diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/Watcher.java b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/Watcher.java
index fbcf05857b422..fa19a952108aa 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/Watcher.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/Watcher.java
@@ -642,7 +642,10 @@ public void close() throws IOException {
      * @throws Exception
      */
     @Override
-    public void reload(Settings settings) throws Exception {
+    public void reload(Settings settings) {
+        if (enabled == false || transportClient) {
+            return;
+        }
         for (NotificationService service : reloadableServices) {
             service.reload(settings);
         }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/WatcherPluginTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/WatcherPluginTests.java
index 87a6321c15b45..a23830fd99f4f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/WatcherPluginTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/watcher/WatcherPluginTests.java
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ public synchronized void reload(Settings settings) {
         }
     }
 
-    public void testReload() throws Exception {
+    public void testReload() {
         Settings settings = Settings.builder()
-            .put("xpack.watcher.enabled", false)
+            .put("xpack.watcher.enabled", true)
             .put("path.home", createTempDir())
             .build();
         NotificationService mockService = mock(NotificationService.class);
@@ -138,4 +138,17 @@ public void testReload() throws Exception {
         watcher.reload(settings);
         verify(mockService, times(1)).reload(settings);
     }
+
+    public void testReloadDisabled() {
+        Settings settings = Settings.builder()
+            .put("xpack.watcher.enabled", false)
+            .put("path.home", createTempDir())
+            .build();
+        NotificationService mockService = mock(NotificationService.class);
+        Watcher watcher = new Watcher(settings);
+
+        verify(mockService, times(0)).reload(settings);
+        watcher.reload(settings);
+        verify(mockService, times(0)).reload(settings);
+    }
 }