diff --git a/lib/middleman.rb b/lib/middleman.rb
index 06fea292..c2971225 100755
--- a/lib/middleman.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman.rb
@@ -194,9 +194,8 @@ module Middleman
       :AccessLog => []
     }
     
-    app_class = options[:app] ||= ::Middleman.server
-    app_class.set :environment, options[:environment].to_sym
-    opts[:app] = app_class.new
+    app_class = options[:app] ||= ::Middleman.server.new
+    opts[:app] = app_class
     opts[:server] = 'thin'
 
     server = ::Rack::Server.new(opts)
diff --git a/lib/middleman/base.rb b/lib/middleman/base.rb
index 0d01c7d0..63265803 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/base.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/base.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # require 'sinatra/synchrony'
 
 require "i18n"
+require "hooks"
   
 require "active_support"
 require "active_support/json"
@@ -9,8 +10,8 @@ require "active_support/core_ext/class/attribute_accessors"
 module Middleman::Base
   class << self
     def registered(app)
-      # app.register ::Sinatra::Synchrony
-      
+      app.send :include, ::Hooks
+      app.define_hook :initialized
       app.extend ClassMethods
       app.send :include, InstanceMethods
       
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ module Middleman::Base
       app.set :root,        Dir.pwd
       app.set :sessions,    false
       app.set :logging,     false
+      app.set :protection,  false
       app.set :environment, (ENV['MM_ENV'] && ENV['MM_ENV'].to_sym) || :development
 
       # Middleman-specific options
@@ -155,9 +157,24 @@ module Middleman::Base
     
     # Convenience method to check if we're in build mode
     def build?; environment == :build; end
+    
+    # Creates a Rack::Builder instance with all the middleware set up and
+    # an instance of this class as end point.
+    def build_new(inst=false)
+      builder = Rack::Builder.new
+      setup_default_middleware builder
+      setup_middleware builder
+      builder.run inst || new!
+      builder.to_app
+    end
   end
   
   module InstanceMethods
+    def initialize(*args)
+      super
+      run_hook :initialized, settings
+    end
+    
     def forward
       raise ::Sinatra::NotFound
     end
diff --git a/lib/middleman/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb b/lib/middleman/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
index b2c60c1f..6fd64eeb 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
@@ -1,29 +1,21 @@
 module Middleman::CoreExtensions::FileWatcher
   class << self
     def registered(app)
-      app.set :run_after_file_change, []
-      app.set :run_after_file_delete, []
+      app.define_hook :file_changed
+      app.define_hook :file_deleted
       
-      app.extend ClassMethods
+      app.send :include, InstanceMethods
     end
     alias :included :registered
   end
   
-  module ClassMethods
+  module InstanceMethods
     def file_did_change(path)
-      settings.run_after_file_change.each { |block| block.call(path) }
-    end
-    
-    def on_file_change(&block)
-      settings.run_after_file_change << block
+      run_hook :file_changed, path
     end
     
     def file_did_delete(path)
-      settings.run_after_file_delete.each { |block| block.call(path) }
-    end
-    
-    def on_file_delete(&block)
-      settings.run_after_file_delete << block
+      run_hook :file_deleted, path
     end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/middleman/core_extensions/sitemap.rb b/lib/middleman/core_extensions/sitemap.rb
index 6dbfd6f2..5f0fd832 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/core_extensions/sitemap.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/core_extensions/sitemap.rb
@@ -3,35 +3,37 @@ require 'find'
 module Middleman::CoreExtensions::Sitemap
   class << self
     def registered(app)
-      app.set :sitemap, SitemapStore.new(app)
+      sm = SitemapStore.new
+      
+      app.set :sitemap, sm
+      
+      app.initialized do |scope|
+        sm.setup(scope)
+      end
+      
+      app.file_changed do |file|
+        sm.touch_file(file)
+      end
+      
+      app.file_deleted do |file|
+        sm.remove_file(file)
+      end
     end
     alias :included :registered
   end
   
   class SitemapStore
-    def initialize(app)
-      @app = app
+    def initialize
       @map = {}
       @ignored_paths = false
       @generic_paths = false
       @proxied_paths = false
-      
-      @app.on_file_change do |file|
-        touch_file(file)
-      end
-
-      @app.on_file_delete do |file|
-        remove_file(file)
-      end
-      
-      setup
-      # @app.after_configuration do
-      #   sitemap.setup
-      # end
     end
     
-    def setup
+    def setup(app)
+      @app = app
       @source = File.expand_path(@app.views, @app.root)
+      
       build_static_map
     end
     
diff --git a/lib/middleman/guard.rb b/lib/middleman/guard.rb
index 2138a5db..878beadc 100644
--- a/lib/middleman/guard.rb
+++ b/lib/middleman/guard.rb
@@ -74,12 +74,16 @@ module Guard
     end
     
     def server_start
-      @app = ::Middleman.server
-      
-      puts "== The Middleman is standing watch on port #{@options[:Port]}"
+      app = ::Middleman.server
+      app.set :environment, @options[:environment].to_sym
+
+      puts "== The Middleman is standing watch on port #{@options[:Port]||4567}"
+      @app = app.new!
+      app_rack = app.build_new(@app)
+
       @server_job = fork do
         opts = @options.dup
-        opts[:app] = @app
+        opts[:app] = app_rack
         ::Middleman.start_server(opts)
       end
     end
diff --git a/middleman-x86-mingw32.gemspec b/middleman-x86-mingw32.gemspec
index af442b24..dc674df7 100644
--- a/middleman-x86-mingw32.gemspec
+++ b/middleman-x86-mingw32.gemspec
@@ -37,13 +37,13 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.add_dependency("sprockets-sass", ["~> 0.3.0"])
   s.add_dependency("padrino-core", ["~> 0.10.5"])
   s.add_dependency("padrino-helpers", ["~> 0.10.5"])
+  s.add_dependency("hooks")
   
   s.add_dependency("eventmachine", ["1.0.0.beta.4.1"])
   s.add_dependency("win32-process", ["~> 0.6.5"])
   s.add_dependency("rb-fchange")
   
   s.add_dependency("guard", ["~> 0.8.8"])
-  # s.add_dependency("middleman-livereload", ["~> 0.2.0"])
   
   # Development and test
   # s.add_development_dependency("jquery-rails")
diff --git a/middleman.gemspec b/middleman.gemspec
index ce49a3af..a6e7d0a2 100644
--- a/middleman.gemspec
+++ b/middleman.gemspec
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.add_dependency("tilt", ["~> 1.3.1"])
   s.add_dependency("maruku", ["~> 0.6.0"])
   s.add_dependency("sinatra", ["~> 1.3.1"])
-  # s.add_dependency("sinatra-synchrony", ["~> 0.2.1"])
   s.add_dependency("rack-test", ["~> 0.6.1"])
   s.add_dependency("uglifier", ["~> 1.0.0"])
   s.add_dependency("slim", ["~> 1.0.2"])
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.add_dependency("sprockets-sass", ["~> 0.3.0"])
   s.add_dependency("padrino-core", ["~> 0.10.5"])
   s.add_dependency("padrino-helpers", ["~> 0.10.5"])
+  s.add_dependency("hooks")
   
   s.add_dependency("guard", ["~> 0.8.8"])
   s.add_dependency("eventmachine", ["1.0.0.beta.4"])