diff --git a/src/bin/watch.ts b/src/bin/watch.ts
index 66af43c..56d87d6 100644
--- a/src/bin/watch.ts
+++ b/src/bin/watch.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,18 @@
 import { Task } from '../definitions';
-import { series, raises, print, log, combine, watch, context } from '../tasks';
+import { run } from '../utils';
+import {
+  series,
+  raises,
+  print,
+  log,
+  combine,
+  watch,
+  context,
+  clear
+} from '../tasks';
 import { stripIndent as indent } from 'common-tags';
 import { flags, safePairs, splitBy } from 'cli-belt';
+import { into } from 'pipettes';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
 import arg from 'arg';
 
@@ -26,7 +37,9 @@ export default async function bin(
 
     Options:
       -p, --path <value>      Paths to watch
+      -e, --exclude <value>   File or path to exclude
       -g, --glob              Parse globs in paths
+      -c, --clear             Clear stdout before tasks execution
       -i, --initial           Run tasks on start, before changes
       -s, --symlinks          Follow symlinks
       --parallel              Don't cancel running tasks
@@ -42,7 +55,9 @@ export default async function bin(
 
   const types = {
     '--path': [String] as [StringConstructor],
+    '--exclude': String,
     '--glob': Boolean,
+    '--clear': Boolean,
     '--initial': Boolean,
     '--parallel': Boolean,
     '--symlinks': Boolean,
@@ -65,29 +80,57 @@ export default async function bin(
 
   const [names, args] = splitBy(cmd._, '--');
   return names.length
-    ? series(
-        log('debug', 'Working directory:', process.cwd()),
-        log(
-          'info',
-          chalk.bold(opts.bin),
-          chalk.bold.blue(':watch'),
-          names.join(' ')
-        ),
-        print(),
-        watch(
-          cmd['--path'] || './',
-          {
-            glob: cmd['--glob'],
-            initial: cmd['--initial'],
-            parallel: cmd['--parallel'],
-            debounce: cmd['--debounce'],
-            depth: cmd['--depth'],
-            poll: cmd['--poll'],
-            symlinks: cmd['--symlinks']
-          },
-          context({ args }, combine(params.record, names))
-        )
-      )
+    ? async (ctx) => {
+        let first = true;
+        return into(
+          series(
+            log('debug', 'Working directory:', process.cwd()),
+            log(
+              'info',
+              chalk.bold(opts.bin),
+              chalk.bold.blue(':watch'),
+              names.join(' ')
+            ),
+            print(),
+            watch(
+              cmd['--path'] || './',
+              {
+                glob: cmd['--glob'],
+                initial: cmd['--initial'],
+                exclude: cmd['--exclude'] || 'node_modules',
+                parallel: cmd['--parallel'],
+                debounce: cmd['--debounce'],
+                depth: cmd['--depth'],
+                poll: cmd['--poll'],
+                symlinks: cmd['--symlinks']
+              },
+              async (ctx) => {
+                return first
+                  ? into(combine(params.record, names), (task) => {
+                      first = false;
+                      return run(task, ctx);
+                    })
+                  : into(
+                      series(
+                        cmd['--clear'] ? clear() : null,
+                        log(
+                          'info',
+                          chalk.bold(opts.bin),
+                          chalk.bold.blue(':watch'),
+                          names.join(' ')
+                        ),
+                        print(),
+                        combine(params.record, names)
+                      ),
+                      (task) => run(task, ctx)
+                    );
+              }
+            )
+          ),
+          context.bind(null, { args }),
+          (task) => run(task, ctx)
+        );
+      }
     : series(
         print(help + '\n'),
         raises(Error(`A command or task is required`))
diff --git a/src/tasks/filesystem/watch.ts b/src/tasks/filesystem/watch.ts
index 185d62a..e44626d 100644
--- a/src/tasks/filesystem/watch.ts
+++ b/src/tasks/filesystem/watch.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export interface WatchOptions {
   glob?: boolean;
   /** Runs the task on start instead of waiting for changes */
   initial?: boolean;
+  /** Files and paths to exclude */
+  exclude?: string | RegExp;
   /** Doesn't cancel tasks in execution when a new task runs */
   parallel?: boolean;
   /** Avoids rapid task restarts by debouncing by a set number of ms */
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ export function watch(
       {
         glob: false,
         initial: false,
+        exclude: undefined,
         parallel: false,
         debounce: -1,
         depth: -1,
@@ -51,6 +54,7 @@ export function watch(
 
     const watcher = chokidar.watch(paths, {
       persistent: true,
+      ignored: opts.exclude,
       ignorePermissionErrors: false,
       ignoreInitial: true,
       cwd: ctx.cwd,