diff --git a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
index 42d417a0fe5..06bda17addf 100644
--- a/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
+++ b/tokio/src/sync/watch.rs
@@ -208,12 +208,18 @@ impl<T> Receiver<T> {
         Self { shared, version }
     }
 
-    /// Returns a reference to the most recently sent value
+    /// Returns a reference to the most recently sent value.
+    ///
+    /// This method does not mark the returned value as seen, so future calls to
+    /// [`changed`] may return immediately even if you have already seen the
+    /// value with a call to `borrow`.
     ///
     /// Outstanding borrows hold a read lock. This means that long lived borrows
     /// could cause the send half to block. It is recommended to keep the borrow
     /// as short lived as possible.
     ///
+    /// [`changed`]: Receiver::changed
+    ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
     /// ```
@@ -227,11 +233,33 @@ impl<T> Receiver<T> {
         Ref { inner }
     }
 
-    /// Wait for a change notification
+    /// Returns a reference to the most recently sent value and mark that value
+    /// as seen.
+    ///
+    /// This method marks the value as seen, so [`changed`] will not return
+    /// immediately if the newest value is one previously returned by
+    /// `borrow_and_update`.
+    ///
+    /// Outstanding borrows hold a read lock. This means that long lived borrows
+    /// could cause the send half to block. It is recommended to keep the borrow
+    /// as short lived as possible.
+    ///
+    /// [`changed`]: Receiver::changed
+    pub fn borrow_and_update(&mut self) -> Ref<'_, T> {
+        let inner = self.shared.value.read().unwrap();
+        self.version = self.shared.version.load(SeqCst);
+        Ref { inner }
+    }
+
+    /// Wait for a change notification, then mark the newest value as seen.
+    ///
+    /// If the newest value in the channel has not yet been marked seen when
+    /// this method is called, the method marks that value seen and returns
+    /// immediately. If the newest value has already been marked seen, then the
+    /// method sleeps until a new message is sent by the [`Sender`] connected to
+    /// this `Receiver`, or until the [`Sender`] is dropped.
     ///
-    /// Returns when a new value has been sent by the [`Sender`] since the last
-    /// time `changed()` was called. When the `Sender` half is dropped, `Err` is
-    /// returned.
+    /// This method returns an error if and only if the [`Sender`] is dropped.
     ///
     /// [`Sender`]: struct@Sender
     ///
@@ -328,10 +356,21 @@ impl<T> Sender<T> {
             return Err(error::SendError { inner: value });
         }
 
-        *self.shared.value.write().unwrap() = value;
+        {
+            // Acquire the write lock and update the value.
+            let mut lock = self.shared.value.write().unwrap();
+            *lock = value;
 
-        // Update the version. 2 is used so that the CLOSED bit is not set.
-        self.shared.version.fetch_add(2, SeqCst);
+            // Update the version. 2 is used so that the CLOSED bit is not set.
+            self.shared.version.fetch_add(2, SeqCst);
+
+            // Release the write lock.
+            //
+            // Incrementing the version counter while holding the lock ensures
+            // that receivers are able to figure out the version number of the
+            // value they are currently looking at.
+            drop(lock);
+        }
 
         // Notify all watchers
         self.shared.notify_rx.notify_waiters();