diff --git a/.rubocop.yml b/.rubocop.yml
index 286ec110..c918e5c4 100644
--- a/.rubocop.yml
+++ b/.rubocop.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ AllCops:
   SuggestExtensions: false
   Exclude:
     - dev/**/*
+    - spec/fixtures/**/*
 
 # The `ConfigValidator` class is a DSL, let it be
 Metrics/AbcSize:              { Exclude: [lib/bashly/config_validator.rb] }
@@ -43,3 +44,8 @@ RSpec/ExampleLength:
     - 'spec/bashly/integration/**/*'
     - 'spec/bashly/libraries/render*'
     - 'spec/bashly/script/command_spec.rb'
+
+# Allow `puts` in some specs
+RSpec/Output:
+  Exclude:
+    - spec/bashly/integration/**/*
diff --git a/lib/bashly/libraries/settings/settings.yml b/lib/bashly/libraries/settings/settings.yml
index 92af221b..d5e82d43 100644
--- a/lib/bashly/libraries/settings/settings.yml
+++ b/lib/bashly/libraries/settings/settings.yml
@@ -159,6 +159,17 @@ enable_env_var_names_array: always
 enable_sourcing: development
 
 
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# DEVELOPER OPTIONS
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# When true, use filesystem evented watching instead of polling
+watch_evented: false
+
+# File change detection latency (seconds)
+watch_latency: 1.0
+
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # SCRIPTING OPTIONS
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lib/bashly/settings.rb b/lib/bashly/settings.rb
index 6bb0b354..6dd018f7 100644
--- a/lib/bashly/settings.rb
+++ b/lib/bashly/settings.rb
@@ -28,9 +28,15 @@ class << self
         :target_dir,
         :usage_colors,
         :var_aliases,
+        :watch_evented,
+        :watch_latency,
         :word_wrap
       )
 
+      def all_lib_dirs
+        @all_lib_dirs = [full_lib_dir] + extra_lib_dirs
+      end
+
       def commands_dir
         @commands_dir ||= get :commands_dir
       end
@@ -89,6 +95,17 @@ def env=(value)
         @env = value&.to_sym
       end
 
+      def extra_lib_dirs
+        @extra_lib_dirs ||= begin
+          dirs = get :extra_lib_dirs
+          case dirs
+          when Array then dirs
+          when String then dirs.split(',').map(&:strip)
+          else []
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
       def formatter
         @formatter ||= get :formatter
       end
@@ -109,21 +126,6 @@ def lib_dir
         @lib_dir ||= get :lib_dir
       end
 
-      def extra_lib_dirs
-        @extra_lib_dirs ||= begin
-          dirs = get :extra_lib_dirs
-          case dirs
-          when Array then dirs
-          when String then dirs.split(',').map(&:strip)
-          else []
-          end
-        end
-      end
-
-      def all_lib_dirs
-        @all_lib_dirs = [full_lib_dir] + extra_lib_dirs
-      end
-
       def partials_extension
         @partials_extension ||= get :partials_extension
       end
@@ -174,6 +176,14 @@ def var_aliases
         @var_aliases ||= get :var_aliases
       end
 
+      def watch_evented
+        @watch_evented ||= get :watch_evented
+      end
+
+      def watch_latency
+        @watch_latency ||= get :watch_latency
+      end
+
       def word_wrap
         @word_wrap ||= get :word_wrap
       end
diff --git a/lib/bashly/watch.rb b/lib/bashly/watch.rb
index a33ba2de..3fdcc6c0 100644
--- a/lib/bashly/watch.rb
+++ b/lib/bashly/watch.rb
@@ -5,13 +5,8 @@ module Bashly
   class Watch
     attr_reader :dirs, :options
 
-    DEFAULT_OPTIONS = {
-      force_polling: true,
-      latency:       1.0,
-    }.freeze
-
     def initialize(*dirs, **options)
-      @options = DEFAULT_OPTIONS.merge(options).freeze
+      @options = default_options.merge(options).freeze
       @dirs = dirs.empty? ? ['.'] : dirs
     end
 
@@ -24,10 +19,20 @@ def on_change(&)
 
   private
 
-    def build_listener
-      listen.to(*dirs, **options) do |modified, added, removed|
-        yield changes(modified, added, removed)
-      end
+    def default_options
+      {
+        force_polling: force_polling?,
+        latency:       latency,
+      }
+    end
+
+    def force_polling?
+      !Settings.watch_evented
+    end
+
+    def latency
+      value = Settings.watch_latency.to_f
+      value.positive? ? value : 0.1
     end
 
     def start(&block)
@@ -42,16 +47,22 @@ def stop
       @listener = nil
     end
 
-    def changes(modified, added, removed)
-      { modified:, added:, removed: }
-    end
-
     def wait
       sleep
     rescue ::Interrupt => e
       raise Bashly::Interrupt, cause: e
     end
 
+    def build_listener
+      listen.to(*dirs, **options) do |modified, added, removed|
+        yield changes(modified, added, removed)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def changes(modified, added, removed)
+      { modified:, added:, removed: }
+    end
+
     def listen = Listen
   end
 end
diff --git a/schemas/settings.json b/schemas/settings.json
index 1dfc8f55..e05c0852 100644
--- a/schemas/settings.json
+++ b/schemas/settings.json
@@ -289,6 +289,18 @@
         }
       ]
     },
+    "watch_evented": {
+      "title": "watch evented",
+      "description": "Whether to use evented file system watch instead of the default polling\nhttps://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#watch_evented",
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "default": false
+    },
+    "watch_latency": {
+      "title": "watch latency",
+      "description": "The latency in seconds for the file system changes watcher\nhttps://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#watch_latency",
+      "type": "number",
+      "default": 1
+    },
     "usage_colors": {
       "title": "usage colors",
       "description": "Enable and configure colorful output for --help\nhttps://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#usage_colors",
diff --git a/spec/bashly/watch_spec.rb b/spec/bashly/watch_spec.rb
index c295e577..233681ab 100644
--- a/spec/bashly/watch_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/bashly/watch_spec.rb
@@ -45,11 +45,14 @@
       let(:options) { { latency: 0.25 } }
 
       it 'passes them through to Listen' do
-        expect(listen).to receive(:to).with(
-          'lib',
-          'spec',
-          **described_class::DEFAULT_OPTIONS, **options
-        )
+        expect(listen).to receive(:to) do |*passed_dirs, **passed_options|
+          expect(passed_dirs).to eq(dirs)
+          expect(passed_options[:latency]).to eq(options[:latency])
+          expect(passed_options).to have_key(:force_polling)
+
+          # instead of rspec's 'and_return' which cannot be used with a block
+          listener
+        end
 
         subject.on_change { |_| nil }
       end
diff --git a/support/schema/settings.yml b/support/schema/settings.yml
index c1845a7e..8edbf466 100644
--- a/support/schema/settings.yml
+++ b/support/schema/settings.yml
@@ -237,6 +237,20 @@ properties:
       The name of the environment variable (case sensitive) that, if set, will reveal private commands, flags and environment variables
       https://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#private_reveal_key
     oneOf: *optional_string
+  watch_evented:
+    title: watch evented
+    description: |-
+      Whether to use evented file system watch instead of the default polling
+      https://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#watch_evented
+    type: boolean
+    default: false
+  watch_latency:
+    title: watch latency
+    description: |-
+      The latency in seconds for the file system changes watcher
+      https://bashly.dev/usage/settings/#watch_latency
+    type: number
+    default: 1.0
   usage_colors:
     title: usage colors
     description: |-