diff --git a/spring-cloud-config-monitor/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/monitor/FileMonitorConfiguration.java b/spring-cloud-config-monitor/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/monitor/FileMonitorConfiguration.java
index 09f865c9..33afb6a2 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-config-monitor/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/monitor/FileMonitorConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-config-monitor/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/config/monitor/FileMonitorConfiguration.java
@@ -301,8 +301,14 @@ public class FileMonitorConfiguration implements SmartLifecycle, ResourceLoaderA
 		if (log.isDebugEnabled()) {
 			log.debug("registering: " + dir + " for file creation events");
 		}
+		try {
 		dir.register(this.watcher, StandardWatchEventKinds.ENTRY_CREATE,
 				StandardWatchEventKinds.ENTRY_MODIFY);
+		} catch (IOException e) {
+			throw e;
+		} catch (Exception e) {
+			throw new IOException("Cannot register watcher for " + dir, e);
+		}
 	}
 
 }