diff --git a/src/core/client_channel/client_channel.cc b/src/core/client_channel/client_channel.cc
index 4bc8e44b333..29ea04b3f19 100644
--- a/src/core/client_channel/client_channel.cc
+++ b/src/core/client_channel/client_channel.cc
@@ -688,10 +688,93 @@ grpc_connectivity_state ClientChannel::CheckConnectivityState(
   return state;
 }
 
-void ClientChannel::WatchConnectivityState(grpc_connectivity_state, Timestamp,
-                                           grpc_completion_queue*, void*) {
-  // TODO(ctiller): implement
-  Crash("not implemented");
+namespace {
+
+// A fire-and-forget object to handle external connectivity state watches.
+class ExternalStateWatcher : public RefCounted<ExternalStateWatcher> {
+ public:
+  ExternalStateWatcher(WeakRefCountedPtr<ClientChannel> channel,
+                       grpc_completion_queue* cq, void* tag,
+                       grpc_connectivity_state last_observed_state,
+                       Timestamp deadline)
+      : channel_(std::move(channel)), cq_(cq), tag_(tag) {
+    MutexLock lock(&mu_);
+    // Start watch.  This inherits the ref from creation.
+    auto watcher =
+        MakeOrphanable<Watcher>(RefCountedPtr<ExternalStateWatcher>(this));
+    watcher_ = watcher.get();
+    channel_->AddConnectivityWatcher(last_observed_state, std::move(watcher));
+    // Start timer.  This takes a second ref.
+    const Duration timeout = deadline - Timestamp::Now();
+    timer_handle_ =
+        channel_->event_engine()->RunAfter(timeout, [self = Ref()]() mutable {
+          ApplicationCallbackExecCtx callback_exec_ctx;
+          ExecCtx exec_ctx;
+          self->MaybeStartCompletion(
+              absl::DeadlineExceededError(
+                  "Timed out waiting for connection state change"));
+          // ExternalStateWatcher deletion might require an active ExecCtx.
+          self.reset();
+        });
+  }
+
+ private:
+  class Watcher : public AsyncConnectivityStateWatcherInterface {
+   public:
+    explicit Watcher(RefCountedPtr<ExternalStateWatcher> external_state_watcher)
+        : external_state_watcher_(std::move(external_state_watcher)) {}
+
+    void OnConnectivityStateChange(grpc_connectivity_state /*new_state*/,
+                                   const absl::Status& /*status*/) override {
+      external_state_watcher_->MaybeStartCompletion(absl::OkStatus());
+    }
+
+   private:
+    RefCountedPtr<ExternalStateWatcher> external_state_watcher_;
+  };
+
+  // This is called both when the watch reports a new connectivity state
+  // and when the timer fires.  It will trigger a CQ notification only
+  // on the first call.  Subsequent calls will be ignored, because
+  // events can come in asynchronously.
+  void MaybeStartCompletion(absl::Status status) {
+    MutexLock lock(&mu_);
+    if (watcher_ == nullptr) return;  // Ignore subsequent notifications.
+    // Cancel watch.
+    channel_->RemoveConnectivityWatcher(watcher_);
+    watcher_ = nullptr;
+    // Cancel timer.
+    channel_->event_engine()->Cancel(timer_handle_);
+    // Send CQ completion.
+    Ref().release();  // Released in FinishedCompletion().
+    grpc_cq_end_op(cq_, tag_, status, FinishedCompletion, this,
+                     &completion_storage_);
+  }
+
+  // Called when the completion is returned to the CQ.
+  static void FinishedCompletion(void* arg, grpc_cq_completion* /*ignored*/) {
+    auto* self = static_cast<ExternalStateWatcher*>(arg);
+    self->Unref();
+  }
+
+  WeakRefCountedPtr<ClientChannel> channel_;
+
+  Mutex mu_;
+  grpc_completion_queue* cq_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(&mu_);
+  void* tag_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(&mu_);
+  grpc_cq_completion completion_storage_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(&mu_);
+  Watcher* watcher_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(&mu_) = nullptr;
+  grpc_event_engine::experimental::EventEngine::TaskHandle timer_handle_
+      ABSL_GUARDED_BY(&mu_);
+};
+
+}  // namespace
+
+void ClientChannel::WatchConnectivityState(
+    grpc_connectivity_state state, Timestamp deadline,
+    grpc_completion_queue* cq, void* tag) {
+  new ExternalStateWatcher(WeakRefAsSubclass<ClientChannel>(), cq, tag, state,
+                           deadline);
 }
 
 void ClientChannel::AddConnectivityWatcher(