diff --git a/internal/impl/nats/input_kv.go b/internal/impl/nats/input_kv.go
index 14cd27b1f5..f398046985 100644
--- a/internal/impl/nats/input_kv.go
+++ b/internal/impl/nats/input_kv.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const (
 	kviFieldKey            = "key"
 	kviFieldIgnoreDeletes  = "ignore_deletes"
 	kviFieldIncludeHistory = "include_history"
+	kviFieldUpdatesOnly    = "updates_only"
 	kviFieldMetaOnly       = "meta_only"
 )
 
@@ -68,6 +69,10 @@ This input adds the following metadata fields to each message:
 				Description("Include all the history per key, not just the last one.").
 				Default(false).
 				Advanced(),
+			service.NewBoolField(kviFieldUpdatesOnly).
+				Description("Only receive updates to keys, skip delivering existing values on connect.").
+				Default(false).
+				Advanced(),
 			service.NewBoolField(kviFieldMetaOnly).
 				Description("Retrieve only the metadata of the entry").
 				Default(false).
@@ -94,6 +99,7 @@ type kvReader struct {
 	key            string
 	ignoreDeletes  bool
 	includeHistory bool
+	updatesOnly    bool
 	metaOnly       bool
 
 	log *service.Logger
@@ -132,6 +138,10 @@ func newKVReader(conf *service.ParsedConfig, mgr *service.Resources) (*kvReader,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if r.updatesOnly, err = conf.FieldBool(kviFieldUpdatesOnly); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	if r.metaOnly, err = conf.FieldBool(kviFieldMetaOnly); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -192,6 +202,9 @@ func (r *kvReader) Connect(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	if r.includeHistory {
 		watchOpts = append(watchOpts, jetstream.IncludeHistory())
 	}
+	if r.updatesOnly {
+		watchOpts = append(watchOpts, jetstream.UpdatesOnly())
+	}
 	if r.metaOnly {
 		watchOpts = append(watchOpts, jetstream.MetaOnly())
 	}
diff --git a/internal/impl/nats/input_kv_test.go b/internal/impl/nats/input_kv_test.go
index c002f3a969..877fbd4cb9 100644
--- a/internal/impl/nats/input_kv_test.go
+++ b/internal/impl/nats/input_kv_test.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ bucket: testbucket
 key: testkey
 ignore_deletes: true
 include_history: true
+updates_only: true
 meta_only: true
 max_reconnects: -1
 auth:
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ auth:
 		assert.Equal(t, "testkey", e.key)
 		assert.True(t, e.ignoreDeletes)
 		assert.True(t, e.includeHistory)
+		assert.True(t, e.updatesOnly)
 		assert.True(t, e.metaOnly)
 		assert.Equal(t, -1, *e.connDetails.maxReconnects)
 		assert.Equal(t, "test auth n key file", e.connDetails.authConf.NKeyFile)
diff --git a/internal/impl/nats/integration_kv_test.go b/internal/impl/nats/integration_kv_test.go
index dd5fbd3530..a4aed75198 100644
--- a/internal/impl/nats/integration_kv_test.go
+++ b/internal/impl/nats/integration_kv_test.go
@@ -386,4 +386,56 @@ cache_resources:
 			assert.JSONEq(t, string(expected), string(msg))
 		})
 	})
+
+	t.Run("input", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Run("updates_only skips existing values", func(t *testing.T) {
+			u4, err := uuid.NewV4()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			js, err := jetstream.New(natsConn)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			bucket, err := js.CreateKeyValue(t.Context(), jetstream.KeyValueConfig{
+				Bucket: "bucket-" + u4.String(),
+			})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			_, err = bucket.PutString(t.Context(), "existing", "old_value")
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			yaml := fmt.Sprintf(`
+        bucket: %s
+        updates_only: true
+        urls: [%s]`, bucket.Bucket(), fmt.Sprintf("tcp://localhost:%v", resource.GetPort("4222/tcp")))
+
+			spec := natsKVInputConfig()
+			parsed, err := spec.ParseYAML(yaml, nil)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			input, err := newKVReader(parsed, service.MockResources())
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			err = input.Connect(t.Context())
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			defer input.Close(t.Context())
+
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(t.Context(), 200*time.Millisecond)
+			defer cancel()
+			_, _, err = input.Read(ctx)
+			require.ErrorIs(t, err, context.DeadlineExceeded)
+
+			_, err = bucket.PutString(t.Context(), "new_key", "new_value")
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			msg, _, err := input.Read(t.Context())
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			bytes, err := msg.AsBytes()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, []byte("new_value"), bytes)
+
+			key, exists := msg.MetaGet("nats_kv_key")
+			require.True(t, exists)
+			assert.Equal(t, "new_key", key)
+		})
+	})
 }