diff --git a/helix-term/src/handlers.rs b/helix-term/src/handlers.rs
index b41c8ea83..41d85f789 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/handlers.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/handlers.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pub use helix_view::handlers::Handlers;
 
 use self::document_colors::DocumentColorsHandler;
 
-mod auto_reload;
+pub(super) mod auto_reload;
 mod auto_save;
 pub mod completion;
 mod diagnostics;
diff --git a/helix-term/src/handlers/auto_reload.rs b/helix-term/src/handlers/auto_reload.rs
index 3763aa1b0..f111bc1d7 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/handlers/auto_reload.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/handlers/auto_reload.rs
@@ -76,16 +76,8 @@ impl helix_event::AsyncHook for AutoReloadHandler {
 
 /// Requests a reload if any documents have been modified externally.
 fn prompt_to_reload_if_needed(editor: &mut Editor, compositor: &mut Compositor) {
-    let modified_docs = editor
-        .documents()
-        // Filter out documents that have unsaved changes.
-        .filter(|doc| !doc.is_modified())
-        // Get the documents that have been modified externally.
-        .filter(has_document_been_externally_modified)
-        .count();
-
     // If there are no externally modified documents, we can do nothing.
-    if modified_docs == 0 {
+    if count_externally_modified_documents(editor.documents()) == 0 {
         // Reset the debounce timer to allow for the next check.
         let config = editor.config.load();
         if config.auto_reload.periodic.enable {
@@ -132,21 +124,27 @@ fn prompt_to_reload_if_needed(editor: &mut Editor, compositor: &mut Compositor)
     compositor.push(Box::new(prompt));
 }
 
-fn has_document_been_externally_modified(doc: &&Document) -> bool {
-    let last_saved_time = doc.get_last_saved_time();
-    let Some(path) = doc.path() else {
-        return false;
-    };
+pub fn count_externally_modified_documents<'a>(docs: impl Iterator<Item = &'a Document>) -> usize {
+    docs // Filter out documents that have unsaved changes.
+        .filter(|doc| !doc.is_modified())
+        // Get the documents that have been modified externally.
+        .filter(|doc| {
+            let last_saved_time = doc.get_last_saved_time();
+            let Some(path) = doc.path() else {
+                return false;
+            };
 
-    // Check if the file has been modified externally
-    if let Ok(metadata) = fs::metadata(path) {
-        if let Ok(modified_time) = metadata.modified() {
-            if modified_time > last_saved_time {
-                return true;
+            // Check if the file has been modified externally
+            if let Ok(metadata) = fs::metadata(path) {
+                if let Ok(modified_time) = metadata.modified() {
+                    if modified_time > last_saved_time {
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                }
             }
-        }
-    }
-    false
+            false
+        })
+        .count()
 }
 
 pub(super) fn register_hooks(handlers: &Handlers) {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
index 60d65c33b..bbf7d55e7 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
@@ -1469,10 +1469,22 @@ impl Component for EditorView {
             Event::IdleTimeout => self.handle_idle_timeout(&mut cx),
             Event::FocusGained => {
                 if context.editor.config().auto_reload.focus_gained {
-                    helix_event::send_blocking(
-                        &context.editor.handlers.auto_reload,
-                        helix_view::handlers::AutoReloadEvent::EditorFocused,
-                    );
+                    if crate::handlers::auto_reload::count_externally_modified_documents(
+                        context.editor.documents(),
+                    ) > 0
+                    {
+                        if let Err(e) = commands::typed::reload_all(
+                            context,
+                            helix_core::command_line::Args::default(),
+                            super::PromptEvent::Validate,
+                        ) {
+                            context.editor.set_error(format!("{}", e));
+                        } else {
+                            context
+                                .editor
+                                .set_status("Reloaded files due to external changes");
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
                 self.terminal_focused = true;
                 EventResult::Consumed(None)