diff --git a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller.go b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller.go
index 12ab892802..a7c7974ce4 100644
--- a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller.go
@@ -226,6 +226,31 @@ func (c *controller) startWithWait(ctx devspacecontext.Context, options *Options
 			}
 			return nil
 		})
+	} else {
+		parent.Go(func() error {
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Context().Done():
+				syncStop(ctx, client, options, parent)
+			case err := <-onError:
+				hook.LogExecuteHooks(ctx.WithLogger(options.SyncLog), map[string]interface{}{
+					"sync_config": options.SyncConfig,
+					"ERROR":       err,
+				}, hook.EventsForSingle("error:sync", options.Name).With("sync.error")...)
+				ctx.Log().Errorf("Sync error: %v", err)
+				syncStop(ctx, client, options, parent)
+			case <-onDone:
+				// noWatch: initial sync completed normally.
+				// Stop the client and emit the stop:sync lifecycle event,
+				// but do NOT kill the parent tomb — SSH, port-forwarding and
+				// other services registered in the same parent must continue.
+				client.Stop(nil)
+				hook.LogExecuteHooks(ctx.WithLogger(options.SyncLog), map[string]interface{}{
+					"sync_config": options.SyncConfig,
+				}, hook.EventsForSingle("stop:sync", options.Name).With("sync.stop")...)
+				ctx.Log().Debugf("Stopped sync %s", options.SyncConfig.Path)
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller_test.go b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller_test.go
index d6b5091f9d..40ebc1c6ed 100644
--- a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/controller_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package sync
 
 import (
-	"gotest.tools/assert"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/loft-sh/devspace/pkg/devspace/config/versions/latest"
+	"github.com/loft-sh/devspace/pkg/util/tomb"
+	"gotest.tools/assert"
 )
 
 type parseSyncPathTestCase struct {
@@ -30,3 +34,90 @@ func TestParseSyncPath(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, remote, testCase.expectedRemote, "Expect remote path in "+testCase.name)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestNoWatchRestartOnError verifies that RestartOnError is disabled when NoWatch is true.
+// This mirrors the logic in startSync(): RestartOnError: !syncConfig.NoWatch
+func TestNoWatchRestartOnError(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name          string
+		noWatch       bool
+		wantRestart   bool
+	}{
+		{"watch mode enables restart-on-error", false, true},
+		{"noWatch mode disables restart-on-error", true, false},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			cfg := &latest.SyncConfig{NoWatch: tc.noWatch}
+			restartOnError := !cfg.NoWatch
+			assert.Equal(t, restartOnError, tc.wantRestart,
+				"RestartOnError mismatch for NoWatch=%v", tc.noWatch)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNoWatchOnDoneDoesNotKillParent verifies that when a noWatch sync completes
+// (onDone fires), the parent tomb is NOT killed. This ensures other services such
+// as SSH and port-forwarding, which are registered in the same parent, continue
+// running after the one-shot sync finishes.
+func TestNoWatchOnDoneDoesNotKillParent(t *testing.T) {
+	var parent tomb.Tomb
+	onDone := make(chan struct{})
+	handlerExited := make(chan struct{})
+
+	// Simulate the noWatch (else) branch goroutine from startWithWait.
+	// The correct behaviour is: on onDone, do NOT call parent.Kill.
+	parent.Go(func() error {
+		defer close(handlerExited)
+		select {
+		case <-onDone:
+			// noWatch sync complete — intentionally no parent.Kill here
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	// Signal that the one-shot sync has finished.
+	close(onDone)
+
+	// Wait for the handler goroutine to exit.
+	select {
+	case <-handlerExited:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("noWatch handler goroutine did not finish in time")
+	}
+
+	// Parent must still be alive: Kill was never called, so other services continue.
+	assert.Assert(t, parent.Alive(),
+		"parent tomb was killed on noWatch sync completion; SSH/port-forwarding would be terminated")
+}
+
+// TestNoWatchOnDoneWatchModeKillsParent documents the intentional contrast:
+// in watch mode (RestartOnError=true) the onDone path DOES call syncDone → parent.Kill,
+// terminating the whole dev session when the sync unexpectedly stops.
+func TestNoWatchOnDoneWatchModeKillsParent(t *testing.T) {
+	var parent tomb.Tomb
+	onDone := make(chan struct{})
+	handlerExited := make(chan struct{})
+
+	// Simulate the RestartOnError (if) branch: onDone → Kill parent.
+	parent.Go(func() error {
+		defer close(handlerExited)
+		select {
+		case <-onDone:
+			parent.Kill(nil) // watch mode: unexpected stop kills everything
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	close(onDone)
+
+	select {
+	case <-handlerExited:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("watch-mode handler goroutine did not finish in time")
+	}
+
+	// Parent should be dying/dead because Kill was called.
+	assert.Assert(t, !parent.Alive(),
+		"expected parent tomb to be killed in watch mode when sync stops")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/sync.go b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/sync.go
index e2dcb88c28..e1c740b138 100644
--- a/pkg/devspace/services/sync/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/devspace/services/sync/sync.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func startSync(ctx devspacecontext.Context, name, arch string, syncConfig *lates
 		Arch:       arch,
 		Starter:    starter,
 
-		RestartOnError: true,
+		RestartOnError: !syncConfig.NoWatch,
 		Verbose:        ctx.Log().GetLevel() == logrus.DebugLevel,
 	}