diff --git a/init/keychords.cpp b/init/keychords.cpp
index 10c56e311..293736d30 100644
--- a/init/keychords.cpp
+++ b/init/keychords.cpp
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ void GeteventOpenDevice() {
     inotify_fd = ::inotify_init1(IN_NONBLOCK | IN_CLOEXEC);
     if (inotify_fd < 0) {
         PLOG(WARNING) << "Could not instantiate inotify for " << kDevicePath;
-    } else if (::inotify_add_watch(inotify_fd, kDevicePath, IN_DELETE | IN_CREATE) < 0) {
+    } else if (::inotify_add_watch(inotify_fd, kDevicePath, IN_DELETE | IN_CREATE | IN_ONLYDIR) < 0) {
         PLOG(WARNING) << "Could not add watch for " << kDevicePath;
         ::close(inotify_fd);
         inotify_fd = -1;