diff --git a/gotify_tray/database/default_settings.py b/gotify_tray/database/default_settings.py
index b488416..9bd7d1f 100644
--- a/gotify_tray/database/default_settings.py
+++ b/gotify_tray/database/default_settings.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ DEFAULT_SETTINGS = {
     "tray/notifications/icon/show": True,
     "tray/notifications/click": True,
     "tray/icon/unread": False,
+    "watchdog/enabled": True,
     "watchdog/interval/s": 60,
     "MessageWidget/height/min": 100,
     "MessageWidget/image/size": 33,
diff --git a/gotify_tray/gui/MainApplication.py b/gotify_tray/gui/MainApplication.py
index 365fd1f..3ebffb6 100644
--- a/gotify_tray/gui/MainApplication.py
+++ b/gotify_tray/gui/MainApplication.py
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ class MainApplication(QtWidgets.QApplication):
         self.link_callbacks()
         self.init_shortcuts()
 
-        self.watchdog.start()
+        if settings.value("watchdog/enabled", type=bool):
+            self.watchdog.start()
 
     def set_theme(self):
         set_theme(self)
diff --git a/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.py b/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.py
index 5dffb29..6230206 100644
--- a/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.py
+++ b/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Form implementation generated from reading ui file 'gotify_tray/gui/designs\widget_settings.ui'
 #
-# Created by: PyQt6 UI code generator 6.5.0
+# Created by: PyQt6 UI code generator 6.5.1
 #
 # WARNING: Any manual changes made to this file will be lost when pyuic6 is
 # run again.  Do not edit this file unless you know what you are doing.
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets
 class Ui_Dialog(object):
     def setupUi(self, Dialog):
         Dialog.setObjectName("Dialog")
-        Dialog.resize(415, 420)
+        Dialog.resize(415, 426)
         self.gridLayout = QtWidgets.QGridLayout(Dialog)
         self.gridLayout.setObjectName("gridLayout")
         self.buttonBox = QtWidgets.QDialogButtonBox(parent=Dialog)
@@ -166,6 +166,28 @@ class Ui_Dialog(object):
         self.horizontalLayout_4.addItem(spacerItem4)
         self.gridLayout_2.addLayout(self.horizontalLayout_4, 0, 0, 1, 1)
         self.verticalLayout.addWidget(self.groupbox_image_popup)
+        self.groupbox_watchdog = QtWidgets.QGroupBox(parent=self.tab_advanced)
+        self.groupbox_watchdog.setCheckable(True)
+        self.groupbox_watchdog.setObjectName("groupbox_watchdog")
+        self.verticalLayout_3 = QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout(self.groupbox_watchdog)
+        self.verticalLayout_3.setObjectName("verticalLayout_3")
+        self.horizontalLayout_3 = QtWidgets.QHBoxLayout()
+        self.horizontalLayout_3.setObjectName("horizontalLayout_3")
+        self.label_watchdog_interval = QtWidgets.QLabel(parent=self.groupbox_watchdog)
+        self.label_watchdog_interval.setObjectName("label_watchdog_interval")
+        self.horizontalLayout_3.addWidget(self.label_watchdog_interval)
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval = QtWidgets.QSpinBox(parent=self.groupbox_watchdog)
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval.setMinimum(1)
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval.setMaximum(100000)
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval.setObjectName("spin_watchdog_interval")
+        self.horizontalLayout_3.addWidget(self.spin_watchdog_interval)
+        self.label_watchdog_interval_s = QtWidgets.QLabel(parent=self.groupbox_watchdog)
+        self.label_watchdog_interval_s.setObjectName("label_watchdog_interval_s")
+        self.horizontalLayout_3.addWidget(self.label_watchdog_interval_s)
+        spacerItem5 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(40, 20, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum)
+        self.horizontalLayout_3.addItem(spacerItem5)
+        self.verticalLayout_3.addLayout(self.horizontalLayout_3)
+        self.verticalLayout.addWidget(self.groupbox_watchdog)
         self.groupBox_cache = QtWidgets.QGroupBox(parent=self.tab_advanced)
         self.groupBox_cache.setObjectName("groupBox_cache")
         self.horizontalLayout_6 = QtWidgets.QHBoxLayout(self.groupBox_cache)
@@ -179,8 +201,8 @@ class Ui_Dialog(object):
         self.label_cache = QtWidgets.QLabel(parent=self.groupBox_cache)
         self.label_cache.setObjectName("label_cache")
         self.horizontalLayout_6.addWidget(self.label_cache)
-        spacerItem5 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(40, 20, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum)
-        self.horizontalLayout_6.addItem(spacerItem5)
+        spacerItem6 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(40, 20, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum)
+        self.horizontalLayout_6.addItem(spacerItem6)
         self.verticalLayout.addWidget(self.groupBox_cache)
         self.groupBox_logging = QtWidgets.QGroupBox(parent=self.tab_advanced)
         self.groupBox_logging.setObjectName("groupBox_logging")
@@ -189,8 +211,8 @@ class Ui_Dialog(object):
         self.combo_logging = QtWidgets.QComboBox(parent=self.groupBox_logging)
         self.combo_logging.setObjectName("combo_logging")
         self.gridLayout_6.addWidget(self.combo_logging, 0, 1, 1, 1)
-        spacerItem6 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(190, 20, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum)
-        self.gridLayout_6.addItem(spacerItem6, 0, 3, 1, 1)
+        spacerItem7 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(190, 20, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum)
+        self.gridLayout_6.addItem(spacerItem7, 0, 3, 1, 1)
         self.pb_open_log = QtWidgets.QPushButton(parent=self.groupBox_logging)
         self.pb_open_log.setMaximumSize(QtCore.QSize(30, 16777215))
         self.pb_open_log.setObjectName("pb_open_log")
@@ -199,8 +221,8 @@ class Ui_Dialog(object):
         self.label_logging.setObjectName("label_logging")
         self.gridLayout_6.addWidget(self.label_logging, 0, 0, 1, 1)
         self.verticalLayout.addWidget(self.groupBox_logging)
-        spacerItem7 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(20, 40, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding)
-        self.verticalLayout.addItem(spacerItem7)
+        spacerItem8 = QtWidgets.QSpacerItem(20, 40, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Minimum, QtWidgets.QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding)
+        self.verticalLayout.addItem(spacerItem8)
         self.tabWidget.addTab(self.tab_advanced, "")
         self.gridLayout.addWidget(self.tabWidget, 0, 0, 1, 1)
 
@@ -252,6 +274,9 @@ class Ui_Dialog(object):
         self.label_2.setToolTip(_translate("Dialog", "Maximum pop-up height"))
         self.label_2.setText(_translate("Dialog", "Height"))
         self.spin_popup_h.setToolTip(_translate("Dialog", "Maximum pop-up height"))
+        self.groupbox_watchdog.setTitle(_translate("Dialog", "Server watchdog thread (requires restart)"))
+        self.label_watchdog_interval.setText(_translate("Dialog", "Interval:"))
+        self.label_watchdog_interval_s.setText(_translate("Dialog", "s"))
         self.groupBox_cache.setTitle(_translate("Dialog", "Cache"))
         self.pb_clear_cache.setText(_translate("Dialog", "Clear"))
         self.pb_open_cache_dir.setText(_translate("Dialog", "Open"))
diff --git a/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.ui b/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.ui
index 62e3a45..4908dad 100644
--- a/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.ui
+++ b/gotify_tray/gui/designs/widget_settings.ui
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>415</width>
-    <height>420</height>
+    <height>426</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
@@ -391,6 +391,59 @@
          </layout>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupbox_watchdog">
+         <property name="title">
+          <string>Server watchdog thread (requires restart)</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="checkable">
+          <bool>true</bool>
+         </property>
+         <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_3">
+          <item>
+           <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout_3">
+            <item>
+             <widget class="QLabel" name="label_watchdog_interval">
+              <property name="text">
+               <string>Interval:</string>
+              </property>
+             </widget>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <widget class="QSpinBox" name="spin_watchdog_interval">
+              <property name="minimum">
+               <number>1</number>
+              </property>
+              <property name="maximum">
+               <number>100000</number>
+              </property>
+             </widget>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <widget class="QLabel" name="label_watchdog_interval_s">
+              <property name="text">
+               <string>s</string>
+              </property>
+             </widget>
+            </item>
+            <item>
+             <spacer name="horizontalSpacer_4">
+              <property name="orientation">
+               <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
+              </property>
+              <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
+               <size>
+                <width>40</width>
+                <height>20</height>
+               </size>
+              </property>
+             </spacer>
+            </item>
+           </layout>
+          </item>
+         </layout>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
        <item>
         <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox_cache">
          <property name="title">
diff --git a/gotify_tray/gui/widgets/SettingsDialog.py b/gotify_tray/gui/widgets/SettingsDialog.py
index 5f8c1af..462f4e1 100644
--- a/gotify_tray/gui/widgets/SettingsDialog.py
+++ b/gotify_tray/gui/widgets/SettingsDialog.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.spin_popup_h.setValue(settings.value("ImagePopup/h", type=int))
         self.label_cache.setText("0 MB")
         self.compute_cache_size()
+        self.groupbox_watchdog.setChecked(settings.value("watchdog/enabled", type=bool))
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval.setValue(settings.value("watchdog/interval/s", type=int))
 
     def add_message_widget(self):
         self.message_widget = MessageWidget(
@@ -215,6 +217,8 @@ class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.spin_popup_h.valueChanged.connect(self.settings_changed_callback)
         self.pb_clear_cache.clicked.connect(self.clear_cache_callback)
         self.pb_open_cache_dir.clicked.connect(lambda: open_file(Cache().directory()))
+        self.groupbox_watchdog.toggled.connect(self.settings_changed_callback)
+        self.spin_watchdog_interval.valueChanged.connect(self.settings_changed_callback)
 
     def apply_settings(self):
         # Priority
@@ -246,6 +250,8 @@ class SettingsDialog(QtWidgets.QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         settings.setValue("ImagePopup/enabled", self.groupbox_image_popup.isChecked())
         settings.setValue("ImagePopup/w", self.spin_popup_w.value())
         settings.setValue("ImagePopup/h", self.spin_popup_h.value())
+        settings.setValue("watchdog/enabled", self.groupbox_watchdog.isChecked())
+        settings.setValue("watchdog/interval/s", self.spin_watchdog_interval.value())
 
         self.settings_changed = False
         self.buttonBox.button(