diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
index 1df0c665b29..ac8e9415101 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend.go
@@ -387,21 +387,30 @@ func (b *backend) PrepareList(ctx context.Context, req *resource.ListRequest) (*
 }
 
 func (b *backend) WatchWriteEvents(ctx context.Context) (<-chan *resource.WrittenEvent, error) {
+	if err := b.Init(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// Fetch the lastest RV
+	rows, err := b.sqlDB.QueryContext(ctx, `SELECT COALESCE(max("resource_version"), 0)  FROM "resource";`)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("fetch latest rv: %w", err)
+	}
+	since := int64(0)
+	if rows.Next() {
+		if err := rows.Scan(&since); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("scan since resource version: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+	// Start the poller
 	stream := make(chan *resource.WrittenEvent)
-	go b.poller(ctx, stream)
+	go b.poller(ctx, since, stream)
 	return stream, nil
 }
 
-func (b *backend) poller(ctx context.Context, stream chan<- *resource.WrittenEvent) {
+func (b *backend) poller(ctx context.Context, since int64, stream chan<- *resource.WrittenEvent) {
 	var err error
 
-	// FIXME: we need a way to state startup of server from a (Group, Resource)
-	// standpoint, and consider that new (Group, Resource) may be added to
-	// `kind_version`, so we should probably also poll for changes in there
-	since := int64(0)
-
 	interval := 100 * time.Millisecond // TODO make this configurable
-
 	t := time.NewTicker(interval)
 	defer close(stream)
 	defer t.Stop()
@@ -433,7 +442,6 @@ func (b *backend) poll(ctx context.Context, since int64, stream chan<- *resource
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("execute SQL template to poll for resource history: %w", err)
 	}
-
 	rows, err := b.sqlDB.QueryContext(ctx, query, pollReq.GetArgs()...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("poll for resource history: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend_test.go b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend_test.go
index ebfa852d572..0cfd95df550 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/unified/sql/backend_test.go
@@ -143,3 +143,48 @@ func TestBackendHappyPath(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, resource.WatchEvent_DELETED, event.Type)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestBackendWatchWriteEventsFromHead(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	dbstore := db.InitTestDB(t)
+
+	rdb, err := dbimpl.ProvideResourceDB(dbstore, setting.NewCfg(), featuremgmt.WithFeatures(featuremgmt.FlagUnifiedStorage), nil)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	store, err := NewBackendStore(backendOptions{
+		DB: rdb,
+	})
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.NotNil(t, store)
+
+	// Create a few resources before initing the watch
+	_, err = store.WriteEvent(ctx, resource.WriteEvent{
+		Type:  resource.WatchEvent_ADDED,
+		Value: []byte("initial value 0"),
+		Key: &resource.ResourceKey{
+			Namespace: "namespace",
+			Group:     "group",
+			Resource:  "resource",
+			Name:      "item 0",
+		},
+	})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Start the watch
+	stream, err := store.WatchWriteEvents(ctx)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Create one more event
+	_, err = store.WriteEvent(ctx, resource.WriteEvent{
+		Type:  resource.WatchEvent_ADDED,
+		Value: []byte("initial value 2"),
+		Key: &resource.ResourceKey{
+			Namespace: "namespace",
+			Group:     "group",
+			Resource:  "resource",
+			Name:      "item2",
+		},
+	})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "item2", (<-stream).Key.Name)
+}