diff --git a/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts b/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
index 69d9d23066f..dbe6890912f 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
+++ b/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class MarkdownPreview extends Disposable implements WebviewResourceProvider {
 			}
 		}));
 
-		const watcher = this._register(vscode.workspace.createFileSystemWatcher(resource.fsPath));
+		const watcher = this._register(vscode.workspace.createFileSystemWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(resource, '*')));
 		this._register(watcher.onDidChange(uri => {
 			if (this.isPreviewOf(uri)) {
 				// Only use the file system event when VS Code does not already know about the file
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ class MarkdownPreview extends Disposable implements WebviewResourceProvider {
 		for (const src of srcs) {
 			const uri = urlToUri(src, root);
 			if (uri && !this._unwatchedImageSchemes.has(uri.scheme) && !this._fileWatchersBySrc.has(src)) {
-				const watcher = vscode.workspace.createFileSystemWatcher(uri.fsPath);
+				const watcher = vscode.workspace.createFileSystemWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(uri, '*'));
 				watcher.onDidChange(() => {
 					this.refresh(true);
 				});