diff --git a/python/tests/integration/test_config.py b/python/tests/integration/test_config.py
index 1c5d1f3..011a18f 100644
--- a/python/tests/integration/test_config.py
+++ b/python/tests/integration/test_config.py
@@ -129,6 +129,33 @@ def test_symlinked_config_anchors_relative_paths_to_its_target(
     assert not (alias_dir / "site").exists()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("config_name", "watch_path"),
+    [
+        ("mkdocs.yml", "mkdocs.yml"),
+        ("zensical.toml", "zensical.toml"),
+        ("mkdocs.yml", "."),
+    ],
+)
+def test_build_with_config_in_watch(
+    tmp_path: Path, config_name: str, watch_path: str
+) -> None:
+    # Include the config directly or through its directory, alongside the docs.
+    if config_name == "zensical.toml":
+        config_path = _make_toml_project(
+            tmp_path, toml_extra=f'watch = ["docs", "{watch_path}"]'
+        )
+    else:
+        config_path = _make_yml_project(
+            tmp_path, yml_extra=f'watch: ["docs", "{watch_path}"]'
+        )
+
+    zensical.build(str(config_path), {"clean": False, "strict": True})
+
+    # A successful exit must also produce the documentation page.
+    assert (tmp_path / "site" / "index.html").is_file()
+
+
 def test_navigation_title_precedes_metadata_and_heading(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     """Configured titles have the same highest precedence as in MkDocs."""
     config = _make_yml_project(
diff --git a/python/tests/unit/test_config.py b/python/tests/unit/test_config.py
index 0e479ee..8da3b33 100644
--- a/python/tests/unit/test_config.py
+++ b/python/tests/unit/test_config.py
@@ -146,6 +146,48 @@ def test_site_dir_docs_dir_cant_be_equal(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
         parse_config(str(config_file))
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "watch_path",
+    [
+        "mkdocs.yml",
+        "./mkdocs.yml",
+        "{root}/mkdocs.yml",
+        ".",
+        "aliases/config.yml",
+        "aliases",
+    ],
+)
+def test_watch_excludes_config_file(tmp_path: Path, watch_path: str) -> None:
+    # Keep another file with the same name in the extra watched files.
+    extras = tmp_path / "extras"
+    extras.mkdir()
+    other_config = extras / "mkdocs.yml"
+    other_config.write_text("site_name: Other\n", encoding="utf-8")
+
+    # Cover symlinks as direct watch entries and inside watched directories.
+    if watch_path.startswith("aliases"):
+        aliases = tmp_path / "aliases"
+        aliases.mkdir()
+        try:
+            (aliases / "config.yml").symlink_to(tmp_path / "mkdocs.yml")
+        except OSError as error:
+            pytest.skip(f"symbolic links unavailable: {error}")
+
+    config_file = _write_mkdocs_config(
+        tmp_path,
+        _minimal_yaml(
+            watch=["extras", watch_path.format(root=tmp_path.as_posix())]
+        ),
+    )
+
+    parsed = parse_config(str(config_file))
+
+    # The config is already watched by Rust; unrelated files must stay watched.
+    assert {path for path, _ in parsed["watched_files"]} == {
+        str(other_config.resolve())
+    }
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Markdown extensions
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/python/zensical/config.py b/python/zensical/config.py
index 0fee9ec..2a34244 100644
--- a/python/zensical/config.py
+++ b/python/zensical/config.py
@@ -696,12 +696,15 @@ def _apply_defaults(config: dict, path: str) -> dict:
         | _list_watch_files(config, path)  # watch
     )
 
-    # We watch theme directories by default on the Rust side,
-    # so we need to  prevent duplicates from here, in case
-    # users add theme directories to the watch option
+    # Rust already watches the theme directories and the config file.
     theme_files = _list_templates(config)
-    watched_files -= set(theme_files)
-    config["watched_files"] = sorted(watched_files)
+    excluded_files = {Path(path).resolve() for path, _ in theme_files}
+    excluded_files.add(Path(path).resolve())
+    config["watched_files"] = sorted(
+        (file_path, mtime)
+        for file_path, mtime in watched_files
+        if Path(file_path).resolve() not in excluded_files
+    )
 
     # Hash all templates, so we rebuild if something changes
     config["template_hash"] = _hash(theme_files)