diff --git a/src/textual/reactive.py b/src/textual/reactive.py
index 2ee3ba5df..6e281e2df 100644
--- a/src/textual/reactive.py
+++ b/src/textual/reactive.py
@@ -2,7 +2,16 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from functools import partial
 from inspect import isawaitable
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Generic, Type, TypeVar, Union
+from typing import (
+    TYPE_CHECKING,
+    Any,
+    Awaitable,
+    Callable,
+    Generic,
+    Type,
+    TypeVar,
+    Union,
+)
 
 from . import events
 from ._callback import count_parameters, invoke
@@ -146,6 +155,7 @@ class Reactive(Generic[ReactiveType]):
         setattr(owner, f"_default_{name}", default)
 
     def __get__(self, obj: Reactable, obj_type: type[object]) -> ReactiveType:
+        _rich_traceback_omit = True
         value: _NotSet | ReactiveType = getattr(obj, self.internal_name, _NOT_SET)
         if isinstance(value, _NotSet):
             # No value present, we need to set the default
@@ -160,6 +170,7 @@ class Reactive(Generic[ReactiveType]):
         return value
 
     def __set__(self, obj: Reactable, value: ReactiveType) -> None:
+        _rich_traceback_omit = True
         name = self.name
         current_value = getattr(obj, name)
         # Check for validate function
@@ -193,55 +204,50 @@ class Reactive(Generic[ReactiveType]):
             old_value (Any): The old (previous) value of the attribute.
             first_set (bool, optional): True if this is the first time setting the value. Defaults to False.
         """
+        _rich_traceback_omit = True
         # Get the current value.
         internal_name = f"_reactive_{name}"
         value = getattr(obj, internal_name)
 
-        async def update_watcher(
-            obj: Reactable, watch_function: Callable, old_value: Any, value: Any
+        async def await_watcher(awaitable: Awaitable) -> None:
+            """Coroutine to await an awaitable returned from a watcher"""
+            _rich_traceback_omit = True
+            await awaitable
+            # Watcher may have changed the state, so run compute again
+            obj.post_message_no_wait(
+                events.Callback(sender=obj, callback=partial(Reactive._compute, obj))
+            )
+
+        def invoke_watcher(
+            watch_function: Callable, old_value: object, value: object
         ) -> None:
-            """Call watch function, and run compute.
+            """Invoke a watch function.
 
             Args:
-                obj (Reactable): Reactable object.
-                watch_function (Callable): Watch method.
-                old_value (Any): Old value.
-                value (Any): new value.
+                watch_function (Callable): A watch function, which may be sync or async.
+                old_value (object): The old value of the attribute.
+                value (object): The new value of the attribute.
             """
-            _rich_traceback_guard = True
-            # Call watch with one or two parameters
+            _rich_traceback_omit = True
             if count_parameters(watch_function) == 2:
                 watch_result = watch_function(old_value, value)
             else:
                 watch_result = watch_function(value)
-            # Optionally await result
             if isawaitable(watch_result):
-                await watch_result
-            # Run computes
-            await Reactive._compute(obj)
+                # Result is awaitable, so we need to await it within an async context
+                obj.post_message_no_wait(
+                    events.Callback(
+                        sender=obj, callback=partial(await_watcher, watch_result)
+                    )
+                )
 
-        # Check for watch method
         watch_function = getattr(obj, f"watch_{name}", None)
         if callable(watch_function):
-            # Post a callback message, so we can call the watch method in an orderly async manner
-            obj.post_message_no_wait(
-                events.Callback(
-                    sender=obj,
-                    callback=partial(
-                        update_watcher, obj, watch_function, old_value, value
-                    ),
-                )
-            )
+            invoke_watcher(watch_function, old_value, value)
 
-        # Check for watchers set via `watch`
         watchers: list[Callable] = getattr(obj, "__watchers", {}).get(name, [])
         for watcher in watchers:
-            obj.post_message_no_wait(
-                events.Callback(
-                    sender=obj,
-                    callback=partial(update_watcher, obj, watcher, old_value, value),
-                )
-            )
+            invoke_watcher(watcher, old_value, value)
 
         # Run computes
         obj.post_message_no_wait(
@@ -301,10 +307,13 @@ class var(Reactive[ReactiveType]):
 
     Args:
         default (ReactiveType | Callable[[], ReactiveType]): A default value or callable that returns a default.
+        init (bool, optional): Call watchers on initialize (post mount). Defaults to True.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, default: ReactiveType | Callable[[], ReactiveType]) -> None:
-        super().__init__(default, layout=False, repaint=False, init=True)
+    def __init__(
+        self, default: ReactiveType | Callable[[], ReactiveType], init: bool = True
+    ) -> None:
+        super().__init__(default, layout=False, repaint=False, init=init)
 
 
 def watch(
diff --git a/tests/test_reactive.py b/tests/test_reactive.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7158b46f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_reactive.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+from textual.app import App, ComposeResult
+from textual.reactive import reactive
+
+
+class WatchApp(App):
+
+    count = reactive(0, init=False)
+
+    test_count = 0
+
+    def watch_count(self, value: int) -> None:
+        self.test_count = value
+
+
+async def test_watch():
+    """Test that changes to a watched reactive attribute happen immediately."""
+    app = WatchApp()
+    async with app.run_test():
+        app.count += 1
+        assert app.test_count == 1
+        app.count += 1
+        assert app.test_count == 2
+        app.count -= 1
+        assert app.test_count == 1
+        app.count -= 1
+        assert app.test_count == 0