diff --git a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/DebuggerTreeRenderer.java b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/DebuggerTreeRenderer.java
index 2d39222d8c52..d5530d30d2cf 100644
--- a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/DebuggerTreeRenderer.java
+++ b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/DebuggerTreeRenderer.java
@@ -142,7 +142,10 @@ public final class DebuggerTreeRenderer extends ColoredTreeCellRenderer {
 
     final Icon valueIcon = valueDescriptor.getValueIcon();
     if (valueIcon != null) {
-      nodeIcon = IconManager.getInstance().createRowIcon(nodeIcon, valueIcon);
+      // Keep watch icon to make clear the source of a node, prefer the provided icon otherwise
+      nodeIcon = nodeIcon == AllIcons.Debugger.Db_watch
+                 ? IconManager.getInstance().createRowIcon(nodeIcon, valueIcon)
+                 : valueIcon;
     }
     return nodeIcon;
   }