diff --git a/common/control.h b/common/control.h
--- a/common/control.h
+++ b/common/control.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QVariantMap>
 
+class QFileSystemWatcher;
+
 class Control : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -39,20 +41,26 @@
     ~Control() override = default;
 
     virtual bool writeFile();
+    virtual void activateWatcher();
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void changed();
 
 protected:
     virtual QString dirPath() const;
     virtual QString filePath() const = 0;
     QString filePathFromHash(const QString &hash) const;
     void readFile();
     QVariantMap& info();
     const QVariantMap& constInfo() const;
+    QFileSystemWatcher* watcher() const;
 
     static OutputRetention convertVariantToOutputRetention(QVariant variant);
 
 private:
     static QString s_dirName;
     QVariantMap m_info;
+    QFileSystemWatcher *m_watcher = nullptr;
 };
 
 class ControlOutput;
@@ -77,6 +85,7 @@
     QString filePath() const override;
 
     bool writeFile() override;
+    void activateWatcher() override;
 
 private:
     QVariantList getOutputs() const;
diff --git a/common/control.cpp b/common/control.cpp
--- a/common/control.cpp
+++ b/common/control.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "globals.h"
 
 #include <QFile>
+#include <QFileSystemWatcher>
 #include <QJsonDocument>
 #include <QDir>
 
@@ -31,6 +32,23 @@
 {
 }
 
+void Control::activateWatcher()
+{
+    if (m_watcher) {
+        return;
+    }
+    m_watcher = new QFileSystemWatcher({filePath()}, this);
+    connect(m_watcher, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this, [this]() {
+        readFile();
+        Q_EMIT changed();
+    });
+}
+
+QFileSystemWatcher* Control::watcher() const
+{
+    return m_watcher;
+}
+
 bool Control::writeFile()
 {
     const QString path = filePath();
@@ -136,6 +154,18 @@
     //       in case of such a change while object exists?
 }
 
+void ControlConfig::activateWatcher()
+{
+    if (watcher()) {
+        // Watcher was already activated.
+        return;
+    }
+    for (auto *output : m_outputsControls) {
+        output->activateWatcher();
+        connect(output, &ControlOutput::changed, this, &ControlConfig::changed);
+    }
+}
+
 QString ControlConfig::dirPath() const
 {
     return Control::dirPath() % QStringLiteral("configs/");
diff --git a/kded/config.h b/kded/config.h
--- a/kded/config.h
+++ b/kded/config.h
@@ -43,14 +43,18 @@
         return m_data;
     }
 
+    void activateControlWatching();
     void log();
 
     void setValidityFlags(KScreen::Config::ValidityFlags flags) {
         m_validityFlags = flags;
     }
 
     bool canBeApplied() const;
 
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void controlChanged();
+
 private:
     friend class TestConfig;
 
diff --git a/kded/config.cpp b/kded/config.cpp
--- a/kded/config.cpp
+++ b/kded/config.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@
     return m_data->connectedOutputsHash();
 }
 
+void Config::activateControlWatching()
+{
+    connect(m_control, &ControlConfig::changed, this, &Config::controlChanged);
+    m_control->activateWatcher();
+}
+
 bool Config::fileExists() const
 {
     return (QFile::exists(configsDirPath() % id()) || QFile::exists(configsDirPath() % s_fixedConfigFileName));
@@ -171,10 +177,6 @@
     }
     const KScreen::OutputList outputs = m_data->outputs();
 
-    // TODO: until we have the file watcher this is necessary to reload control files.
-    delete m_control;
-    m_control = new ControlConfig(m_data, this);
-
     const auto oldConfig = readFile();
     KScreen::OutputList oldOutputs;
     if (oldConfig) {
diff --git a/kded/daemon.cpp b/kded/daemon.cpp
--- a/kded/daemon.cpp
+++ b/kded/daemon.cpp
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@
     qCDebug(KSCREEN_KDED) << "Do set and apply specific config";
     auto configWrapper = std::unique_ptr<Config>(new Config(config));
     configWrapper->setValidityFlags(KScreen::Config::ValidityFlag::RequireAtLeastOneEnabledScreen);
+    configWrapper->activateControlWatching();
+    connect(configWrapper.get(), &Config::controlChanged, this, [this]() {
+        // TODO
+    });
     doApplyConfig(std::move(configWrapper));
 }