diff --git a/aionotify/base.py b/aionotify/base.py
index 113f68d..6aae1e4 100644
--- a/aionotify/base.py
+++ b/aionotify/base.py
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ def watch(self, path, flags, *, alias=None):
             alias = path
         if alias in self.requests:
             raise ValueError("A watch request is already scheduled for alias %s" % alias)
-        self.requests[alias] = (path, flags)
         if self._fd is not None:
             # We've started, register the watch immediately.
             self._setup_watch(alias, path, flags)
+        self.requests[alias] = (path, flags)
 
     def unwatch(self, alias):
         """Stop watching a given rule."""
diff --git a/tests/test_usage.py b/tests/test_usage.py
index f156291..1bf26e5 100644
--- a/tests/test_usage.py
+++ b/tests/test_usage.py
@@ -197,6 +197,20 @@ def test_rename_detection(self):
         # And it's over.
         yield from self._assert_no_events()
 
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def test_watch_after_created(self):
+        """It should be possible to retry watching a file that didn't exist."""
+        yield from self.watcher.setup(self.loop)
+
+        full_path = os.path.join(self.testdir, 'a')
+        with self.assertRaises(OSError):
+            self.watcher.watch(full_path, aionotify.Flags.MODIFY)
+
+        self._touch('a')
+        self.watcher.watch(full_path, aionotify.Flags.MODIFY)
+
+        yield from self._assert_no_events()
+
 
 class ErrorTests(AIONotifyTestCase):
     """Test error cases."""