diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
index dda5e265..c3ea9b89 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/application.rb
@@ -142,9 +142,6 @@ module Middleman
     # Handle exceptions
     include Middleman::CoreExtensions::ShowExceptions
 
-    # Add Watcher Callbacks
-    include Middleman::CoreExtensions::FileWatcher
-
     # Activate Data package
     include Middleman::CoreExtensions::Data
 
@@ -191,6 +188,7 @@ module Middleman
       # Parse YAML from templates. Must be before sitemap so sitemap
       # extensions see updated frontmatter!
       activate :front_matter
+      activate :file_watcher
 
       # Initialize the Sitemap
       @sitemap = ::Middleman::Sitemap::Store.new(self)
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions.rb
index 179b83bb..237893eb 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # File Change Notifier
-require 'middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher'
+Middleman::Extensions.register :file_watcher do
+  require 'middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher'
+  Middleman::CoreExtensions::FileWatcher
+end
 
 # Data looks at the data/ folder for YAML files and makes them available
 # to dynamic requests.
diff --git a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
index 03b25241..8de7805c 100644
--- a/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
+++ b/middleman-core/lib/middleman-core/core_extensions/file_watcher.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-# API for watching file change events
+require 'pathname'
+require 'set'
+
 module Middleman
   module CoreExtensions
-    module FileWatcher
+    # API for watching file change events
+    class FileWatcher < Extension
+      # Regexes in this list will filter out filenames of files that shouldn't cause file change notifications.
       IGNORE_LIST = [
         /^bin(\/|$)/,
         /^\.bundle(\/|$)/,
@@ -20,39 +24,30 @@ module Middleman
         /^tmp\//
       ]
 
-      # Setup extension
-      class << self
-        # Once registered
-        def included(app)
-          require 'pathname'
-          require 'set'
+      def initialize(app, options_hash={}, &block)
+        super
 
-          app.send :include, InstanceMethods
+        app.config.define_setting :file_watcher_ignore, IGNORE_LIST, 'Regexes for paths that should be ignored when they change.'
 
-          app.config.define_setting :file_watcher_ignore, IGNORE_LIST, 'Regexes for paths that should be ignored when they change.'
-
-          # Before parsing config, load the data/ directory
-          app.before_configuration do
-            files.reload_path(config[:data_dir])
-          end
-
-          app.after_configuration do
-            config[:file_watcher_ignore] << %r{^#{config[:build_dir]}(\/|$)}
-          end
-
-          # After config, load everything else
-          app.ready do
-            files.reload_path('.')
-          end
-        end
+        # Directly include the #files method instead of using helpers so that this is available immediately
+        app.send :include, InstanceMethods
+      end
+
+      # Before parsing config, load the data/ directory
+      def before_configuration
+        app.files.reload_path(app.config[:data_dir])
+      end
+
+      def after_configuration
+        app.config[:file_watcher_ignore] << %r{^#{app.config[:build_dir]}(\/|$)}
+        app.files.reload_path('.')
       end
 
-      # Instance methods
       module InstanceMethods
         # Access the file api
         # @return [Middleman::CoreExtensions::FileWatcher::API]
         def files
-          @_files_api ||= API.new(self)
+          @files_api ||= API.new(self)
         end
       end