diff --git a/watchtower/conf.go b/watchtower/conf.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9383d8172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/watchtower/conf.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// +build !experimental
+
+package watchtower
+
+// Conf specifies the watchtower options that be configured from the command
+// line or configuration file. In non-experimental builds, we disallow such
+// configuration.
+type Conf struct{}
+
+// Apply returns an error signaling that the Conf could not be applied in
+// non-experimental builds.
+func (c *Conf) Apply(cfg *Config) (*Config, error) {
+	return nil, ErrNonExperimentalConf
+}