diff --git a/lib/coffee-script/command.js b/lib/coffee-script/command.js
index 8331b211..ba9b7559 100644
--- a/lib/coffee-script/command.js
+++ b/lib/coffee-script/command.js
@@ -188,20 +188,24 @@
   };
 
   watch = function(source, base) {
-    var callback, compile, prevStats, watchErr, watcher;
+    var callback, compile, compileTimeout, prevStats, watchErr, watcher;
     prevStats = null;
+    compileTimeout = null;
     compile = function() {
-      return fs.stat(source, function(err, stats) {
-        if (err) throw err;
-        if (prevStats && (stats.size === prevStats.size && stats.mtime.getTime() === prevStats.mtime.getTime())) {
-          return;
-        }
-        prevStats = stats;
-        return fs.readFile(source, function(err, code) {
+      clearTimeout(compileTimeout);
+      return compileTimeout = setTimeout(function() {
+        return fs.stat(source, function(err, stats) {
           if (err) throw err;
-          return compileScript(source, code.toString(), base);
+          if (prevStats && (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);
+          });
         });
-      });
+      }, 25);
     };
     watchErr = function(e) {
       if (e.code === 'ENOENT') {
diff --git a/src/command.coffee b/src/command.coffee
index 601f4a2b..0bc8d956 100644
--- a/src/command.coffee
+++ b/src/command.coffee
@@ -168,16 +168,20 @@ loadRequires = ->
 watch = (source, base) ->
 
   prevStats = null
+  compileTimeout = null
 
   compile = ->
-    fs.stat source, (err, stats) ->
-      throw err if err
-      return if prevStats and (stats.size is prevStats.size and
-        stats.mtime.getTime() is prevStats.mtime.getTime())
-      prevStats = stats
-      fs.readFile source, (err, code) ->
+    clearTimeout compileTimeout
+    compileTimeout = setTimeout ->
+      fs.stat source, (err, stats) ->
         throw err if err
-        compileScript(source, code.toString(), base)
+        return if prevStats and (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)
+    , 25
 
   watchErr = (e) ->
     if e.code is 'ENOENT'