diff --git a/lua/git/repo.lua b/lua/git/repo.lua
index 03201c7..8afacee 100644
--- a/lua/git/repo.lua
+++ b/lua/git/repo.lua
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ local global = util.Emitter.new()
 ---@field tabs table<integer, true>
 ---@field status ow.Git.Status
 ---@field private _events ow.Git.Util.Emitter<ow.Git.Repo.Event>
----@field private _watcher? uv.uv_fs_event_t
+---@field private _watchers table<string, uv.uv_fs_event_t>
 ---@field private _schedule_refresh fun(self: ow.Git.Repo)
 ---@field private _refresh_handle ow.Git.Util.DebounceHandle
 ---@field private _cache table<string, any>
@@ -107,44 +107,101 @@ function Repo:get_cached(key, compute)
     return value
 end
 
-function Repo:start_watcher()
-    local watcher, err = vim.uv.new_fs_event()
+---@param path string
+---@param on_event fun(filename: string?)
+---@return uv.uv_fs_event_t?
+local function start_fs_event(path, on_event)
+    local watcher = vim.uv.new_fs_event()
     if not watcher then
-        util.error(
-            "git: failed to create fs_event for %s: %s",
-            self.gitdir,
-            err
-        )
-        return
+        return nil
     end
-    local ok, start_err = watcher:start(
-        self.gitdir,
-        { recursive = true },
-        function(err_, filename)
-            if
-                err_
-                or filename:match("^objects/")
-                or filename:match("^logs/")
-            then
-                return
-            end
-            self:refresh()
+    local ok = watcher:start(path, {}, function(err, filename)
+        if err then
+            return
         end
-    )
+        on_event(filename)
+    end)
     if not ok then
-        util.error("failed to watch %s: %s", self.gitdir, tostring(start_err))
         watcher:close()
+        return nil
+    end
+    return watcher
+end
+
+---@private
+---@param path string
+---@param on_change fun()
+function Repo:_watch_tree(path, on_change)
+    if self._watchers[path] then
         return
     end
-    self._watcher = watcher
+    local stat = vim.uv.fs_stat(path)
+    if not stat or stat.type ~= "directory" then
+        return
+    end
+    local watcher = start_fs_event(path, function(filename)
+        if not vim.uv.fs_stat(path) then
+            local w = self._watchers[path] --[[@as uv.uv_fs_event_t?]]
+            if w then
+                w:stop()
+                w:close()
+                self._watchers[path] = nil
+            end
+            return
+        end
+        on_change()
+        if filename then
+            vim.schedule(function()
+                self:_watch_tree(vim.fs.joinpath(path, filename), on_change)
+            end)
+        end
+    end)
+    if not watcher then
+        return
+    end
+    self._watchers[path] = watcher
+    local handle = vim.uv.fs_scandir(path)
+    if not handle then
+        return
+    end
+    while true do
+        local name, typ = vim.uv.fs_scandir_next(handle)
+        if not name then
+            break
+        end
+        if typ == "directory" then
+            self:_watch_tree(vim.fs.joinpath(path, name), on_change)
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+function Repo:start_watcher()
+    self._watchers = {}
+    local top = start_fs_event(self.gitdir, function(filename)
+        if
+            filename
+            and (filename:match("^objects") or filename:match("^logs"))
+        then
+            return
+        end
+        self:refresh()
+    end)
+    if not top then
+        util.error("git: failed to watch %s", self.gitdir)
+        return
+    end
+    self._watchers[self.gitdir] = top
+    self:_watch_tree(vim.fs.joinpath(self.gitdir, "refs"), function()
+        self:refresh()
+    end)
 end
 
 function Repo:close()
-    if self._watcher then
-        self._watcher:stop()
-        self._watcher:close()
-        self._watcher = nil
+    for _, watcher in pairs(self._watchers) do
+        watcher:stop()
+        watcher:close()
     end
+    self._watchers = {}
     self._refresh_handle.close()
 end