diff --git a/ccw/src/core/routes/codexlens-routes.ts b/ccw/src/core/routes/codexlens-routes.ts
index e7738efc..738de5b7 100644
--- a/ccw/src/core/routes/codexlens-routes.ts
+++ b/ccw/src/core/routes/codexlens-routes.ts
@@ -1357,6 +1357,29 @@ export async function handleCodexLensRoutes(ctx: RouteContext): Promise<boolean>
           return { success: false, error: 'CodexLens not installed', status: 400 };
         }
 
+        // Verify directory is indexed before starting watcher
+        try {
+          const statusResult = await executeCodexLens(['projects', 'list', '--json']);
+          if (statusResult.success && statusResult.stdout) {
+            const parsed = extractJSON(statusResult.stdout);
+            const projects = parsed.result || parsed || [];
+            const normalizedTarget = targetPath.toLowerCase().replace(/\\/g, '/');
+            const isIndexed = Array.isArray(projects) && projects.some((p: { source_root: string }) =>
+              p.source_root && p.source_root.toLowerCase().replace(/\\/g, '/') === normalizedTarget
+            );
+            if (!isIndexed) {
+              return {
+                success: false,
+                error: `Directory is not indexed: ${targetPath}. Run 'codexlens init' first.`,
+                status: 400
+              };
+            }
+          }
+        } catch (err) {
+          console.warn('[CodexLens] Could not verify index status:', err);
+          // Continue anyway - watcher will fail with proper error if not indexed
+        }
+
         // Spawn watch process using Python (no shell: true for security)
         // CodexLens is a Python package, must run via python -m codexlens
         const pythonPath = getVenvPythonPath();
diff --git a/ccw/src/templates/dashboard-js/views/codexlens-manager.js b/ccw/src/templates/dashboard-js/views/codexlens-manager.js
index 144521d8..af7edc32 100644
--- a/ccw/src/templates/dashboard-js/views/codexlens-manager.js
+++ b/ccw/src/templates/dashboard-js/views/codexlens-manager.js
@@ -4558,11 +4558,25 @@ async function showWatcherControlModal() {
   try {
     showRefreshToast(t('codexlens.loadingWatcherStatus') || 'Loading watcher status...', 'info');
 
-    // Fetch current watcher status
-    const response = await fetch('/api/codexlens/watch/status');
-    const status = await response.json();
+    // Fetch current watcher status and indexed projects in parallel
+    const [statusResponse, indexesResponse] = await Promise.all([
+      fetch('/api/codexlens/watch/status'),
+      fetch('/api/codexlens/indexes')
+    ]);
+    const status = await statusResponse.json();
+    const indexes = await indexesResponse.json();
 
-    const modalHtml = buildWatcherControlContent(status);
+    // Get first indexed project path as default
+    let defaultPath = '';
+    if (indexes.success && indexes.projects && indexes.projects.length > 0) {
+      // Sort by last_indexed desc and pick the most recent
+      const sorted = indexes.projects.sort((a, b) =>
+        new Date(b.last_indexed || 0) - new Date(a.last_indexed || 0)
+      );
+      defaultPath = sorted[0].source_root || '';
+    }
+
+    const modalHtml = buildWatcherControlContent(status, defaultPath);
 
     // Create and show modal
     const tempContainer = document.createElement('div');
@@ -4584,9 +4598,12 @@ async function showWatcherControlModal() {
 
 /**
  * Build File Watcher control modal content
+ * @param {Object} status - Watcher status
+ * @param {string} defaultPath - Default path from indexed projects
  */
-function buildWatcherControlContent(status) {
+function buildWatcherControlContent(status, defaultPath) {
   const running = status.running || false;
+  defaultPath = defaultPath || '';
   const rootPath = status.root_path || '';
   const eventsProcessed = status.events_processed || 0;
   const uptimeSeconds = status.uptime_seconds || 0;
@@ -4652,7 +4669,7 @@ function buildWatcherControlContent(status) {
           '<div class="space-y-3">' +
             '<div>' +
               '<label class="block text-sm font-medium mb-1.5">' + (t('codexlens.watchPath') || 'Watch Path') + '</label>' +
-              '<input type="text" id="watcherPath" value="" placeholder="Leave empty for current workspace" ' +
+              '<input type="text" id="watcherPath" value="' + defaultPath + '" placeholder="Enter an indexed project path" ' +
                 'class="w-full px-3 py-2 border border-border rounded-lg bg-background text-sm" />' +
             '</div>' +
             '<div>' +