diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/Continuous.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/Continuous.scala
index c97cbfe16..ed79d5b10 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/Continuous.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/Continuous.scala
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@ package internal
 
 import java.io.{ ByteArrayInputStream, IOException, InputStream, File => _ }
 import java.nio.file.Path
-import java.util.concurrent.{ ConcurrentHashMap, LinkedBlockingQueue }
+import java.util.concurrent.{
+  ConcurrentHashMap,
+  CountDownLatch,
+  LinkedBlockingQueue,
+  TimeUnit,
+  TimeoutException
+}
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.{ AtomicBoolean, AtomicInteger }
 
 import sbt.BasicCommandStrings._
@@ -654,15 +660,18 @@ private[sbt] object Continuous extends DeprecatedContinuous {
       if (closed.get) new WatchExecutor.FutureFailed(new IllegalStateException("closed executor"))
       else {
         val queue = new LinkedBlockingQueue[Either[Unit, R]]
+        val latch = new CountDownLatch(1)
         val runnable: Runnable = () => {
-          try Util.ignoreResult(queue.offer(if (closed.get) Left(()) else Right(f)))
-          catch { case _: Exception => Util.ignoreResult(queue.offer(Left(()))) }
+          try {
+            latch.countDown()
+            Util.ignoreResult(queue.offer(if (closed.get) Left(()) else Right(f)))
+          } catch { case _: Exception => Util.ignoreResult(queue.offer(Left(()))) }
         }
         val thread = new Thread(runnable, s"sbt-watch-$name-$tag")
         thread.setDaemon(true)
         thread.start()
         threads.add(thread)
-        new WatchExecutor.FutureImpl(thread, queue, this)
+        new WatchExecutor.FutureImpl(thread, queue, this, latch)
       }
     }
     def removeThread(thread: Thread): Unit = Util.ignoreResult(threads.remove(thread))
@@ -678,18 +687,23 @@ private[sbt] object Continuous extends DeprecatedContinuous {
   }
   private object WatchExecutor {
     sealed trait Future[R] extends Any {
+      def waitUntilStart(duration: FiniteDuration): Boolean
       def cancel(): Unit
       def result: Try[R]
     }
     final class FutureFailed[R](t: Throwable) extends Future[R] {
+      override def waitUntilStart(duration: FiniteDuration): Boolean = false
       def cancel(): Unit = {}
       def result: Try[R] = Failure(t)
     }
     final class FutureImpl[R](
         thread: Thread,
         queue: LinkedBlockingQueue[Either[Unit, R]],
-        executor: WatchExecutor
+        executor: WatchExecutor,
+        latch: CountDownLatch,
     ) extends Future[R] {
+      override def waitUntilStart(duration: FiniteDuration): Boolean =
+        latch.await(duration.toMillis, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
       def cancel(): Unit = {
         executor.removeThread(thread)
         thread.joinFor(1.second)
@@ -798,32 +812,40 @@ private[sbt] object Continuous extends DeprecatedContinuous {
     val events = new LinkedBlockingQueue[Either[Watch.Action, (Watch.Event, Watch.Action)]]
 
     val inputJob =
-      executor.submit("handle-input", nextInputAction(executor).foreach(a => events.put(Left(a))))
+      executor
+        .submit(s"handle-input-$count", nextInputAction(executor).foreach(a => events.put(Left(a))))
     val fileJob =
-      executor.submit("get-file-events", nextFileEvent(count).foreach(e => events.put(Right(e))))
+      executor
+        .submit(s"get-file-events-$count", nextFileEvent(count).foreach(e => events.put(Right(e))))
     try {
-      val (inputAction: Watch.Action, fileEvent: Option[(Watch.Event, Watch.Action)]) =
-        events.take() match {
-          case Left(a)  => (a, None)
-          case Right(e) => (Watch.Ignore, Some(e))
+      if (!inputJob.waitUntilStart(1.second) || !fileJob.waitUntilStart(1.second)) {
+        inputJob.cancel()
+        fileJob.cancel()
+        new Watch.HandleError(new TimeoutException)
+      } else {
+        val (inputAction: Watch.Action, fileEvent: Option[(Watch.Event, Watch.Action)]) =
+          events.take() match {
+            case Left(a)  => (a, None)
+            case Right(e) => (Watch.Ignore, Some(e))
+          }
+        val min: Watch.Action = (fileEvent.map(_._2).toSeq :+ inputAction).min
+        lazy val inputMessage =
+          s"Received input event: $inputAction." +
+            (if (inputAction != min) s" Dropping in favor of file event: $min" else "")
+        if (inputAction != Watch.Ignore) logger.info(inputMessage)
+        fileEvent
+          .collect {
+            case (event, action) if action != Watch.Ignore =>
+              s"Received file event $action for $event." +
+                (if (action != min) s" Dropping in favor of input event: $min" else "")
+          }
+          .foreach(logger.debug(_))
+        min match {
+          case ShowOptions =>
+            rawLogger.info(options)
+            Watch.Ignore
+          case m => m
         }
-      val min: Watch.Action = (fileEvent.map(_._2).toSeq :+ inputAction).min
-      lazy val inputMessage =
-        s"Received input event: $inputAction." +
-          (if (inputAction != min) s" Dropping in favor of file event: $min" else "")
-      if (inputAction != Watch.Ignore) logger.info(inputMessage)
-      fileEvent
-        .collect {
-          case (event, action) if action != Watch.Ignore =>
-            s"Received file event $action for $event." +
-              (if (action != min) s" Dropping in favor of input event: $min" else "")
-        }
-        .foreach(logger.debug(_))
-      min match {
-        case ShowOptions =>
-          rawLogger.info(options)
-          Watch.Ignore
-        case m => m
       }
     } finally {
       inputJob.cancel()