diff --git a/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher.go b/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher.go
index 6b5fbc6544..0bcf09325b 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const throttleWindow = 75 * time.Millisecond
 
 type watcherBackend interface {
 	WatchDirectory(dir string, fn fswatch.WatchCallback, opts ...fswatch.WatchOption) (io.Closer, error)
+	HasFastRecursiveBackend() bool
 }
 
 type defaultWatcherBackend struct {
@@ -35,6 +36,10 @@ func (d defaultWatcherBackend) WatchDirectory(dir string, fn fswatch.WatchCallba
 	return d.watcher.WatchDirectory(dir, fn, opts...)
 }
 
+func (d defaultWatcherBackend) HasFastRecursiveBackend() bool {
+	return d.watcher.HasFastRecursiveBackend()
+}
+
 // Watcher manages a set of file system subscriptions identified by
 // WatcherID strings (matching the LSP server's project.WatcherID type).
 // Events are delivered to onChanges in batches as `*lsproto.FileEvent`,
@@ -286,7 +291,11 @@ func (w *watch) reconcile(emitSyntheticCreates bool) error {
 		if !w.watchingTarget && w.subscription != nil && w.watchedDirectory == ancestorDirectory {
 			return nil // already watching the correct ancestor
 		}
-		subscription, err := watcher.backend.WatchDirectory(ancestorDirectory, w.ancestorCallback())
+		var options []fswatch.WatchOption
+		if watcher.backend.HasFastRecursiveBackend() {
+			options = append(options, fswatch.WithRecursive())
+		}
+		subscription, err := watcher.backend.WatchDirectory(ancestorDirectory, w.ancestorCallback(), options...)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher_test.go b/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher_test.go
index 90ad3a010c..6a29c7d1ed 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher_test.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/lspwatcher/lspwatcher_test.go
@@ -166,11 +166,12 @@ func TestRootFromGlob(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type fakeBackend struct {
-	mu       sync.Mutex
-	byDir    map[string]fswatch.WatchCallback
-	closed   map[string]int
-	optCount map[string]int
-	failDirs map[string]error
+	mu            sync.Mutex
+	byDir         map[string]fswatch.WatchCallback
+	closed        map[string]int
+	optCount      map[string]int
+	failDirs      map[string]error
+	fastRecursive bool
 }
 
 func newFakeBackend() *fakeBackend {
@@ -199,6 +200,10 @@ func (f *fakeBackend) WatchDirectory(dir string, fn fswatch.WatchCallback, opts
 	}}, nil
 }
 
+func (f *fakeBackend) HasFastRecursiveBackend() bool {
+	return f.fastRecursive
+}
+
 // watchedDirs returns the directories currently subscribed, for assertions.
 func (f *fakeBackend) watchedDirs() []string {
 	f.mu.Lock()
@@ -490,6 +495,72 @@ func TestWatcher_MissingDirectoryPromotesOnCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	}, "synthetic create events for target and child")
 }
 
+func TestWatcher_MissingDirectoryFastRecursiveAncestor(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	fs := bundled.WrapFS(osvfs.FS())
+	backend := newFakeBackend()
+	backend.fastRecursive = true
+	var (
+		mu  sync.Mutex
+		got []*lsproto.FileEvent
+	)
+	w := newWithBackend(fs, backend, func(changes []*lsproto.FileEvent) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		got = append(got, changes...)
+		mu.Unlock()
+	}, logging.NewLogger(os.Stderr))
+	t.Cleanup(w.Close)
+
+	base := t.TempDir()
+	baseNorm := tspath.NormalizeSlashes(base)
+	target := tspath.NormalizeSlashes(filepath.Join(base, "pkg"))
+	pattern := target + "/*"
+	kind := lsproto.WatchKindCreate | lsproto.WatchKindChange | lsproto.WatchKindDelete
+
+	if err := w.WatchFiles("id", []*lsproto.FileSystemWatcher{{
+		GlobPattern: lsproto.PatternOrRelativePattern{Pattern: &pattern},
+		Kind:        &kind,
+	}}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	backend.mu.Lock()
+	if got := backend.optCount[baseNorm]; got != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("fast recursive backend should install recursive ancestor watch, got %d options", got)
+	}
+	backend.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(base, "pkg"), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(base, "pkg", "index.ts"), []byte("export {}"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	backend.emit(baseNorm, []fswatch.Event{
+		{Kind: fswatch.EventUpdate, Path: filepath.Join(base, "pkg", "index.ts")},
+	}, nil)
+
+	waitFor(t, func() bool { return backend.isWatching(target) }, "promotion from descendant event")
+
+	backend.mu.Lock()
+	if got := backend.optCount[target]; got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("non-recursive target watch should stay non-recursive, got %d options", got)
+	}
+	backend.mu.Unlock()
+
+	waitFor(t, func() bool {
+		mu.Lock()
+		defer mu.Unlock()
+		for _, e := range got {
+			if e.Type == lsproto.FileChangeTypeCreated && strings.HasSuffix(string(e.Uri), "/pkg/index.ts") {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	}, "synthetic create for child")
+}
+
 func TestWatcher_MultiLevelDescend(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()