diff --git a/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts b/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
index 499f168afff..00545d2cef5 100644
--- a/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
+++ b/extensions/markdown-language-features/src/features/preview.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class MarkdownPreview extends Disposable implements WebviewResourceProvider {
 	private imageInfo: { readonly id: string, readonly width: number, readonly height: number; }[] = [];
 
 	private readonly _fileWatchersBySrc = new Map</* src: */ string, vscode.FileSystemWatcher>();
+	private readonly _unwatchedImageSchemes = new Set(['https', 'http', 'data']);
 
 	private readonly _onScrollEmitter = this._register(new vscode.EventEmitter<LastScrollLocation>());
 	public readonly onScroll = this._onScrollEmitter.event;
@@ -427,7 +428,7 @@ class MarkdownPreview extends Disposable implements WebviewResourceProvider {
 		const root = vscode.Uri.joinPath(this._resource, '../');
 		for (const src of srcs) {
 			const uri = urlToUri(src, root);
-			if (uri && uri.scheme === 'file' && !this._fileWatchersBySrc.has(src)) {
+			if (uri && !this._unwatchedImageSchemes.has(uri.scheme) && !this._fileWatchersBySrc.has(src)) {
 				const watcher = vscode.workspace.createFileSystemWatcher(uri.fsPath);
 				watcher.onDidChange(() => {
 					this.refresh(true);