When --env-file is used with --watch-path, the process is restarted when files outside the specified path are changed

[fedyk]

Version

v25.6.1

Platform

Darwin Mac.home 24.6.0 Darwin Kernel Version 24.6.0: Mon Jan 19 22:01:08 PST 2026; root:xnu-11417.140.69.708.3~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8112 arm64

Subsystem

watch_mode

What steps will reproduce the bug?

Create a project with following files:

cache/test.txt
src/index.js
.env

Paste any long running JS into src/index.js. For example:

import { createServer } from 'node:http';

const server = createServer((req, res) => {
  res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
  res.end('Hello World!\n');
});

server.listen(3000, '127.0.0.1', () => console.log('Listening on 127.0.0.1:3000'));

Start the process with following command:

node --watch-path=./src --env-file=.env src/index.js

In separated terminal call

cat "test" >> cache/test.txt

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

Each time

What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?

The changes outside the --watch-path should be ignored when --env-file is used.

What do you see instead?

Changes outside --watch-path cause node process to restart

Additional information

No response

[juanarbol]

This is very interesting, I'll take a look soon-ish

[Renegade334]

Duplicate of #61906.

[fedyk]

duplicate of #61906