diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index dcd98a891..82e5a1c1b 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/cache v0.12.0
 	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/git v0.38.0
 	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/masktoken v0.8.0
-	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.90.0
+	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.91.0
 	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/ssa v0.61.0
 	github.com/fluxcd/pkg/ssh v0.23.0
 	github.com/getsentry/sentry-go v0.35.3
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a2f94aee1..8dc919881 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -155,8 +155,8 @@ github.com/fluxcd/pkg/git v0.38.0 h1:fFH2PkL+VCtQ1aJec/6l3Wq5fQG1w02HHKfVY+gz1S4
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/git v0.38.0/go.mod h1:PHilCGIM2t10CJ++yK4SFHIcBAXqMk14XcwZ/Rqw23I=
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/masktoken v0.8.0 h1:Dm5xIVNbg0s6zNttjDvimaG38bKsXwxBVo5b+D7ThVU=
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/masktoken v0.8.0/go.mod h1:Gc73ALOqIe+5Gj2V3JggMNiYcBiZ9bNNDYBE9R5XTTg=
-github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.90.0 h1:IONDsN9npJdWqbSAfsI8j10sXpgaLd6ywycKwp35Wwo=
-github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.90.0/go.mod h1:D/gUsaSpyw6Od2QEL7MELi5m+oUmwokuxUVZ+vKQxdo=
+github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.91.0 h1:Z92sOLsJXa+0RIi/vNl87zF5qnsBUdOb60d2a0b4Ulo=
+github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime v0.91.0/go.mod h1:D/gUsaSpyw6Od2QEL7MELi5m+oUmwokuxUVZ+vKQxdo=
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/ssa v0.61.0 h1:GeueQfZVrjPLEzmEkq6gpFTBr1MDcqUihCQDf6AaIo8=
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/ssa v0.61.0/go.mod h1:PNRlgihYbmlQU5gzsB14nrsNMbtACNanBnKhLCWmeX8=
 github.com/fluxcd/pkg/ssh v0.23.0 h1:PqmBpQB7Rxspdb3LZZo2yflC7m990EU/cYtjK3sO3Tg=
diff --git a/internal/controller/receiver_controller.go b/internal/controller/receiver_controller.go
index 541e98ecf..67a410f27 100644
--- a/internal/controller/receiver_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/receiver_controller.go
@@ -57,20 +57,15 @@ type ReceiverReconciler struct {
 
 type ReceiverReconcilerOptions struct {
 	RateLimiter           workqueue.TypedRateLimiter[reconcile.Request]
+	WatchConfigs          bool
 	WatchConfigsPredicate predicate.Predicate
 }
 
-func (r *ReceiverReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
-	return r.SetupWithManagerAndOptions(mgr, ReceiverReconcilerOptions{
-		WatchConfigsPredicate: predicate.Not(predicate.Funcs{}),
-	})
-}
-
 const (
 	secretRefIndex = ".metadata.secretRef"
 )
 
-func (r *ReceiverReconciler) SetupWithManagerAndOptions(mgr ctrl.Manager, opts ReceiverReconcilerOptions) error {
+func (r *ReceiverReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager, opts ReceiverReconcilerOptions) error {
 	// This index is used to list Receivers by their webhook path after the receiver server
 	// gets a request.
 	if err := mgr.GetFieldIndexer().IndexField(context.Background(), &apiv1.Receiver{},
@@ -87,19 +82,21 @@ func (r *ReceiverReconciler) SetupWithManagerAndOptions(mgr ctrl.Manager, opts R
 		}); err != nil {
 	}
 
-	return ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
+	ctrlBuilder := ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
 		For(&apiv1.Receiver{}, builder.WithPredicates(
 			predicate.Or(predicate.GenerationChangedPredicate{}, predicates.ReconcileRequestedPredicate{}),
-		)).
-		WatchesMetadata(
-			&corev1.Secret{},
-			handler.EnqueueRequestsFromMapFunc(r.enqueueRequestsForChangeOf),
-			builder.WithPredicates(predicate.ResourceVersionChangedPredicate{}, opts.WatchConfigsPredicate),
-		).
-		WithOptions(controller.Options{
-			RateLimiter: opts.RateLimiter,
-		}).
-		Complete(r)
+		))
+
+	if opts.WatchConfigs {
+		ctrlBuilder = ctrlBuilder.
+			WatchesMetadata(
+				&corev1.Secret{},
+				handler.EnqueueRequestsFromMapFunc(r.enqueueRequestsForChangeOf),
+				builder.WithPredicates(predicate.ResourceVersionChangedPredicate{}, opts.WatchConfigsPredicate),
+			)
+	}
+
+	return ctrlBuilder.WithOptions(controller.Options{RateLimiter: opts.RateLimiter}).Complete(r)
 }
 
 // enqueueRequestsForChangeOf enqueues Receiver requests for changes in referenced Secret objects.
diff --git a/internal/controller/suite_test.go b/internal/controller/suite_test.go
index 4b4d80fbb..45df74d07 100644
--- a/internal/controller/suite_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/suite_test.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 		Metrics:        testMetricsH,
 		ControllerName: controllerName,
 		EventRecorder:  testEnv.GetEventRecorderFor(controllerName),
-	}).SetupWithManagerAndOptions(testEnv, ReceiverReconcilerOptions{
+	}).SetupWithManager(testEnv, ReceiverReconcilerOptions{
 		RateLimiter:           controller.GetDefaultRateLimiter(),
 		WatchConfigsPredicate: predicate.Not(predicate.Funcs{}),
 	}); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/features/features.go b/internal/features/features.go
index 08350df35..ac3db8658 100644
--- a/internal/features/features.go
+++ b/internal/features/features.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package features
 
 import (
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/auth"
+	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/controller"
 	feathelper "github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/features"
 )
 
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ var features = map[string]bool{
 	// CacheSecretsAndConfigMaps
 	// opt-in from v0.31
 	CacheSecretsAndConfigMaps: false,
+	// DisableConfigWatchers
+	// opt-in from v1.7.5
+	controller.FeatureGateDisableConfigWatchers: false,
 }
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4e460c786..a9a6e3176 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -226,6 +226,13 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
+	disableConfigWatchers, err := features.Enabled(runtimeCtrl.FeatureGateDisableConfigWatchers)
+	if err != nil {
+		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to check feature gate "+runtimeCtrl.FeatureGateDisableConfigWatchers)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	watchConfigs := !disableConfigWatchers
+
 	if err = (&controller.ProviderReconciler{
 		Client:        mgr.GetClient(),
 		EventRecorder: mgr.GetEventRecorderFor(controllerName),
@@ -249,8 +256,9 @@ func main() {
 		ControllerName: controllerName,
 		Metrics:        metricsH,
 		EventRecorder:  mgr.GetEventRecorderFor(controllerName),
-	}).SetupWithManagerAndOptions(mgr, controller.ReceiverReconcilerOptions{
+	}).SetupWithManager(mgr, controller.ReceiverReconcilerOptions{
 		RateLimiter:           runtimeCtrl.GetRateLimiter(rateLimiterOptions),
+		WatchConfigs:          watchConfigs,
 		WatchConfigsPredicate: watchConfigsPredicate,
 	}); err != nil {
 		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to create controller", "controller", "Receiver")