diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/lib/policy/license_watch.ts b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/lib/policy/license_watch.ts
index 63ccf3414f1ee..58ca17231decc 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/lib/policy/license_watch.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/lib/policy/license_watch.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
  * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
  */
+
+import { Subscription } from 'rxjs';
+
 import {
   KibanaRequest,
   Logger,
@@ -21,7 +24,8 @@ import { licenseService } from '../../../lib/license/license';
 export class PolicyWatcher {
   private logger: Logger;
   private soClient: SavedObjectsClientContract;
-  private policyService?: PackagePolicyServiceInterface;
+  private policyService: PackagePolicyServiceInterface;
+  private subscription: Subscription | undefined;
   constructor(
     policyService: PackagePolicyServiceInterface,
     soStart: SavedObjectsServiceStart,
@@ -44,6 +48,16 @@ export class PolicyWatcher {
     return soStart.getScopedClient(fakeRequest, { excludedWrappers: ['security'] });
   }
 
+  public start() {
+    this.subscription = licenseService.getLicenseInformation$()?.subscribe(this.watch.bind(this));
+  }
+
+  public stop() {
+    if (this.subscription) {
+      this.subscription.unsubscribe();
+    }
+  }
+
   public async watch(license: ILicense) {
     let packagePolicies: PackagePolicy[];
     if (!this.policyService) {
@@ -53,6 +67,7 @@ export class PolicyWatcher {
       return;
     }
 
+    // @todo: actually page and fetch them ALL
     try {
       packagePolicies = (
         await this.policyService.list(this.soClient, {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/plugin.ts
index 11db90061b603..c4876e0813df9 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/plugin.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ export class Plugin implements IPlugin<PluginSetup, PluginStart, SetupPlugins, S
 
   private lists: ListPluginSetup | undefined; // TODO: can we create ListPluginStart?
   private licensing$!: Observable<ILicense>;
+  private policyWatcher?: PolicyWatcher;
 
   private manifestTask: ManifestTask | undefined;
   private exceptionsCache: LRU<string, Buffer>;
@@ -371,9 +372,12 @@ export class Plugin implements IPlugin<PluginSetup, PluginStart, SetupPlugins, S
     this.telemetryEventsSender.start(core, plugins.telemetry);
     this.licensing$ = plugins.licensing.license$;
     licenseService.start(this.licensing$);
-    const policyWatcher = new PolicyWatcher(plugins.fleet?.packagePolicyService);
-    licenseService.getLicenseInformation$()?.subscribe(policyWatcher.watch);
-
+    this.policyWatcher = new PolicyWatcher(
+      plugins.fleet!.packagePolicyService,
+      core.savedObjects,
+      this.logger
+    );
+    this.policyWatcher.start();
     return {};
   }
 
@@ -381,6 +385,7 @@ export class Plugin implements IPlugin<PluginSetup, PluginStart, SetupPlugins, S
     this.logger.debug('Stopping plugin');
     this.telemetryEventsSender.stop();
     this.endpointAppContextService.stop();
+    this.policyWatcher?.stop();
     licenseService.stop();
   }
 }