diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
index 6182ecc26e0c3..38723bffc0bc3 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/settings.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export enum Command {
   METADATA = 'metadata',
   INIT = 'init',
   VERSION = 'version',
+  WATCH = 'watch',
 }
 
 const BUNDLING_COMMANDS = [
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ const BUNDLING_COMMANDS = [
   Command.DIFF,
   Command.SYNTH,
   Command.SYNTHESIZE,
+  Command.WATCH,
 ];
 
 export type Arguments = {
@@ -251,7 +253,7 @@ export class Settings {
     // Determine bundling stacks
     let bundlingStacks: string[];
     if (BUNDLING_COMMANDS.includes(argv._[0])) {
-    // If we deploy, diff or synth a list of stacks exclusively we skip
+    // If we deploy, diff, synth or watch a list of stacks exclusively we skip
     // bundling for all other stacks.
       bundlingStacks = argv.exclusively
         ? argv.STACKS ?? ['*']
diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/test/settings.test.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/test/settings.test.ts
index 0f283b386006b..aef16e6bac946 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/test/settings.test.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/test/settings.test.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,16 @@ test('bundling stacks defaults to * for deploy', () => {
   expect(settings.get(['bundlingStacks'])).toEqual(['*']);
 });
 
+test('bundling stacks defaults to * for watch', () => {
+  // GIVEN
+  const settings = Settings.fromCommandLineArguments({
+    _: [Command.WATCH],
+  });
+
+  // THEN
+  expect(settings.get(['bundlingStacks'])).toEqual(['*']);
+});
+
 test('bundling stacks with deploy exclusively', () => {
   // GIVEN
   const settings = Settings.fromCommandLineArguments({
@@ -112,6 +122,18 @@ test('bundling stacks with deploy exclusively', () => {
   expect(settings.get(['bundlingStacks'])).toEqual(['cool-stack']);
 });
 
+test('bundling stacks with watch exclusively', () => {
+  // GIVEN
+  const settings = Settings.fromCommandLineArguments({
+    _: [Command.WATCH],
+    exclusively: true,
+    STACKS: ['cool-stack'],
+  });
+
+  // THEN
+  expect(settings.get(['bundlingStacks'])).toEqual(['cool-stack']);
+});
+
 test('should include outputs-file in settings', () => {
   // GIVEN
   const settings = Settings.fromCommandLineArguments({