diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/owlry-core/Cargo.toml
index 6223798..ea9e878 100644
--- a/crates/owlry-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ dirs = "5"
 # Error handling
 thiserror = "2"
 
+# Filesystem watching (plugin hot-reload)
+notify = "7"
+notify-debouncer-mini = "0.5"
+
 # Signal handling
 ctrlc = { version = "3", features = ["termination"] }
 
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/mod.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/mod.rs
index ebaf17f..b7fa684 100644
--- a/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/mod.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub mod manifest;
 pub mod native_loader;
 pub mod registry;
 pub mod runtime_loader;
+pub mod watcher;
 
 // Lua-specific modules (require mlua)
 #[cfg(feature = "lua")]
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/watcher.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/watcher.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15ebadb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/plugins/watcher.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+//! Filesystem watcher for user plugin hot-reload
+//!
+//! Watches `~/.config/owlry/plugins/` for changes and triggers
+//! runtime reload when plugin files are modified.
+
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
+use std::thread;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use log::{info, warn};
+use notify_debouncer_mini::{new_debouncer, DebouncedEventKind};
+
+use crate::providers::ProviderManager;
+
+/// Start watching the user plugins directory for changes.
+///
+/// Spawns a background thread that monitors the directory and triggers
+/// a full runtime reload on any file change. Returns immediately.
+///
+/// Respects `OWLRY_SKIP_RUNTIMES=1` — returns early if set.
+pub fn start_watching(pm: Arc<RwLock<ProviderManager>>) {
+    if std::env::var("OWLRY_SKIP_RUNTIMES").is_ok() {
+        info!("OWLRY_SKIP_RUNTIMES set, skipping file watcher");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    let plugins_dir = match crate::paths::plugins_dir() {
+        Some(d) => d,
+        None => {
+            info!("No plugins directory configured, skipping file watcher");
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+
+    if !plugins_dir.exists()
+        && std::fs::create_dir_all(&plugins_dir).is_err()
+    {
+        warn!(
+            "Failed to create plugins directory: {}",
+            plugins_dir.display()
+        );
+        return;
+    }
+
+    info!(
+        "Plugin file watcher started for {}",
+        plugins_dir.display()
+    );
+
+    thread::spawn(move || {
+        if let Err(e) = watch_loop(&plugins_dir, &pm) {
+            warn!("Plugin watcher stopped: {}", e);
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+fn watch_loop(
+    plugins_dir: &PathBuf,
+    pm: &Arc<RwLock<ProviderManager>>,
+) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::channel();
+
+    let mut debouncer = new_debouncer(Duration::from_millis(500), tx)?;
+
+    debouncer
+        .watcher()
+        .watch(plugins_dir.as_ref(), notify::RecursiveMode::Recursive)?;
+
+    info!("Watching {} for plugin changes", plugins_dir.display());
+
+    loop {
+        match rx.recv() {
+            Ok(Ok(events)) => {
+                let has_relevant_change = events.iter().any(|e| {
+                    matches!(
+                        e.kind,
+                        DebouncedEventKind::Any | DebouncedEventKind::AnyContinuous
+                    )
+                });
+
+                if has_relevant_change {
+                    info!("Plugin file change detected, reloading runtimes...");
+                    let mut pm_guard = pm.write().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+                    pm_guard.reload_runtimes();
+                }
+            }
+            Ok(Err(error)) => {
+                warn!("File watcher error: {}", error);
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                return Err(Box::new(e));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/providers/mod.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/providers/mod.rs
index 75424b4..11dc66e 100644
--- a/crates/owlry-core/src/providers/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/providers/mod.rs
@@ -234,8 +234,9 @@ impl ProviderManager {
         let owlry_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
 
         let skip_runtimes = std::env::var("OWLRY_SKIP_RUNTIMES").is_ok();
-        if !skip_runtimes {
-        if let Some(plugins_dir) = crate::paths::plugins_dir() {
+        if !skip_runtimes
+            && let Some(plugins_dir) = crate::paths::plugins_dir()
+        {
             // Try Lua runtime
             match LoadedRuntime::load_lua(&plugins_dir, owlry_version) {
                 Ok(rt) => {
@@ -267,7 +268,6 @@ impl ProviderManager {
                     info!("Rune runtime not available: {}", e);
                 }
             }
-        }
         } // skip_runtimes
 
         // Merge runtime providers into core providers
@@ -282,6 +282,66 @@ impl ProviderManager {
         manager
     }
 
+    /// Reload all script runtime providers (called by filesystem watcher)
+    pub fn reload_runtimes(&mut self) {
+        use crate::plugins::runtime_loader::LoadedRuntime;
+
+        // Remove old runtime providers from the core providers list
+        self.providers.retain(|p| {
+            let type_str = format!("{}", p.provider_type());
+            !self.runtime_type_ids.contains(&type_str)
+        });
+
+        // Drop old runtimes
+        self.runtimes.clear();
+        self.runtime_type_ids.clear();
+
+        let owlry_version = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
+        let plugins_dir = match crate::paths::plugins_dir() {
+            Some(d) => d,
+            None => return,
+        };
+
+        // Reload Lua runtime
+        match LoadedRuntime::load_lua(&plugins_dir, owlry_version) {
+            Ok(rt) => {
+                info!("Reloaded Lua runtime with {} provider(s)", rt.providers().len());
+                for provider in rt.create_providers() {
+                    let type_id = format!("{}", provider.provider_type());
+                    self.runtime_type_ids.insert(type_id);
+                    self.providers.push(provider);
+                }
+                self.runtimes.push(rt);
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                info!("Lua runtime not available on reload: {}", e);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Reload Rune runtime
+        match LoadedRuntime::load_rune(&plugins_dir, owlry_version) {
+            Ok(rt) => {
+                info!("Reloaded Rune runtime with {} provider(s)", rt.providers().len());
+                for provider in rt.create_providers() {
+                    let type_id = format!("{}", provider.provider_type());
+                    self.runtime_type_ids.insert(type_id);
+                    self.providers.push(provider);
+                }
+                self.runtimes.push(rt);
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                info!("Rune runtime not available on reload: {}", e);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Refresh the newly added providers
+        for provider in &mut self.providers {
+            provider.refresh();
+        }
+
+        info!("Runtime reload complete");
+    }
+
     #[allow(dead_code)]
     pub fn is_dmenu_mode(&self) -> bool {
         self.providers
diff --git a/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs b/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs
index 7f5e105..8bef4f2 100644
--- a/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs
+++ b/crates/owlry-core/src/server.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ impl Server {
 
     /// Accept connections in a loop, spawning a thread per client.
     pub fn run(&self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        // Start filesystem watcher for user plugin hot-reload
+        crate::plugins::watcher::start_watching(Arc::clone(&self.provider_manager));
+
         info!("Server entering accept loop");
         for stream in self.listener.incoming() {
             match stream {