diff --git a/utils/watchcat/Makefile b/utils/watchcat/Makefile
index ed5d808490..db9151d91c 100644
--- a/utils/watchcat/Makefile
+++ b/utils/watchcat/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=watchcat
 PKG_VERSION:=1
-PKG_RELEASE:=25
+PKG_RELEASE:=26
 
 PKG_MAINTAINER:=Daniel F. Dickinson <dfdpublic@wildtechgarden.ca>, Dharmik Parmar <dharmikparmar2004@yahoo.com>
 PKG_LICENSE:=GPL-2.0
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ define Package/watchcat/install
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) ./files/watchcat.config $(1)/etc/config/watchcat
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(1)/etc/uci-defaults
 	$(INSTALL_BIN) ./files/migrate-watchcat $(1)/etc/uci-defaults/migrate-watchcat
+	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(1)/lib/functions
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) ./files/watchcat.sh.functions $(1)/lib/functions/watchcat.sh
 endef
 
 $(eval $(call BuildPackage,watchcat))
diff --git a/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.init b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.init
index 5966d4716d..85535199ef 100644
--- a/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.init
+++ b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.init
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ USE_PROCD=1
 START=97
 STOP=01
 
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+. /lib/functions/watchcat.sh
+
 append_string() {
 	varname="$1"
 	add="$2"
@@ -142,10 +145,55 @@ config_watchcat() {
 }
 
 start_service() {
+	# procd expects $1 to be a specific instance
+	if [ "$2" = "ifup-any" ]; then
+		logger -p daemon.notice -t "watchcat[$$]" "Restarting due to an interface up with any unresolved interface."
+	fi
+
 	config_load watchcat
 	config_foreach config_watchcat watchcat
 }
 
-service_triggers() {
-	procd_add_reload_trigger "watchcat"
+# Setup trigger in procd for changes to specified network interface
+add_interface_trigger() {
+	local section="$1"
+	local ret=1
+	local interface mode logical
+
+	config_get mode "$section" mode "ping_reboot"
+	config_get interface "$section" interface
+
+	# Fix potential typo in mode and provide backward compatibility.
+	[ "$mode" = "allways" ] && mode="periodic_reboot"
+	[ "$mode" = "always" ] && mode="periodic_reboot"
+	[ "$mode" = "ping" ] && mode="ping_reboot"
+
+	# ping_reboot mode and restart_iface mode specific checks
+	if [ "$mode" = "ping_reboot" ] || [ "$mode" = "restart_iface" ] || [ "$mode" = "run_script" ]; then
+		[ -n "$interface" ] || return
+
+		logical="$(watchcat_resolve_restart_iface "$interface")"
+		ret=$?
+
+		if [ -n "$logical" ] && [ "$ret" -eq 0 ]; then
+			procd_add_interface_trigger "interface.*.up" "$logical" "/etc/init.d/watchcat" "restart"
+		else
+			has_failed_interface_resolve="true"
+		fi
+	fi
+}
+
+service_triggers() {
+	local has_failed_interface_resolve="false"
+
+	procd_add_reload_trigger "watchcat"
+
+	config_load watchcat
+	config_foreach add_interface_trigger watchcat
+
+	if [ "$has_failed_interface_resolve" = "true" ]; then
+		# PROCD_RELOAD_DELAY is defined in /lib/functions/procd.sh, sourced by /etc/rc.common on the live device
+		# procd expects parameter after script action (here, restart) to be a specific instance
+		procd_add_raw_trigger "interface.*.up" "$PROCD_RELOAD_DELAY" "/etc/init.d/watchcat" "restart" "" "ifup-any"
+	fi
 }
diff --git a/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh
index 2ce9cc358b..589a17331c 100644
--- a/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh
+++ b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh
@@ -10,78 +10,7 @@
 # shellcheck shell=busybox
 
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
-. /lib/network/config.sh
-. /lib/functions/network.sh
-
-# Accept the historical real-device input while also handling @logical
-# interface references used by other OpenWrt configs.
-watchcat_resolve_ping_iface() {
-	local iface="$1"
-	local logical device network
-
-	[ -n "$iface" ] || return 1
-
-	case "$iface" in
-	@*)
-		logical="${iface#@}"
-		[ -n "$logical" ] || return 1
-		if network_get_device device "$logical"; then
-			printf '%s\n' "$device"
-			return 0
-		fi
-		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
-		return 1
-		;;
-	esac
-
-	network="$(find_config "$iface")"
-	if [ -n "$network" ]; then
-		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
-		return 0
-	fi
-
-	if network_get_device device "$iface"; then
-		printf '%s\n' "$device"
-		return 0
-	fi
-
-	printf '%s\n' "$iface"
-	return 1
-}
-
-watchcat_resolve_restart_iface() {
-	local iface="$1"
-	local network device
-
-	[ -n "$iface" ] || return 1
-
-	case "$iface" in
-	@*)
-		network="${iface#@}"
-		[ -n "$network" ] || return 1
-		if ! network_get_device device "$network"; then
-			printf '%s\n' "$network"
-			return 1
-		fi
-		printf '%s\n' "$network"
-		return 0
-		;;
-	esac
-
-	network="$(find_config "$iface")"
-	if [ -n "$network" ]; then
-		printf '%s\n' "$network"
-		return 0
-	fi
-
-	if network_get_device device "$iface"; then
-		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
-		return 0
-	fi
-
-	printf '%s\n' "$iface"
-	return 1
-}
+. /lib/functions/watchcat.sh
 
 get_ping_size() {
 	ps=$1
diff --git a/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh.functions b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh.functions
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..981166a6da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/watchcat/files/watchcat.sh.functions
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Shebang line included so editors and shellcheck/shfmt know this contains
+# shell code
+
+# In recent (relevant) versions of shellcheck busybox is a valid shell type
+# shellcheck shell=busybox
+
+# Helper functions for watchcat
+
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+. /lib/network/config.sh
+. /lib/functions/network.sh
+
+# Accept the historical real-device input while also handling @logical
+# interface references used by other OpenWrt configs.
+watchcat_resolve_ping_iface() {
+	local iface="$1"
+	local logical device network
+
+	[ -n "$iface" ] || return 1
+
+	case "$iface" in
+	@*)
+		logical="${iface#@}"
+		[ -n "$logical" ] || return 1
+		if network_get_device device "$logical"; then
+			printf '%s\n' "$device"
+			return 0
+		fi
+		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
+		return 1
+		;;
+	esac
+
+	network="$(find_config "$iface")"
+	if [ -n "$network" ]; then
+		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
+		return 0
+	fi
+
+	if network_get_device device "$iface"; then
+		printf '%s\n' "$device"
+		return 0
+	fi
+
+	printf '%s\n' "$iface"
+	return 1
+}
+
+watchcat_resolve_restart_iface() {
+	local iface="$1"
+	local network device
+
+	[ -n "$iface" ] || return 1
+
+	case "$iface" in
+	@*)
+		network="${iface#@}"
+		[ -n "$network" ] || return 1
+		if ! network_get_device device "$network"; then
+			printf '%s\n' "$network"
+			return 1
+		fi
+		printf '%s\n' "$network"
+		return 0
+		;;
+	esac
+
+	network="$(find_config "$iface")"
+	if [ -n "$network" ]; then
+		printf '%s\n' "$network"
+		return 0
+	fi
+
+	if network_get_device device "$iface"; then
+		printf '%s\n' "$iface"
+		return 0
+	fi
+
+	printf '%s\n' "$iface"
+	return 1
+}