diff --git a/fact/src/config/reloader/mod.rs b/fact/src/config/reloader/mod.rs
index cb99b898..a4b04161 100644
--- a/fact/src/config/reloader/mod.rs
+++ b/fact/src/config/reloader/mod.rs
@@ -40,11 +40,16 @@ impl Reloader {
     pub fn start(mut self, mut running: watch::Receiver<bool>) {
         if !self.enabled {
             info!("Configuration hotreload is disabled, changes will require a restart.");
-            return;
         }
 
         tokio::spawn(async move {
-            let mut ticker = interval(Duration::from_secs(10));
+            let tick = if self.enabled {
+                Duration::from_secs(10)
+            } else {
+                Duration::MAX
+            };
+            let mut ticker = interval(tick);
+
             loop {
                 tokio::select! {
                     _ = ticker.tick() => self.reload(),
@@ -225,7 +230,7 @@ impl Reloader {
     /// Recreate the configuration and notify of changes to any
     /// subscribers.
     fn reload(&mut self) {
-        if !self.update_cache() {
+        if !self.enabled || !self.update_cache() {
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/fact/src/config/reloader/tests.rs b/fact/src/config/reloader/tests.rs
index a5e128b5..edcfb7dd 100644
--- a/fact/src/config/reloader/tests.rs
+++ b/fact/src/config/reloader/tests.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use std::{
     fmt::Debug,
     net::{IpAddr, Ipv4Addr, SocketAddr},
+    time::Duration,
 };
 
 use crate::config::BackoffConfig;
@@ -1417,3 +1418,61 @@ generate_otel_test! {
     },
     None
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_reloader_disabled_keeps_channels_alive() {
+    let config = FactConfig {
+        hotreload: Some(false),
+        ..Default::default()
+    };
+    let reloader = Reloader::from(config);
+
+    let mut paths_rx = reloader.paths();
+    let mut endpoint_rx = reloader.endpoint();
+    let mut grpc_rx = reloader.grpc();
+    let mut otel_rx = reloader.otel();
+    let mut scan_interval_rx = reloader.scan_interval();
+    let mut rate_limit_rx = reloader.rate_limit();
+
+    let (_, rx) = watch::channel(true);
+    reloader.start(rx);
+
+    let timeout = Duration::from_millis(50);
+
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, paths_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "paths sender was dropped"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, endpoint_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "endpoint sender was dropped"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, grpc_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "grpc sender was dropped"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, otel_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "otel sender was dropped"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, scan_interval_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "scan_interval sender was dropped"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        tokio::time::timeout(timeout, rate_limit_rx.changed())
+            .await
+            .is_err(),
+        "rate_limit sender was dropped"
+    );
+}