diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9777f4f..fcf3145 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ Options:
   interval in which mutex is updated (default: 10 seconds)
 - `--ignore-mutex`
   ignore mutex (use with caution) (default: False)
+- `--no-watch`
+  don't keep watching the copied folders for changes after the sync (default: False)
 
 ### Python
 
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ sync(
 ```
 
 The `sync` call will block until the script is aborted.
+Only if `watch=False` is used, the `sync` call will end after copying the folders to the target once.
 The `Folder` class allows to set the `port` and an `on_change` bash command which is executed after a sync has been performed.
 Via the `rsync_args` build method you can pass additional options to configure rsync.
 
diff --git a/livesync/livesync.py b/livesync/livesync.py
index 5734f22..6eb340f 100755
--- a/livesync/livesync.py
+++ b/livesync/livesync.py
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--on-change', type=str, help='command to be executed on remote host after any file change')
     parser.add_argument('--mutex-interval', type=int, default=10, help='interval in which mutex is updated')
     parser.add_argument('--ignore-mutex', action='store_true', help='ignore mutex (use with caution)')
+    parser.add_argument('--no-watch', action='store_true', help='do not watch for changes')
     parser.add_argument('rsync_args', nargs=argparse.REMAINDER, help='arbitrary rsync parameters after "--"')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     folder = Folder(args.source, args.target, ssh_port=args.ssh_port, on_change=args.on_change)
     folder.rsync_args(' '.join(args.rsync_args))
-    sync(folder, mutex_interval=args.mutex_interval, ignore_mutex=args.ignore_mutex)
+    sync(folder, mutex_interval=args.mutex_interval, ignore_mutex=args.ignore_mutex, watch=not args.no_watch)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/livesync/sync.py b/livesync/sync.py
index 84ac9d7..d0c22ab 100644
--- a/livesync/sync.py
+++ b/livesync/sync.py
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ def get_summary(folders: Iterable[Folder]) -> str:
     return '\n'.join(folder.get_summary() for folder in folders).replace('"', '\'')
 
 
-async def run_folder_tasks(folders: Iterable[Folder], mutex_interval: float, ignore_mutex: bool = False) -> None:
+async def run_folder_tasks(
+        folders: Iterable[Folder],
+        mutex_interval: float, ignore_mutex: bool = False, watch: bool = True) -> None:
     try:
         if not ignore_mutex:
             summary = get_summary(folders)
@@ -25,23 +27,24 @@ async def run_folder_tasks(folders: Iterable[Folder], mutex_interval: float, ign
             print(f'  {folder.source_path} --> {folder.target}', flush=True)
             folder.sync()
 
-        for folder in folders:
-            print(f'Watch folder {folder.source_path}', flush=True)
-            asyncio.create_task(folder.watch())
-
-        while True:
-            if not ignore_mutex:
-                summary = get_summary(folders)
-                for mutex in mutexes.values():
-                    if not mutex.set(summary):
-                        break
-            await asyncio.sleep(mutex_interval)
+        if watch:
+            for folder in folders:
+                print(f'Watch folder {folder.source_path}', flush=True)
+                asyncio.create_task(folder.watch())
+
+            while True:
+                if not ignore_mutex:
+                    summary = get_summary(folders)
+                    for mutex in mutexes.values():
+                        if not mutex.set(summary):
+                            break
+                await asyncio.sleep(mutex_interval)
     except Exception as e:
         print(e)
 
 
-def sync(*folders: Folder, mutex_interval: float = 10, ignore_mutex: bool = False) -> None:
+def sync(*folders: Folder, mutex_interval: float = 10, ignore_mutex: bool = False, watch: bool = True) -> None:
     try:
-        asyncio.run(run_folder_tasks(folders, mutex_interval, ignore_mutex=ignore_mutex))
+        asyncio.run(run_folder_tasks(folders, mutex_interval, ignore_mutex=ignore_mutex, watch=watch))
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         print('Bye!')