diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 5255d3c7..45e0dbd2 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func newApp(ui *ui, nav *nav) *app {
 		nav:      nav,
 		ticker:   new(time.Ticker),
 		quitChan: quitChan,
-		watch:    newWatch(nav.dirChan, nav.fileChan),
+		watch:    newWatch(nav.dirChan, nav.fileChan, nav.delChan),
 	}
 
 	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
@@ -460,6 +460,9 @@ func (app *app) loop() {
 				app.ui.loadFileInfo(app.nav)
 			}
 			app.ui.draw(app.nav)
+		case path := <-app.nav.delChan:
+			delete(app.nav.dirCache, path)
+			delete(app.nav.regCache, path)
 		case ev := <-app.ui.evChan:
 			e := app.ui.readEvent(ev, app.nav)
 			if e == nil {
diff --git a/eval.go b/eval.go
index b11ff6d7..8e19cac3 100644
--- a/eval.go
+++ b/eval.go
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ func (e *callExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 		app.ui.loadFile(app, true)
 		onRedraw(app)
 	case "load":
-		if !app.nav.init {
+		if !app.nav.init || gOpts.watch {
 			return
 		}
 		app.nav.renew()
diff --git a/nav.go b/nav.go
index 008466fd..592a8982 100644
--- a/nav.go
+++ b/nav.go
@@ -439,6 +439,7 @@ type nav struct {
 	dirChan         chan *dir
 	regChan         chan *reg
 	fileChan        chan *file
+	delChan         chan string
 	dirCache        map[string]*dir
 	regCache        map[string]*reg
 	saves           map[string]bool
@@ -585,6 +586,7 @@ func newNav(height int) *nav {
 		dirChan:         make(chan *dir),
 		regChan:         make(chan *reg),
 		fileChan:        make(chan *file),
+		delChan:         make(chan string),
 		dirCache:        make(map[string]*dir),
 		regCache:        make(map[string]*reg),
 		saves:           make(map[string]bool),
diff --git a/watch.go b/watch.go
index 0f2b55ec..269a4636 100644
--- a/watch.go
+++ b/watch.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"log"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
@@ -18,9 +19,10 @@ type watch struct {
 	updateTimer *time.Timer
 	dirChan     chan<- *dir
 	fileChan    chan<- *file
+	delChan     chan<- string
 }
 
-func newWatch(dirChan chan<- *dir, fileChan chan<- *file) *watch {
+func newWatch(dirChan chan<- *dir, fileChan chan<- *file, delChan chan<- string) *watch {
 	return &watch{
 		quit:        make(chan struct{}),
 		loads:       make(map[string]bool),
@@ -29,6 +31,7 @@ func newWatch(dirChan chan<- *dir, fileChan chan<- *file) *watch {
 		updateTimer: time.NewTimer(0),
 		dirChan:     dirChan,
 		fileChan:    fileChan,
+		delChan:     delChan,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -81,7 +84,14 @@ func (watch *watch) loop() {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case ev := <-watch.events:
-			if ev.Has(fsnotify.Create) || ev.Has(fsnotify.Remove) || ev.Has(fsnotify.Rename) {
+			if ev.Has(fsnotify.Create) {
+				dir := filepath.Dir(ev.Name)
+				watch.addLoad(dir)
+				watch.addUpdate(dir)
+			}
+
+			if ev.Has(fsnotify.Remove) || ev.Has(fsnotify.Rename) {
+				watch.delChan <- ev.Name
 				dir := filepath.Dir(ev.Name)
 				watch.addLoad(dir)
 				watch.addUpdate(dir)
@@ -92,6 +102,9 @@ func (watch *watch) loop() {
 			}
 		case <-watch.loadTimer.C:
 			for path := range watch.loads {
+				if _, err := os.Lstat(path); err != nil {
+					continue
+				}
 				dir := newDir(path)
 				dir.sort()
 				watch.dirChan <- dir
@@ -99,6 +112,9 @@ func (watch *watch) loop() {
 			watch.loads = make(map[string]bool)
 		case <-watch.updateTimer.C:
 			for path := range watch.updates {
+				if _, err := os.Lstat(path); err != nil {
+					continue
+				}
 				watch.fileChan <- newFile(path)
 			}
 			watch.updates = make(map[string]bool)