	if [[ ${OTEL_SDK_DISABLED:-false} == "true" ]]; then
+		# Skip opentelemetry-instrument when OTEL is disabled to ensure
+		# WATCHFILES_CHANGES env var is properly passed to watcher.py
+		watchfiles \
+			--target-type command \
+			"python3 watcher.py" \
+			/romm/library &
+	else
+		watchfiles \
+			--target-type command \
+			"opentelemetry-instrument --service_name '${OTEL_SERVICE_NAME_PREFIX-}watcher' python3 watcher.py" \
+			/romm/library &
+	fi
 	WATCHER_PID=$!
 	echo "${WATCHER_PID}" >/tmp/watcher.pid
 }