diff --git a/src/example/example.yaml b/src/example/example.yaml
index c613d1e..68b54c1 100644
--- a/src/example/example.yaml
+++ b/src/example/example.yaml
@@ -56,7 +56,12 @@
     affect on any optional callback that may be triggered.
 
     An optional callback can be triggered when property values change and
-    those values pass all filters that may be defined.'
+    those values pass all filters that may be defined.
+
+    By default the callback is called when the monitor starts.
+    An optional `ignore_start_callback` can be set to true so that the
+    callback will not be called when the monitor starts.'
+
   class: watch
   watch: property
   paths: example path group
@@ -67,6 +72,7 @@
       bound: 0
     - op: '<='
       bound: 100
+  ignore_start_callback: true
 
 - name: example journal callback
   description: >
diff --git a/src/pdmgen.py b/src/pdmgen.py
index 0f9a13b..925dd21 100755
--- a/src/pdmgen.py
+++ b/src/pdmgen.py
@@ -676,6 +676,8 @@
         # Pop optional filters for the properties being watched
         self.filters = kw.pop('filters', None)
         self.callback = kw.pop('callback', None)
+        self.ignore_start_callback = kw.pop('ignore_start_callback', False)
+        self.ignore_start_callback = 'true' if self.ignore_start_callback else 'false'
         super(PropertyWatch, self).__init__(**kw)
 
     def factory(self, objs):
diff --git a/src/propertywatch.hpp b/src/propertywatch.hpp
index 84b6af7..8a3c07b 100644
--- a/src/propertywatch.hpp
+++ b/src/propertywatch.hpp
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@
     PropertyWatch& operator=(PropertyWatch&&) = default;
     virtual ~PropertyWatch() = default;
     PropertyWatch(const PropertyIndex& watchIndex,
+                  bool ignoreStartCallback = false,
                   Callback* callback = nullptr) :
         Watch(),
-        index(watchIndex), cb(callback), alreadyRan(false)
+        index(watchIndex), cb(callback), alreadyRan(false),
+        ignoreStartCallback(ignoreStartCallback)
     {
     }
 
@@ -101,6 +103,9 @@
 
     /** @brief The start method should only be invoked once. */
     bool alreadyRan;
+
+    /** @brief Ignore callback on start */
+    bool ignoreStartCallback;
 };
 
 /** @class PropertyWatchOfType
@@ -120,14 +125,18 @@
     PropertyWatchOfType& operator=(PropertyWatchOfType&&) = default;
     ~PropertyWatchOfType() = default;
     PropertyWatchOfType(const PropertyIndex& watchIndex, Callback& callback,
+                        bool ignoreStartCallback = false,
                         Filters* filterOps = nullptr) :
-        PropertyWatch<DBusInterfaceType>(watchIndex, &callback),
+        PropertyWatch<DBusInterfaceType>(watchIndex, ignoreStartCallback,
+                                         &callback),
         filterOps(filterOps)
     {
     }
     PropertyWatchOfType(const PropertyIndex& watchIndex,
+                        bool ignoreStartCallback = false,
                         Filters* filterOps = nullptr) :
-        PropertyWatch<DBusInterfaceType>(watchIndex, nullptr),
+        PropertyWatch<DBusInterfaceType>(watchIndex, ignoreStartCallback,
+                                         nullptr),
         filterOps(filterOps)
     {
     }
diff --git a/src/propertywatchimpl.hpp b/src/propertywatchimpl.hpp
index ef50494..271d9b2 100644
--- a/src/propertywatchimpl.hpp
+++ b/src/propertywatchimpl.hpp
@@ -120,6 +120,12 @@
 template <typename DBusInterfaceType>
 void PropertyWatch<DBusInterfaceType>::callback(Context ctx)
 {
+    // Ignore callback if ignoreStartCallback is true and it's the START
+    // callback
+    if (ctx == Context::START && ignoreStartCallback)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
     // Invoke callback if present.
     if (this->alreadyRan && this->cb)
     {
diff --git a/src/templates/generated.mako.hpp b/src/templates/generated.mako.hpp
index 7b1bf69..9f9475a 100644
--- a/src/templates/generated.mako.hpp
+++ b/src/templates/generated.mako.hpp
@@ -259,15 +259,18 @@
                 ConfigPropertyIndicies::get()[${w.instances}]),
         % else:
                 ConfigPropertyIndicies::get()[${w.instances}],
+                ${w.ignore_start_callback},
                 ConfigPropertyFilters::get()[${w.filters}].get()),
         % endif
     % else:
         % if w.filters is None:
                 ConfigPropertyIndicies::get()[${w.instances}],
-                *ConfigPropertyCallbacks::get()[${w.callback}]),
+                *ConfigPropertyCallbacks::get()[${w.callback}],
+                ${w.ignore_start_callback}),
         % else:
                 ConfigPropertyIndicies::get()[${w.instances}],
                 *ConfigPropertyCallbacks::get()[${w.callback}],
+                ${w.ignore_start_callback},
                 ConfigPropertyFilters::get()[${w.filters}].get()),
         % endif
     % endif
diff --git a/src/test/propertywatchtest.cpp b/src/test/propertywatchtest.cpp
index 9fbd30b..9a449b4 100644
--- a/src/test/propertywatchtest.cpp
+++ b/src/test/propertywatchtest.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,8 @@
     MockDBusInterface::instance(dbus);
 
     const std::vector<std::string> expectedMapperInterfaces;
-    PropertyWatchOfType<T, MockDBusInterface> watch(watchIndex, opFilters);
+    PropertyWatchOfType<T, MockDBusInterface> watch(watchIndex, false,
+                                                    opFilters);
 
     auto ndx = static_cast<size_t>(0);
     for (const auto& o : convert(watchIndex))