diff --git a/core/startos/src/util/io.rs b/core/startos/src/util/io.rs
index b8cab713f..464666e00 100644
--- a/core/startos/src/util/io.rs
+++ b/core/startos/src/util/io.rs
@@ -1532,18 +1532,36 @@ pub trait ReadWriter: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite {}
 impl<T: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite> ReadWriter for T {}
 
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
-async fn wait_for_created(stream: &mut EventStream<[u8; 1024]>, path: &Path) -> Result<(), Error> {
-    let parent = stream
-        .watches()
-        .add(path.parent().unwrap_or("/".as_ref()), WatchMask::CREATE)?;
-    while let Some(e) = stream.try_next().await? {
-        if e.mask & EventMask::CREATE != EventMask::empty() && e.name.as_deref() == path.file_name()
-        {
-            break;
+fn wait_for_created<'a>(
+    stream: &'a mut EventStream<[u8; 1024]>,
+    path: &'a Path,
+) -> BoxFuture<'a, Result<(), Error>> {
+    async {
+        let parent_path = path.parent().unwrap_or("/".as_ref());
+        let parent;
+        loop {
+            match stream.watches().add(parent_path, WatchMask::CREATE) {
+                Ok(desc) => {
+                    parent = desc;
+                    break;
+                }
+                Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
+                    wait_for_created(stream, parent_path).await?;
+                }
+                Err(e) => Err(e)?,
+            }
         }
+        while let Some(e) = stream.try_next().await? {
+            if e.mask & EventMask::CREATE != EventMask::empty()
+                && e.name.as_deref() == path.file_name()
+            {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        stream.watches().remove(parent)?;
+        Ok(())
     }
-    stream.watches().remove(parent)?;
-    Ok(())
+    .boxed()
 }
 
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
@@ -1554,32 +1572,26 @@ pub fn file_string_stream(
     async_stream::try_stream! {
         let mut stream = Inotify::init()?.into_event_stream([0; 1024])?;
         loop {
-            stream.watches().add(
-                &path,
-                WatchMask::MODIFY | WatchMask::MOVE_SELF | WatchMask::MOVED_TO | WatchMask::DELETE_SELF,
-            )?;
-            if let Some(contents) = maybe_read_file_to_string(&path).await? {
-                yield Some(contents);
-            } else {
-                wait_for_created(&mut stream, &path).await?;
+            loop {
+                match stream.watches().add(
+                    &path,
+                    WatchMask::MODIFY | WatchMask::MOVE_SELF | WatchMask::MOVED_TO | WatchMask::DELETE_SELF,
+                ) {
+                    Ok(_) => break,
+                    Err(e) if e.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {
+                        yield None;
+                        wait_for_created(&mut stream, &path).await?;
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => Err(e)?,
+                }
             }
+            yield maybe_read_file_to_string(&path).await?;
             while let Some(e) = stream.try_next().await? {
-                yield maybe_read_file_to_string(&path).await?;
                 if e.mask & EventMask::DELETE_SELF != EventMask::empty() {
                     break;
                 }
+                yield maybe_read_file_to_string(&path).await?;
             }
         }
     }
 }
-
-#[tokio::test]
-async fn test_wait_for_created() {
-    let mut stream = Inotify::init()
-        .unwrap()
-        .into_event_stream([0; 1024])
-        .unwrap();
-    wait_for_created(&mut stream, Path::new("/tmp/wait-for-me"))
-        .await
-        .unwrap();
-}