diff --git a/operator/builtin/input/file/config.go b/operator/builtin/input/file/config.go
index 502486b54..f82428402 100644
--- a/operator/builtin/input/file/config.go
+++ b/operator/builtin/input/file/config.go
@@ -16,15 +16,17 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 const (
-	defaultMaxLogSize         = 1024 * 1024
-	defaultMaxConcurrentFiles = 512
+	defaultMaxLogSize           = 1024 * 1024
+	defaultMaxConcurrentFiles   = 512
+	defaultFilenameRecallPeriod = time.Minute
+	defaultPollInterval         = 200 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
 // NewInputConfig creates a new input config with default values
 func NewInputConfig(operatorID string) *InputConfig {
 	return &InputConfig{
 		InputConfig:             helper.NewInputConfig(operatorID, "file_input"),
-		PollInterval:            helper.Duration{Duration: 200 * time.Millisecond},
+		PollInterval:            helper.Duration{Duration: defaultPollInterval},
 		IncludeFileName:         true,
 		IncludeFilePath:         false,
 		IncludeFileNameResolved: false,
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ func NewInputConfig(operatorID string) *InputConfig {
 		MaxLogSize:              defaultMaxLogSize,
 		MaxConcurrentFiles:      defaultMaxConcurrentFiles,
 		Encoding:                helper.NewEncodingConfig(),
+		FilenameRecallPeriod:    helper.Duration{Duration: defaultFilenameRecallPeriod},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ type InputConfig struct {
 	DeleteAfterRead         bool                   `json:"delete_after_read,omitempty"           yaml:"delete_after_read,omitempty"`
 	LabelRegex              string                 `json:"label_regex,omitempty"                 yaml:"label_regex,omitempty"`
 	Encoding                helper.EncodingConfig  `json:",inline,omitempty"                     yaml:",inline,omitempty"`
+	FilenameRecallPeriod    helper.Duration        `json:"filename_recall_period,omitempty"      yaml:"filename_recall_period,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Build will build a file input operator from the supplied configuration
@@ -184,7 +188,8 @@ func (c InputConfig) Build(context operator.BuildContext) ([]operator.Operator,
 		fingerprintSize:       int(c.FingerprintSize),
 		MaxLogSize:            int(c.MaxLogSize),
 		MaxConcurrentFiles:    c.MaxConcurrentFiles,
-		SeenPaths:             make(map[string]struct{}, 100),
+		SeenPaths:             make(map[string]time.Time, 100),
+		filenameRecallPeriod:  c.FilenameRecallPeriod.Raw(),
 	}
 
 	return []operator.Operator{op}, nil
diff --git a/operator/builtin/input/file/file.go b/operator/builtin/input/file/file.go
index 48b987b77..400ab90b2 100644
--- a/operator/builtin/input/file/file.go
+++ b/operator/builtin/input/file/file.go
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ type InputOperator struct {
 	SplitFunc             bufio.SplitFunc
 	MaxLogSize            int
 	MaxConcurrentFiles    int
-	SeenPaths             map[string]struct{}
+	SeenPaths             map[string]time.Time
+	filenameRecallPeriod  time.Duration
 
 	persist helper.Persister
 
@@ -191,15 +192,23 @@ OUTER:
 // been read this polling interval
 func (f *InputOperator) makeReaders(ctx context.Context, filePaths []string) []*Reader {
 	// Open the files first to minimize the time between listing and opening
+	now := time.Now()
+	cutoff := now.Add(f.filenameRecallPeriod * -1)
+	for filename, lastSeenTime := range f.SeenPaths {
+		if lastSeenTime.Before(cutoff) {
+			delete(f.SeenPaths, filename)
+		}
+	}
+
 	files := make([]*os.File, 0, len(filePaths))
 	for _, path := range filePaths {
 		if _, ok := f.SeenPaths[path]; !ok {
+			f.SeenPaths[path] = now
 			if f.startAtBeginning {
 				f.Infow("Started watching file", "path", path)
 			} else {
 				f.Infow("Started watching file from end. To read preexisting logs, configure the argument 'start_at' to 'beginning'", "path", path)
 			}
-			f.SeenPaths[path] = struct{}{}
 		}
 		file, err := os.Open(path) // #nosec - operator must read in files defined by user
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/operator/builtin/input/file/file_test.go b/operator/builtin/input/file/file_test.go
index d97451d73..9fb02e506 100644
--- a/operator/builtin/input/file/file_test.go
+++ b/operator/builtin/input/file/file_test.go
@@ -638,6 +638,53 @@ func TestDeleteAfterRead(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFilenameRecallPeriod(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	operator, _, tempDir := newTestFileOperator(t, func(cfg *InputConfig) {
+		cfg.FilenameRecallPeriod = helper.Duration{
+			// start large, but this will be modified
+			Duration: time.Minute,
+		}
+		// so file only exist for first poll
+		cfg.DeleteAfterRead = true
+	}, nil)
+
+	// Create some new files
+	temp1 := openTemp(t, tempDir)
+	writeString(t, temp1, stringWithLength(10))
+	temp1.Close()
+
+	temp2 := openTemp(t, tempDir)
+	writeString(t, temp2, stringWithLength(20))
+	temp2.Close()
+
+	require.Equal(t, 0, len(operator.SeenPaths))
+
+	// Poll once and validate that the files are remembered
+	operator.poll(context.Background())
+	defer operator.Stop()
+	require.Equal(t, 2, len(operator.SeenPaths))
+	require.Contains(t, operator.SeenPaths, temp1.Name())
+	require.Contains(t, operator.SeenPaths, temp2.Name())
+
+	// Poll again to validate the files are still remembered
+	operator.poll(context.Background())
+	require.Equal(t, 2, len(operator.SeenPaths))
+	require.Contains(t, operator.SeenPaths, temp1.Name())
+	require.Contains(t, operator.SeenPaths, temp2.Name())
+
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	// Hijack the recall period to trigger a purge
+	operator.filenameRecallPeriod = time.Millisecond
+
+	// Poll a final time
+	operator.poll(context.Background())
+
+	// SeenPaths has been purged of ancient files
+	require.Equal(t, 0, len(operator.SeenPaths))
+}
+
 func TestFileReader_FingerprintUpdated(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()