diff --git a/command/agent/agent.go b/command/agent/agent.go
index 2464efa259..85ee5514cd 100644
--- a/command/agent/agent.go
+++ b/command/agent/agent.go
@@ -311,6 +311,11 @@ func (a *Agent) Start() error {
 		a.httpServers = append(a.httpServers, srv)
 	}
 
+	// register watches
+	if err := a.registerWatches(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// start retry join
 	go a.retryJoin()
 	go a.retryJoinWan()
@@ -486,6 +491,34 @@ func (a *Agent) serveHTTP(l net.Listener, srv *HTTPServer) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func (a *Agent) registerWatches() error {
+	if len(a.config.WatchPlans) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	addrs, err := a.config.HTTPAddrs()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if len(addrs) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("watch plans require an HTTP or HTTPS endpoint")
+	}
+
+	for _, wp := range a.config.WatchPlans {
+		go func(wp *watch.Plan) {
+			wp.Handler = makeWatchHandler(a.LogOutput, wp.Exempt["handler"])
+			wp.LogOutput = a.LogOutput
+			addr := addrs[0].String()
+			if addrs[0].Net == "unix" {
+				addr = "unix://" + addr
+			}
+			if err := wp.Run(addr); err != nil {
+				a.logger.Println("[ERR] Failed to run watch: %v", err)
+			}
+		}(wp)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // consulConfig is used to return a consul configuration
 func (a *Agent) consulConfig() (*consul.Config, error) {
 	// Start with the provided config or default config
diff --git a/command/agent/command.go b/command/agent/command.go
index 21047418b7..596ea453d4 100644
--- a/command/agent/command.go
+++ b/command/agent/command.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
-	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -390,8 +389,9 @@ func (cmd *Command) readConfig() *Config {
 		}
 
 		// Get the handler
-		if err := verifyWatchHandler(wp.Exempt["handler"]); err != nil {
-			cmd.UI.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to setup watch handler (%#v): %v", params, err))
+		h := wp.Exempt["handler"]
+		if _, ok := h.(string); h == nil || !ok {
+			cmd.UI.Error("Watch handler must be a string")
 			return nil
 		}
 
@@ -632,39 +632,6 @@ func startupTelemetry(config *Config) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (cmd *Command) registerWatches(config *Config) error {
-	var err error
-
-	var httpAddr net.Addr
-	if config.Ports.HTTP != -1 {
-		httpAddr, err = config.ClientListener(config.Addresses.HTTP, config.Ports.HTTP)
-	} else if config.Ports.HTTPS != -1 {
-		httpAddr, err = config.ClientListener(config.Addresses.HTTPS, config.Ports.HTTPS)
-	} else if len(config.WatchPlans) > 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Error: cannot use watches if both HTTP and HTTPS are disabled")
-	}
-	if err != nil {
-		cmd.UI.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to determine HTTP address: %v", err))
-	}
-
-	// Register the watches
-	for _, wp := range config.WatchPlans {
-		go func(wp *watch.Plan) {
-			wp.Handler = makeWatchHandler(cmd.logOutput, wp.Exempt["handler"])
-			wp.LogOutput = cmd.logOutput
-			addr := httpAddr.String()
-			// If it's a unix socket, prefix with unix:// so the client initializes correctly
-			if httpAddr.Network() == "unix" {
-				addr = "unix://" + addr
-			}
-			if err := wp.Run(addr); err != nil {
-				cmd.UI.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error running watch: %v", err))
-			}
-		}(wp)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (cmd *Command) Run(args []string) int {
 	code := cmd.run(args)
 	if cmd.logger != nil {
@@ -737,11 +704,6 @@ func (cmd *Command) run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	if err := cmd.registerWatches(config); err != nil {
-		cmd.UI.Error(err.Error())
-		return 1
-	}
-
 	// Let the agent know we've finished registration
 	agent.StartSync()
 
diff --git a/command/agent/watch_handler.go b/command/agent/watch_handler.go
index afc4fb94d2..ecec7c2cf1 100644
--- a/command/agent/watch_handler.go
+++ b/command/agent/watch_handler.go
@@ -20,18 +20,6 @@ const (
 	WatchBufSize = 4 * 1024 // 4KB
 )
 
-// verifyWatchHandler does the pre-check for our handler configuration
-func verifyWatchHandler(params interface{}) error {
-	if params == nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Must provide watch handler")
-	}
-	_, ok := params.(string)
-	if !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Watch handler must be a string")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // makeWatchHandler returns a handler for the given watch
 func makeWatchHandler(logOutput io.Writer, params interface{}) watch.HandlerFunc {
 	script := params.(string)
diff --git a/command/agent/watch_handler_test.go b/command/agent/watch_handler_test.go
index 4522e2f476..baacb2fab7 100644
--- a/command/agent/watch_handler_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/watch_handler_test.go
@@ -6,22 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-func TestVerifyWatchHandler(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-	if err := verifyWatchHandler(nil); err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should err")
-	}
-	if err := verifyWatchHandler(123); err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should err")
-	}
-	if err := verifyWatchHandler([]string{"foo"}); err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("should err")
-	}
-	if err := verifyWatchHandler("foo"); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("err: %v", err)
-	}
-}
-
 func TestMakeWatchHandler(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	defer os.Remove("handler_out")