diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
index 42be67613e7..99f27a0e218 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
@@ -547,12 +547,20 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Modifies watched value, notifying all receivers.
+    /// Modifies watched value, notifying all receivers if modified.
     ///
     /// This can useful for modifying the watched value, without
     /// having to allocate a new instance. Additionally, this
     /// method permits sending values even when there are no receivers.
     ///
+    /// The closure that modifies the value must return `true` if the
+    /// value has actually been modified. It should only return `false`
+    /// if the value is guaranteed to be unnmodified despite the mutable
+    /// borrow. Receivers are only notified if the value has been modified.
+    ///
+    /// Returns the result of the closure, i.e. `true` if the value has
+    /// been modified and `false` otherwise.
+    ///
     /// # Panics
     ///
     /// This function panics if calling `func` results in a panic.
@@ -567,20 +575,38 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
     /// struct State {
     ///     counter: usize,
     /// }
-    /// let (state_tx, state_rx) = watch::channel(State { counter: 0 });
-    /// state_tx.send_modify(|state| state.counter += 1);
+    /// let (state_tx, mut state_rx) = watch::channel(State { counter: 1 });
+    /// let inc_counter_if_odd = |state: &mut State| {
+    ///     if state.counter % 2 == 1 {
+    ///         state.counter += 1;
+    ///         return true;
+    ///     }
+    ///     false
+    /// };
+    ///
     /// assert_eq!(state_rx.borrow().counter, 1);
+    ///
+    /// assert!(!state_rx.has_changed().unwrap());
+    /// assert!(state_tx.send_modify(inc_counter_if_odd));
+    /// assert!(state_rx.has_changed().unwrap());
+    /// assert_eq!(state_rx.borrow_and_update().counter, 2);
+    ///
+    /// assert!(!state_rx.has_changed().unwrap());
+    /// assert!(!state_tx.send_modify(inc_counter_if_odd));
+    /// assert!(!state_rx.has_changed().unwrap());
+    /// assert_eq!(state_rx.borrow_and_update().counter, 2);
     /// ```
-    pub fn send_modify<F>(&self, func: F)
+    pub fn send_modify<F>(&self, func: F) -> bool
     where
-        F: FnOnce(&mut T),
+        F: FnOnce(&mut T) -> bool,
     {
         {
             // Acquire the write lock and update the value.
             let mut lock = self.shared.value.write().unwrap();
             // Update the value and catch possible panic inside func.
+            let mut modified = false;
             let result = panic::catch_unwind(panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
-                func(&mut lock);
+                modified = func(&mut lock);
             }));
             // If the func panicked return the panic to the caller.
             if let Err(error) = result {
@@ -588,6 +614,9 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
                 drop(lock);
                 panic::resume_unwind(error);
             }
+            if !modified {
+                return false;
+            }
 
             self.shared.state.increment_version();
 
@@ -600,6 +629,8 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
         }
 
         self.shared.notify_rx.notify_waiters();
+
+        true
     }
 
     /// Sends a new value via the channel, notifying all receivers and returning
@@ -620,7 +651,10 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
     /// ```
     pub fn send_replace(&self, mut value: T) -> T {
         // swap old watched value with the new one
-        self.send_modify(|old| mem::swap(old, &mut value));
+        self.send_modify(|old| {
+            mem::swap(old, &mut value);
+            true
+        });
 
         value
     }
diff --git a/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs b/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
index d47f0df7326..eaa107f5901 100644
--- a/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
+++ b/tokio/tests/sync_watch.rs
@@ -217,7 +217,10 @@ fn reopened_after_subscribe() {
 fn send_modify_panic() {
     let (tx, mut rx) = watch::channel("one");
 
-    tx.send_modify(|old| *old = "two");
+    tx.send_modify(|old| {
+        *old = "two";
+        true
+    });
     assert_eq!(*rx.borrow_and_update(), "two");
 
     let mut rx2 = rx.clone();
@@ -236,7 +239,10 @@ fn send_modify_panic() {
     assert_pending!(task.poll());
     assert_eq!(*rx.borrow(), "panicked");
 
-    tx.send_modify(|old| *old = "three");
+    tx.send_modify(|old| {
+        *old = "three";
+        true
+    });
     assert_ready_ok!(task.poll());
     assert_eq!(*rx.borrow_and_update(), "three");
 }