diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/ExternalJavaConfigurationActivity.kt b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/ExternalJavaConfigurationActivity.kt
index 0d8cf18d14ce..5158a39b6cfc 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/ExternalJavaConfigurationActivity.kt
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/ExternalJavaConfigurationActivity.kt
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-// Copyright 2000-2025 JetBrains s.r.o. and contributors. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license.
+// Copyright 2000-2026 JetBrains s.r.o. and contributors. Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license.
 package com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.impl
 
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.service
 import com.intellij.openapi.extensions.ExtensionNotApplicableException
+import com.intellij.openapi.options.advanced.AdvancedSettings
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.startup.ProjectActivity
 import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
@@ -27,8 +28,9 @@ public class ExternalJavaConfigurationActivity : ProjectActivity {
     val service = project.service<ExternalJavaConfigurationService>()
     service.addExtensionPointListener()
 
+    val configureJdk = AdvancedSettings.getBoolean("java.sdkmanrc.watcher")
     for (configProvider in ExternalJavaConfigurationProvider.EP_NAME.extensionList) {
-      service.updateFromConfig(configProvider, true)
+      service.updateFromConfig(configProvider, configureJdk)
     }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/openapi/resources/messages/JavaBundle.properties b/java/openapi/resources/messages/JavaBundle.properties
index 556582580f25..0d073005122d 100644
--- a/java/openapi/resources/messages/JavaBundle.properties
+++ b/java/openapi/resources/messages/JavaBundle.properties
@@ -1796,7 +1796,7 @@ advanced.setting.compiler.inMemoryLogger.description=Saves detailed logs of fail
 advanced.settings.group.java=Java
 advanced.setting.code.vision.java.minimal.usages=Code Vision: Minimum usages required to show inlay hints
 advanced.setting.java.completion.qualifier.as.argument=Enable completion for static methods, which uses qualifier as a first argument
-advanced.setting.java.sdkmanrc.watcher=Start listening for changes in configuration files ('.sdkmanrc', '.tool-versions', \u2026) on project opening
+advanced.setting.java.sdkmanrc.watcher=Configure JDK with external tool files on project opening ('.sdkmanrc', '.tool-versions', \u2026)
 dialog.title.check.functional.interface.candidates=Check Functional Interface Candidates\u2026
 popup.title.select.target.code.block=Select Target Code Block
 target.code.block.presentable.text=Containing block