diff --git a/browser/src/App.ts b/browser/src/App.ts
index 9d850ae979..336e137b8b 100644
--- a/browser/src/App.ts
+++ b/browser/src/App.ts
@@ -262,7 +262,13 @@ export const start = async (args: string[]): Promise<void> => {
     Sidebar.activate(configuration, workspace)
     const sidebarManager = Sidebar.getInstance()
 
-    Explorer.activate(commandManager, editorManager, Sidebar.getInstance(), workspace)
+    Explorer.activate(
+        commandManager,
+        configuration,
+        editorManager,
+        Sidebar.getInstance(),
+        workspace,
+    )
     Search.activate(commandManager, editorManager, Sidebar.getInstance(), workspace)
     Learning.activate(
         commandManager,
diff --git a/browser/src/Input/KeyBindings.ts b/browser/src/Input/KeyBindings.ts
index accdc455b9..fc8126621f 100644
--- a/browser/src/Input/KeyBindings.ts
+++ b/browser/src/Input/KeyBindings.ts
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ export const applyDefaultKeyBindings = (oni: Oni.Plugin.Api, config: Configurati
     input.bind("r", "explorer.rename", isExplorerActive)
     input.bind("<c-e>", "explorer.create.file", isExplorerActive)
     input.bind("<c-f>", "explorer.create.folder", isExplorerActive)
+    input.bind("<c-r>", "explorer.refresh", isExplorerActive)
 
     // Browser
     input.bind("k", "browser.scrollUp")
diff --git a/browser/src/Services/Explorer/ExplorerSplit.tsx b/browser/src/Services/Explorer/ExplorerSplit.tsx
index b42a7e170f..126e11f088 100644
--- a/browser/src/Services/Explorer/ExplorerSplit.tsx
+++ b/browser/src/Services/Explorer/ExplorerSplit.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { FileSystemWatcher } from "./../../Services/FileSystemWatcher"
 import { Event } from "oni-types"
 
 import { CallbackCommand, CommandManager } from "./../../Services/CommandManager"
+import { Configuration } from "./../../Services/Configuration"
 import { EditorManager } from "./../../Services/EditorManager"
 import { getInstance as NotificationsInstance } from "./../../Services/Notifications"
 import { windowManager } from "./../../Services/WindowManager"
@@ -27,8 +28,8 @@ type Node = ExplorerSelectors.ExplorerNode
 export class ExplorerSplit {
     private _onEnterEvent: Event<void> = new Event<void>()
     private _selectedId: string = null
-
     private _store: Store<IExplorerState>
+    private _watcher: FileSystemWatcher = null
 
     public get id(): string {
         return "oni.sidebar.explorer"
@@ -39,17 +40,14 @@ export class ExplorerSplit {
     }
 
     constructor(
-        // private _configuration: Configuration,
+        private _configuration: Configuration,
         private _workspace: IWorkspace,
         private _commandManager: CommandManager,
         private _editorManager: EditorManager,
     ) {
         this._store = createStore({ notifications: NotificationsInstance() })
 
-        const Watcher = new FileSystemWatcher({
-            target: this._workspace.activeWorkspace,
-            options: { ignoreInitial: true, ignored: "**/node_modules" },
-        })
+        this._initializeFileSystemWatcher()
 
         this._workspace.onDirectoryChanged.subscribe(newDirectory => {
             this._store.dispatch({
@@ -57,8 +55,10 @@ export class ExplorerSplit {
                 rootPath: newDirectory,
             })
 
-            Watcher.unwatch(this._workspace.activeWorkspace)
-            Watcher.watch(newDirectory)
+            if (this._watcher) {
+                this._watcher.unwatch(this._workspace.activeWorkspace)
+                this._watcher.watch(newDirectory)
+            }
         })
 
         if (this._workspace.activeWorkspace) {
@@ -67,11 +67,6 @@ export class ExplorerSplit {
                 rootPath: this._workspace.activeWorkspace,
             })
         }
-
-        const events = ["onChange", "onAdd", "onAddDir", "onMove", "onDelete", "onDeleteDir"]
-        events.forEach(event =>
-            Watcher[event].subscribe(() => this._store.dispatch({ type: "REFRESH" })),
-        )
     }
 
     public enter(): void {
@@ -104,11 +99,27 @@ export class ExplorerSplit {
         )
     }
 
+    private _initializeFileSystemWatcher(): void {
+        if (this._configuration.getValue("explorer.autoRefresh")) {
+            this._watcher = new FileSystemWatcher({
+                target: this._workspace.activeWorkspace,
+                options: { ignoreInitial: true, ignored: "**/node_modules" },
+            })
+
+            const events = ["onChange", "onAdd", "onAddDir", "onMove", "onDelete", "onDeleteDir"]
+            events.forEach(event => this._watcher[event].subscribe(() => this._refresh()))
+        }
+    }
+
     private _inputInProgress = () => {
         const { register: { rename, create } } = this._store.getState()
         return rename.active || create.active
     }
 
+    private _refresh(): void {
+        this._store.dispatch({ type: "REFRESH" })
+    }
+
     private _initialiseExplorerCommands(): void {
         this._commandManager.registerCommand(
             new CallbackCommand(
@@ -153,6 +164,15 @@ export class ExplorerSplit {
             ),
         )
 
+        this._commandManager.registerCommand(
+            new CallbackCommand(
+                "explorer.refresh",
+                "Explorer: Refresh the tree",
+                "Updates the explorer with the latest state on the file system",
+                () => !this._inputInProgress() && this._refresh(),
+            ),
+        )
+
         this._commandManager.registerCommand(
             new CallbackCommand(
                 "explorer.create.file",
diff --git a/browser/src/Services/Explorer/index.tsx b/browser/src/Services/Explorer/index.tsx
index 022aefe55e..5add265a9e 100644
--- a/browser/src/Services/Explorer/index.tsx
+++ b/browser/src/Services/Explorer/index.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 
 import { CommandManager } from "./../CommandManager"
+import { Configuration } from "./../Configuration"
 import { EditorManager } from "./../EditorManager"
 import { SidebarManager } from "./../Sidebar"
 import { Workspace } from "./../Workspace"
@@ -13,9 +14,20 @@ import { ExplorerSplit } from "./ExplorerSplit"
 
 export const activate = (
     commandManager: CommandManager,
+    configuration: Configuration,
     editorManager: EditorManager,
     sidebarManager: SidebarManager,
     workspace: Workspace,
 ) => {
-    sidebarManager.add("files-o", new ExplorerSplit(workspace, commandManager, editorManager))
+    configuration.registerSetting("explorer.autoRefresh", {
+        description:
+            "When set to true, the explorer will listen for changes on the file system and refresh automatically.",
+        requiresReload: true,
+        defaultValue: false,
+    })
+
+    sidebarManager.add(
+        "files-o",
+        new ExplorerSplit(configuration, workspace, commandManager, editorManager),
+    )
 }