diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/cli/server.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/cli/server.rb
index e69c9970..931b69de 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/cli/server.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/cli/server.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ module Middleman::Cli
       :type    => :boolean,
       :default => false,
       :desc    => 'Force file watcher into polling mode'
+    method_option :latency,
+      :type    => :numeric,
+      :aliases => "-l",
+      :default => 0.25,
+      :desc    => 'Set file watcher latency, in seconds'
 
     # Start the server
     def server
@@ -66,7 +71,8 @@ module Middleman::Cli
         :instrumenting     => options["instrument"],
         :disable_watcher   => options["disable_watcher"],
         :reload_paths      => options["reload_paths"],
-        :force_polling     => options["force_polling"]
+        :force_polling     => options["force_polling"],
+        :latency           => options["latency"]
       }
 
       puts "== The Middleman is loading"
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/preview_server.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/preview_server.rb
index af6537ef..34c55cb6 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/preview_server.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/preview_server.rb
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ module Middleman
           # Watcher Library
           require "listen"
           @listener = Listen.to(Dir.pwd, :relative_paths => true, :force_polling => @options[:force_polling])
+          @listener.latency(@options[:latency])
         end
 
         @listener.change do |modified, added, removed|