diff --git a/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.cc b/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.cc
index db43843dd83ae5..5bd60e5f5714df 100644
--- a/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.cc
+++ b/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <limits>
 #include <map>
 
+#include "base/debug/alias.h"
 #include "base/macros.h"
 #include "base/memory/ptr_util.h"
 #include "mojo/edk/system/watch.h"
@@ -25,6 +26,11 @@ void WatcherDispatcher::NotifyHandleState(Dispatcher* dispatcher,
   if (it == watched_handles_.end())
     return;
 
+  // TODO(crbug.com/740044): Remove this.
+  uint32_t sentinel = sentinel_value_for_debugging_;
+  base::debug::Alias(&sentinel);
+  CHECK_EQ(0x12345678u, sentinel);
+
   // Maybe fire a notification to the watch associated with this dispatcher,
   // provided we're armed and it cares about the new state.
   if (it->second->NotifyState(state, armed_)) {
@@ -53,6 +59,11 @@ void WatcherDispatcher::NotifyHandleClosed(Dispatcher* dispatcher) {
     watched_handles_.erase(it);
   }
 
+  // TODO(crbug.com/740044): Remove this.
+  uint32_t sentinel = sentinel_value_for_debugging_;
+  base::debug::Alias(&sentinel);
+  CHECK_EQ(0x12345678u, sentinel);
+
   // NOTE: It's important that this is called outside of |lock_| since it
   // acquires internal Watch locks.
   watch->Cancel();
@@ -174,6 +185,11 @@ MojoResult WatcherDispatcher::CancelWatch(uintptr_t context) {
     watches_.erase(it);
   }
 
+  // TODO(crbug.com/740044): Remove this.
+  uint32_t sentinel = sentinel_value_for_debugging_;
+  base::debug::Alias(&sentinel);
+  CHECK_EQ(0x12345678u, sentinel);
+
   // Mark the watch as cancelled so no further notifications get through.
   watch->Cancel();
 
@@ -253,7 +269,10 @@ MojoResult WatcherDispatcher::Arm(
   return MOJO_RESULT_FAILED_PRECONDITION;
 }
 
-WatcherDispatcher::~WatcherDispatcher() = default;
+WatcherDispatcher::~WatcherDispatcher() {
+  // TODO(crbug.com/740044): Remove this.
+  sentinel_value_for_debugging_ = 0x87654321;
+}
 
 }  // namespace edk
 }  // namespace mojo
diff --git a/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.h b/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.h
index 0c5f25520260d5..6a28d294a6227a 100644
--- a/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.h
+++ b/mojo/edk/system/watcher_dispatcher.h
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 #ifndef MOJO_EDK_SYSTEM_WATCHER_DISPATCHER_H_
 #define MOJO_EDK_SYSTEM_WATCHER_DISPATCHER_H_
 
+#include <stdint.h>
+
 #include <map>
 #include <set>
 
@@ -93,6 +95,9 @@ class WatcherDispatcher : public Dispatcher {
   // an invalid object. It must therefore never be dereferenced.
   const Watch* last_watch_to_block_arming_ = nullptr;
 
+  // TODO(crbug.com/740044): Remove this.
+  uint32_t sentinel_value_for_debugging_ = 0x12345678;
+
   DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(WatcherDispatcher);
 };