diff --git a/ovos_config/utils.py b/ovos_config/utils.py
index 2ebde93..b9373b1 100644
--- a/ovos_config/utils.py
+++ b/ovos_config/utils.py
@@ -2,12 +2,19 @@
 import importlib
 
 from typing import Optional
-from ovos_utils.log import LOG
+from ovos_utils.log import LOG, log_deprecation
 from os import makedirs
 from os.path import join, dirname
 from ovos_utils.xdg_utils import xdg_config_home
-# backwards compat
-from ovos_utils.file_utils import FileWatcher, FileEventHandler
+
+try:
+    # TODO: Consider deprecating these before 0.1.0
+    from ovos_utils.file_utils import FileWatcher as _FileWatcher, \
+        FileEventHandler as _FileEventHandler
+except ImportError:
+    LOG.debug("Failed to import `FileWatcher` and `FileEventHandler`")
+    _FileWatcher = None
+    _FileEventHandler = None
 
 
 def init_module_config(module_name: str, module_override: str,
@@ -83,3 +90,19 @@ def init_module_config(module_name: str, module_override: str,
     importlib.reload(ovos_config.models)
     importlib.reload(ovos_config.config)
     importlib.reload(ovos_config)
+
+
+class FileWatcher(_FileWatcher):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if _FileWatcher is None:
+            raise ImportError("Import from ovos_utils.file_utils directly")
+        _FileWatcher.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        log_deprecation("Import from ovos_utils.file_utils directly", "0.1.0")
+
+
+class FileEventHandler(_FileEventHandler):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if _FileEventHandler is None:
+            raise ImportError("Import from ovos_utils.file_utils directly")
+        _FileEventHandler.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        log_deprecation("Import from ovos_utils.file_utils directly", "0.1.0")