diff --git a/subprojects/core/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/service/scopes/VirtualFileSystemServices.java b/subprojects/core/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/service/scopes/VirtualFileSystemServices.java
index 23aad1596511..dee154621251 100644
--- a/subprojects/core/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/service/scopes/VirtualFileSystemServices.java
+++ b/subprojects/core/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/service/scopes/VirtualFileSystemServices.java
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem createVirtualFileSystem(
                 ))
                 .orElse(new WatchingNotSupportedVirtualFileSystem(rootReference));
             listenerManager.addListener((BuildAddedListener) buildState ->
-                virtualFileSystem.buildRootDirectoryAdded(buildState.getBuildRootDir())
+                virtualFileSystem.registerRootDirectoryForWatching(buildState.getBuildRootDir())
             );
             return virtualFileSystem;
         }
diff --git a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem.java b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem.java
index f43ca5d03335..59937d52525d 100644
--- a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem.java
+++ b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem.java
@@ -31,12 +31,13 @@ public interface BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFileSystem extends VirtualFileSystem
     void afterBuildStarted(boolean watchingEnabled);
 
     /**
-     * Called when a new build (aka project) root directory has been added.
+     * Register a root directory for watching.
      *
+     * Adds a directory as a root directory for watching.
      * This method is first called for the root directory of the root project.
      * It is also called for the root directories of included builds, and all other nested builds.
      */
-    void buildRootDirectoryAdded(File buildRootDirectory);
+    void registerRootDirectoryForWatching(File rootDirectoryForWatching);
 
     /**
      * Called when the build is finished.
diff --git a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingNotSupportedVirtualFileSystem.java b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingNotSupportedVirtualFileSystem.java
index 032d7916cf4d..c8d81b291ff3 100644
--- a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingNotSupportedVirtualFileSystem.java
+++ b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingNotSupportedVirtualFileSystem.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public void afterBuildStarted(boolean watchingEnabled) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void buildRootDirectoryAdded(File buildRootDirectory) {
+    public void registerRootDirectoryForWatching(File rootDirectoryForWatching) {
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystem.java b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystem.java
index faa137f205a7..6b8ebd28b9f0 100644
--- a/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystem.java
+++ b/subprojects/file-watching/src/main/java/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystem.java
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public class WatchingVirtualFileSystem implements BuildLifecycleAwareVirtualFile
     private final Predicate<String> watchFilter;
     private final DaemonDocumentationIndex daemonDocumentationIndex;
     private final LocationsWrittenByCurrentBuild locationsWrittenByCurrentBuild;
-    private final Set<File> rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching = new HashSet<>();
+    private final Set<File> rootDirectoriesForWatching = new HashSet<>();
 
     private FileWatcherRegistry watchRegistry;
     private Exception reasonForNotWatchingFiles;
@@ -110,16 +110,16 @@ public void afterBuildStarted(boolean watchingEnabled) {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public void buildRootDirectoryAdded(File buildRootDirectory) {
-        synchronized (rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching) {
-            rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching.add(buildRootDirectory);
+    public void registerRootDirectoryForWatching(File buildRootDirectory) {
+        synchronized (rootDirectoriesForWatching) {
+            rootDirectoriesForWatching.add(buildRootDirectory);
             rootReference.update(currentRoot -> {
                 if (watchRegistry == null) {
                     return currentRoot;
                 }
                 return withWatcherChangeErrorHandling(
                     currentRoot,
-                    () -> watchRegistry.getFileWatcherUpdater().updateRootProjectDirectories(rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching)
+                    () -> watchRegistry.getFileWatcherUpdater().updateRootProjectDirectories(rootDirectoriesForWatching)
                 );
             });
         }
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ public void buildRootDirectoryAdded(File buildRootDirectory) {
 
     @Override
     public void beforeBuildFinished(boolean watchingEnabled) {
-        synchronized (rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching) {
-            rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching.clear();
+        synchronized (rootDirectoriesForWatching) {
+            rootDirectoriesForWatching.clear();
         }
         if (watchingEnabled) {
             if (reasonForNotWatchingFiles != null) {
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ public void handleLostState() {
                     stopWatchingAndInvalidateHierarchy();
                 }
             });
-            watchRegistry.getFileWatcherUpdater().updateRootProjectDirectories(rootProjectDirectoriesForWatching);
+            watchRegistry.getFileWatcherUpdater().updateRootProjectDirectories(rootDirectoriesForWatching);
             long endTime = System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
             LOGGER.warn("Spent {} ms registering watches for file system events", endTime);
             // TODO: Move start watching early enough so that the root is always empty
diff --git a/subprojects/file-watching/src/test/groovy/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest.groovy b/subprojects/file-watching/src/test/groovy/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest.groovy
index fc051cc90a47..192cfc66dc7c 100644
--- a/subprojects/file-watching/src/test/groovy/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest.groovy
+++ b/subprojects/file-watching/src/test/groovy/org/gradle/internal/watch/vfs/impl/WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest.groovy
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest extends Specification {
         def newRootDirectory = new File("newRoot")
 
         when:
-        watchingHandler.buildRootDirectoryAdded(rootDirectory)
+        watchingHandler.registerRootDirectoryForWatching(rootDirectory)
         then:
         0 * _
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest extends Specification {
         0 * _
 
         when:
-        watchingHandler.buildRootDirectoryAdded(anotherBuildRootDirectory)
+        watchingHandler.registerRootDirectoryForWatching(anotherBuildRootDirectory)
         then:
         1 * watcherRegistry.fileWatcherUpdater >> fileWatcherUpdater
         1 * fileWatcherUpdater.updateRootProjectDirectories(ImmutableSet.of(rootDirectory, anotherBuildRootDirectory))
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class WatchingVirtualFileSystemTest extends Specification {
         0 * _
 
         when:
-        watchingHandler.buildRootDirectoryAdded(newRootDirectory)
+        watchingHandler.registerRootDirectoryForWatching(newRootDirectory)
         then:
         1 * watcherRegistry.fileWatcherUpdater >> fileWatcherUpdater
         1 * fileWatcherUpdater.updateRootProjectDirectories(ImmutableSet.of(newRootDirectory))