diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/command.js b/lib/coffee-script/command.js
index 3a2355b6..7615a42b 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/command.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/command.js
@@ -196,16 +196,22 @@
   };
 
   watch = function(source, base) {
-    return fs.watchFile(source, {
-      persistent: true,
-      interval: 500
-    }, function(curr, prev) {
-      if (curr.size === prev.size && curr.mtime.getTime() === prev.mtime.getTime()) {
-        return;
-      }
-      return fs.readFile(source, function(err, code) {
-        if (err) throw err;
-        return compileScript(source, code.toString(), base);
+    return fs.stat(source, function(err, prevStats) {
+      if (err) throw err;
+      return fs.watch(source, function(event) {
+        if (event === 'change') {
+          return fs.stat(source, function(err, stats) {
+            if (err) throw err;
+            if (stats.size === prevStats.size && stats.mtime.getTime() === prevStats.mtime.getTime()) {
+              return;
+            }
+            prevStats = stats;
+            return fs.readFile(source, function(err, code) {
+              if (err) throw err;
+              return compileScript(source, code.toString(), base);
+            });
+          });
+        }
       });
     });
   };
diff --git a/src/command.coffee b/src/command.coffee
index c89e7d46..8fd72b66 100644
--- a/src/command.coffee
+++ b/src/command.coffee
@@ -168,15 +168,22 @@ loadRequires = ->
   require req for req in opts.require
   module.filename = realFilename
 
-# Watch a source CoffeeScript file using `fs.watchFile`, recompiling it every
+# Watch a source CoffeeScript file using `fs.watch`, recompiling it every
 # time the file is updated. May be used in combination with other options,
 # such as `--lint` or `--print`.
 watch = (source, base) ->
-  fs.watchFile source, {persistent: true, interval: 500}, (curr, prev) ->
-    return if curr.size is prev.size and curr.mtime.getTime() is prev.mtime.getTime()
-    fs.readFile source, (err, code) ->
-      throw err if err
-      compileScript(source, code.toString(), base)
+  fs.stat source, (err, prevStats)->
+    throw err if err
+    fs.watch source, (event) ->
+      if event is 'change'
+        fs.stat source, (err, stats) ->
+          throw err if err
+          return if stats.size is prevStats.size and 
+            stats.mtime.getTime() is prevStats.mtime.getTime()
+          prevStats = stats
+          fs.readFile source, (err, code) ->
+            throw err if err
+            compileScript(source, code.toString(), base)
 
 # Write out a JavaScript source file with the compiled code. By default, files
 # are written out in `cwd` as `.js` files with the same name, but the output