diff --git a/src/frequenz/channels/file_watcher.py b/src/frequenz/channels/file_watcher.py
index 860c0bd..e9b6737 100644
--- a/src/frequenz/channels/file_watcher.py
+++ b/src/frequenz/channels/file_watcher.py
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         paths: list[pathlib.Path | str],
         event_types: abc.Iterable[EventType] = frozenset(EventType),
+        auto_start: bool = True,
     ) -> None:
         """Initialize this file watcher.
 
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ def __init__(
             paths: The paths to watch for changes.
             event_types: The types of events to watch for. Defaults to watch for
                 all event types.
+            auto_start: Whether to start the file watcher immediately.
         """
         self.event_types: frozenset[EventType] = frozenset(event_types)
         """The types of events to watch for."""
@@ -134,12 +136,13 @@ def __init__(
             path if isinstance(path, pathlib.Path) else pathlib.Path(path)
             for path in paths
         ]
-        self._awatch: abc.AsyncGenerator[set[FileChange], None] = awatch(
-            *self._paths, stop_event=self._stop_event, watch_filter=self._filter_events
-        )
+        self._awatch: abc.AsyncGenerator[set[FileChange], None] | None = None
         self._awatch_stopped_exc: Exception | None = None
         self._changes: set[FileChange] = set()
 
+        if auto_start:
+            self.start()
+
     def _filter_events(
         self,
         change: Change,
@@ -177,6 +180,9 @@ async def ready(self) -> bool:
         if self._changes:
             return True
 
+        if self._awatch is None:
+            return False
+
         # if it was already stopped, return immediately.
         if self._awatch_stopped_exc is not None:
             return False
@@ -206,6 +212,19 @@ def consume(self) -> Event:
         change, path_str = self._changes.pop()
         return Event(type=EventType(change), path=pathlib.Path(path_str))
 
+    def start(self) -> None:
+        """Start this receiver for watching file events."""
+        self._awatch_stopped_exc = None
+        self._stop_event.clear()
+        self._awatch = awatch(
+            *self._paths, stop_event=self._stop_event, watch_filter=self._filter_events
+        )
+
+    def stop(self) -> None:
+        """Stop this receiver from watching file events."""
+        self._stop_event.set()
+        self._awatch = None
+
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         """Return a string representation of this receiver."""
         if len(self._paths) > 3: