diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 366bb64..c4f9699 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1378,6 +1378,15 @@ version = "1.3.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "42703706b716c37f96a77aea830392ad231f44c9e9a67872fa5548707e11b11c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "fsevent-sys"
+version = "4.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "76ee7a02da4d231650c7cea31349b889be2f45ddb3ef3032d2ec8185f6313fd2"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "funty"
 version = "2.0.0"
@@ -2221,6 +2230,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "cfb",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "inotify"
+version = "0.9.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f8069d3ec154eb856955c1c0fbffefbf5f3c40a104ec912d4797314c1801abff"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 1.3.2",
+ "inotify-sys",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "inotify-sys"
+version = "0.1.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e05c02b5e89bff3b946cedeca278abc628fe811e604f027c45a8aa3cf793d0eb"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "instant"
 version = "0.1.13"
@@ -2356,6 +2385,26 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "kqueue"
+version = "1.0.8"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "7447f1ca1b7b563588a205fe93dea8df60fd981423a768bc1c0ded35ed147d0c"
+dependencies = [
+ "kqueue-sys",
+ "libc",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "kqueue-sys"
+version = "1.0.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ed9625ffda8729b85e45cf04090035ac368927b8cebc34898e7c120f52e4838b"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 1.3.2",
+ "libc",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "kuchikiki"
 version = "0.8.2"
@@ -2462,6 +2511,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "lru",
  "memmap2",
  "mime_guess",
+ "notify",
  "parking_lot",
  "rand 0.8.5",
  "regex",
@@ -2842,6 +2892,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "adler2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "mio"
+version = "0.8.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a4a650543ca06a924e8b371db273b2756685faae30f8487da1b56505a8f78b0c"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc",
+ "log",
+ "wasi 0.11.0+wasi-snapshot-preview1",
+ "windows-sys 0.48.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "mio"
 version = "1.0.2"
@@ -2939,6 +3001,25 @@ dependencies = [
  "minimal-lexical",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "notify"
+version = "6.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6205bd8bb1e454ad2e27422015fb5e4f2bcc7e08fa8f27058670d208324a4d2d"
+dependencies = [
+ "bitflags 2.6.0",
+ "crossbeam-channel",
+ "filetime",
+ "fsevent-sys",
+ "inotify",
+ "kqueue",
+ "libc",
+ "log",
+ "mio 0.8.11",
+ "walkdir",
+ "windows-sys 0.48.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "nu-ansi-term"
 version = "0.46.0"
@@ -5204,7 +5285,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "backtrace",
  "bytes",
  "libc",
- "mio",
+ "mio 1.0.2",
  "parking_lot",
  "pin-project-lite",
  "signal-hook-registry",
diff --git a/crates/dht/src/dht.rs b/crates/dht/src/dht.rs
index 2c1a6ab..2ebfdaf 100644
--- a/crates/dht/src/dht.rs
+++ b/crates/dht/src/dht.rs
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ impl RecursiveRequest<RecursiveRequestCallbacksFindNodes> {
         let request_one = |id, addr, depth| {
             req.request_one(id, addr, depth)
                 .map_err(|e| {
-                    debug!("error: {e:?}");
+                    debug!("error: {e:#}");
                     e
                 })
                 .instrument(error_span!(
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ impl RecursiveRequest<RecursiveRequestCallbacksGetPeers> {
                                 Ok(n) if n < 8 => REQUERY_INTERVAL / 8 * (n as u32),
                                 Ok(_) => REQUERY_INTERVAL,
                                 Err(e) => {
-                                    error!("error in get_peers_root(): {e:?}");
+                                    error!("error in get_peers_root(): {e:#}");
                                     return Err::<(), anyhow::Error>(e);
                                 }
                             };
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ impl RecursiveRequest<RecursiveRequestCallbacksGetPeers> {
                             let (id, addr, depth) = addr.unwrap();
                             futs.push(
                                 this.request_one(id, addr, depth)
-                                    .map_err(|e| debug!("error: {e:?}"))
+                                    .map_err(|e| debug!("error: {e:#}"))
                                     .instrument(error_span!("addr", addr=addr.to_string()))
                             );
                         }
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ impl DhtWorker {
                             },
                             Err(e) => {
                                 self.dht.routing_table.write().mark_error(&id);
-                                debug!("error: {e:?}");
+                                debug!("error: {e:#}");
                             }
                         }
                     }.instrument(error_span!("ping", addr=addr.to_string())))
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ impl DhtWorker {
                 )
                 .unwrap();
                 if let Err(e) = socket.send_to(&buf, addr).await {
-                    debug!("error sending to {addr}: {e:?}");
+                    debug!("error sending to {addr}: {e:#}");
                     if let Some(tid) = our_tid {
                         self.on_send_error(tid, addr, e.into());
                     }
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
index fc2874c..d9870b5 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/librqbit/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ storage_examples = []
 tracing-subscriber-utils = ["tracing-subscriber"]
 postgres = ["sqlx"]
 async-bt = ["async-backtrace"]
+watch = ["notify"]
 
 [dependencies]
 sqlx = { version = "0.8.2", features = [
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ mime_guess = { version = "2.0.5", default-features = false }
 tokio-socks = "0.5.2"
 async-trait = "0.1.81"
 async-backtrace = { version = "0.2", optional = true }
+notify = { version = "6.1.1", optional = true }
 
 [build-dependencies]
 anyhow = "1"
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
index f8543c9..455381c 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/lib.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ pub mod tracing_subscriber_config_utils;
 mod type_aliases;
 #[cfg(all(feature = "http-api", feature = "upnp-serve-adapter"))]
 pub mod upnp_server_adapter;
+#[cfg(feature = "watch")]
+pub mod watch;
 
 pub use api::Api;
 pub use api_error::ApiError;
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/tests/e2e.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/tests/e2e.rs
index 67b6fcb..3b8eda0 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/tests/e2e.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/tests/e2e.rs
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ async fn _test_e2e_download(drop_checks: &DropChecks) {
                                 }
                                 Ok(true)
                             }
-                            crate::ManagedTorrentState::Error(e) => bail!("error: {e:?}"),
+                            crate::ManagedTorrentState::Error(e) => bail!("error: {e:#}"),
                             _ => bail!("broken state"),
                         })
                         .context("error checking for torrent liveness")?;
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/watch.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/watch.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b435928
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/watch.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+use std::{
+    io::Read,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::{Arc, Weak},
+};
+
+use anyhow::{bail, Context};
+use buffers::ByteBuf;
+use librqbit_core::torrent_metainfo::torrent_from_bytes;
+use notify::Watcher;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc::{UnboundedReceiver, UnboundedSender};
+use tracing::{debug, error, error_span, trace, warn};
+
+use crate::{AddTorrent, AddTorrentOptions, AddTorrentResponse, Session};
+
+struct ThreadCancelEvent {
+    mutex: parking_lot::Mutex<bool>,
+    condvar: parking_lot::Condvar,
+}
+
+impl ThreadCancelEvent {
+    fn new() -> Arc<Self> {
+        Arc::new(Self {
+            mutex: parking_lot::Mutex::new(false),
+            condvar: parking_lot::Condvar::new(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn cancel(&self) {
+        let mut g = self.mutex.lock();
+        *g = true;
+        self.condvar.notify_all();
+    }
+
+    fn wait_until_cancelled(&self) {
+        let mut g = self.mutex.lock();
+        while !*g {
+            self.condvar.wait(&mut g);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async fn watch_adder(session_w: Weak<Session>, mut rx: UnboundedReceiver<AddTorrent<'static>>) {
+    async fn add_one(
+        session_w: &Weak<Session>,
+        add_torrent: AddTorrent<'static>,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let session = match session_w.upgrade() {
+            Some(s) => s,
+            None => return Ok(()),
+        };
+        let res = session
+            .add_torrent(
+                add_torrent,
+                Some(AddTorrentOptions {
+                    overwrite: true,
+                    ..Default::default()
+                }),
+            )
+            .await?;
+        match res {
+            AddTorrentResponse::Added(_, _) => {}
+            AddTorrentResponse::AlreadyManaged(_, _) => {
+                debug!("already managed");
+            }
+            AddTorrentResponse::ListOnly(..) => bail!("bug: unexpected list only"),
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    while let Some(add_torrent) = rx.recv().await {
+        if let Err(e) = add_one(&session_w, add_torrent).await {
+            warn!("error adding torrent: {e:#}");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn watch_thread(
+    folder: PathBuf,
+    tx: UnboundedSender<AddTorrent<'static>>,
+    cancel_event: &ThreadCancelEvent,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    fn read_and_validate_torrent(path: &Path) -> anyhow::Result<AddTorrent<'static>> {
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        std::fs::File::open(path)
+            .context("error opening")?
+            .read_to_end(&mut buf)
+            .context("error reading")?;
+        torrent_from_bytes::<ByteBuf>(&buf).context("invalid .torrent file")?;
+        Ok(AddTorrent::from_bytes(buf))
+    }
+
+    fn watch_cb(
+        ev: notify::Result<notify::Event>,
+        tx: &UnboundedSender<AddTorrent<'static>>,
+    ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        trace!(event=?ev, "watch event");
+        let ev = ev.context("error event")?;
+        match ev.kind {
+            notify::EventKind::Create(_) | notify::EventKind::Modify(_) => {}
+            other => {
+                debug!(kind=?other, paths=?ev.paths, "ignoring event");
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+        }
+        for path in ev.paths {
+            if path.extension().and_then(|e| e.to_str()) != Some("torrent") {
+                trace!(?path, "ignoring path");
+                continue;
+            }
+            let add = match read_and_validate_torrent(&path) {
+                Ok(add) => add,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    debug!(?path, "error validating torrent: {e:#}");
+                    continue;
+                }
+            };
+
+            if tx.send(add).is_err() {
+                return Ok(());
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    let mut watcher = notify::recommended_watcher(move |ev| {
+        if let Err(e) = watch_cb(ev, &tx) {
+            warn!("error processing watch event: {e:#}");
+        }
+    })
+    .context("error creating watcher")?;
+    watcher
+        .watch(&folder, notify::RecursiveMode::Recursive)
+        .context("error watching")?;
+    cancel_event.wait_until_cancelled();
+    debug!(?folder, "watcher thread done");
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+impl Session {
+    pub fn watch_folder(self: &Arc<Self>, watch_folder: &Path) {
+        let session_w = Arc::downgrade(self);
+        let (tx, rx) = tokio::sync::mpsc::unbounded_channel();
+        self.spawn(error_span!("watch_adder", ?watch_folder), async move {
+            watch_adder(session_w, rx).await;
+            Ok(())
+        });
+
+        let cancel_event = ThreadCancelEvent::new();
+        let cancel_event_2 = cancel_event.clone();
+        let cancel_token = self.cancellation_token().clone();
+        crate::spawn_utils::spawn(
+            "watch_cancel",
+            error_span!("watch_cancel", ?watch_folder),
+            async move {
+                cancel_token.cancelled().await;
+                trace!("canceling watcher");
+                cancel_event.cancel();
+                Ok(())
+            },
+        );
+
+        let watch_folder = PathBuf::from(watch_folder);
+        let session_span = self.rs();
+        std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            let span = error_span!(parent: session_span, "watcher", folder=?watch_folder);
+            let _ = span.enter();
+            if let Err(e) = watch_thread(watch_folder, tx, &cancel_event_2) {
+                error!("error in watcher thread: {e:#}");
+            }
+        });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml b/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
index 8865888..1a0c046 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/rqbit/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ librqbit = { version = "7.1.0-beta.0", path = "../librqbit", default-features =
     "http-api",
     "tracing-subscriber-utils",
     "upnp-serve-adapter",
+    "watch",
 ] }
 tokio = { version = "1", features = ["macros", "rt-multi-thread"] }
 console-subscriber = { version = "0.4", optional = true }
diff --git a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
index 4e37de2..561d52d 100644
--- a/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rqbit/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-use std::{io, net::SocketAddr, path::PathBuf, sync::Arc, thread, time::Duration};
+use std::{
+    io,
+    net::SocketAddr,
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::Arc,
+    thread,
+    time::Duration,
+};
 
 use anyhow::{bail, Context};
 use clap::{CommandFactory, Parser, ValueEnum};
@@ -236,6 +243,11 @@ struct ServerStartOptions {
     /// [Experimental] if set, will try to resume quickly after restart and skip checksumming.
     #[arg(long = "fastresume", env = "RQBIT_FASTRESUME")]
     fastresume: bool,
+
+    /// The folder to watch for added .torrent files. All files in this folder will be automatically added
+    /// to the session.
+    #[arg(long = "watch-folder", env = "RQBIT_WATCH_FOLDER")]
+    watch_folder: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
@@ -580,7 +592,7 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
                 };
 
                 let api = Api::new(
-                    session,
+                    session.clone(),
                     Some(log_config.rust_log_reload_tx),
                     Some(log_config.line_broadcast),
                 );
@@ -595,6 +607,10 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
                 let upnp_router = upnp_server.as_mut().and_then(|s| s.take_router().ok());
                 let http_api_fut = http_api.make_http_api_and_run(tcp_listener, upnp_router);
 
+                if let Some(watch_folder) = start_opts.watch_folder.as_ref() {
+                    session.watch_folder(Path::new(watch_folder));
+                }
+
                 let res = match upnp_server {
                     Some(srv) => {
                         let upnp_fut = srv.run_ssdp_forever();
@@ -609,7 +625,6 @@ async fn async_main(opts: Opts, cancel: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
                         r = http_api_fut => r,
                     },
                 };
-
                 res.context("error running server")
             }
         },