diff --git a/main/CommandSupport.scala b/main/CommandSupport.scala
index b5bc3a0e5..ee362ac13 100644
--- a/main/CommandSupport.scala
+++ b/main/CommandSupport.scala
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ object CommandSupport
 	def processLine(s: String) = { val trimmed = s.trim; if(ignoreLine(trimmed)) None else Some(trimmed) }
 	def ignoreLine(s: String) = s.isEmpty || s.startsWith("#")
 
+	/** The prefix used to identify a request to execute the remaining input on source changes.*/
+	val ContinuousExecutePrefix = "~"
 	val HelpCommand = "help"
 	val ProjectCommand = "project"
 	val ProjectsCommand = "projects"
@@ -36,6 +38,9 @@ object CommandSupport
 	/** The list of command names that may be used to terminate the program.*/
 	val TerminateActions: Seq[String] = Seq(Exit, Quit)
 
+
+	def continuousBriefHelp = (ContinuousExecutePrefix + " <action>", "Executes the specified command whenever source files change.")
+
 	def helpBrief = (HelpCommand + " command*", "Displays this help message or prints detailed help on requested commands.")
 	def helpDetailed = "If an argument is provided, this prints detailed help for that command.\nOtherwise, this prints a help summary."
 
diff --git a/main/Main.scala b/main/Main.scala
index 6aee461e5..5252551d1 100644
--- a/main/Main.scala
+++ b/main/Main.scala
@@ -144,6 +144,12 @@ object Commands
 		}
 	}
 
+	def continuous = Command { case s @ State(p: Project with Watched) =>
+		Apply( Help(continuousBriefHelp) ) {
+			case in if in.line startsWith ContinuousExecutePrefix => Watched.executeContinuously(p, s, in)
+		}
+	}
+
 	def history = Command { case s @ State(p: HistoryEnabled) =>
 		Apply( historyHelp: _* ) {
 			case in if in.line startsWith("!") => 
diff --git a/main/Watched.scala b/main/Watched.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de871341a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/Watched.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/* sbt -- Simple Build Tool
+ * Copyright 2009, 2010  Mikko Peltonen, Stuart Roebuck, Mark Harrah
+ */
+package sbt
+
+	import CommandSupport.FailureWall
+
+trait Watched
+{
+	/** A `PathFinder` that determines the files watched when an action is run with a preceeding ~ when this is the current
+	* project.  This project does not need to include the watched paths for projects that this project depends on.*/
+	def watchPaths: PathFinder = Path.emptyPathFinder
+	def terminateWatch(key: Int): Boolean = Watched.isEnter(key)
+}
+
+object Watched
+{
+	val ContinuousCompilePollDelaySeconds = 1
+	def isEnter(key: Int): Boolean = key == 10 || key == 13
+
+	def watched(p: Project, s: State): Seq[Watched] = MultiProject.topologicalSort(p, s).collect { case w: Watched => w }
+	def sourcePaths(p: Project, s: State): PathFinder = (Path.emptyPathFinder /: watched(p, s))(_ +++ _.watchPaths)
+	def executeContinuously(project: Project with Watched, s: State, in: Input): State =
+	{
+		def shouldTerminate: Boolean = (System.in.available > 0) && (project.terminateWatch(System.in.read()) || shouldTerminate)
+		val sourcesFinder = sourcePaths(project, s)
+		val watchState = s get ContinuousState getOrElse WatchState.empty
+
+		if(watchState.count > 0)
+			System.out.println(watchState.count + ". Waiting for source changes... (press enter to interrupt)")
+
+		val (triggered, newWatchState) = SourceModificationWatch.watch(sourcesFinder, ContinuousCompilePollDelaySeconds, watchState)(shouldTerminate)
+
+		if(triggered)
+			(in.arguments :: FailureWall :: in.line :: s).put(ContinuousState, newWatchState)
+		else
+		{
+			while (System.in.available() > 0) System.in.read()
+			s.put(ContinuousState, WatchState.empty)
+		}
+	}
+	val ContinuousState = AttributeKey[WatchState]("watch state")
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/util/io/SourceModificationWatch.scala b/util/io/SourceModificationWatch.scala
index 20dd4d0a3..7c9e183ee 100644
--- a/util/io/SourceModificationWatch.scala
+++ b/util/io/SourceModificationWatch.scala
@@ -3,35 +3,45 @@
  */
 package sbt
 
+	import annotation.tailrec
+
 object SourceModificationWatch
 {
-	def watchUntil(sourcesFinder: PathFinder, pollDelaySec: Int)(terminationCondition: => Boolean)(onSourcesModified: => Unit)
+	@tailrec def watch(sourcesFinder: PathFinder, pollDelaySec: Int, state: WatchState)(terminationCondition: => Boolean): (Boolean, WatchState) =
 	{
+			import state._
+
 		def sourceFiles: Iterable[java.io.File] = sourcesFinder.getFiles
-		def loop(lastCallbackCallTime: Long, previousFileCount: Int, awaitingQuietPeriod:Boolean)
+		val (lastModifiedTime, fileCount) =
+			( (0L, 0) /: sourceFiles) {(acc, file) => (math.max(acc._1, file.lastModified), acc._2 + 1)}
+
+		val sourcesModified =
+			lastModifiedTime > lastCallbackCallTime ||
+			previousFileCount != fileCount
+
+		val (triggered, newCallbackCallTime) =
+			if (sourcesModified && !awaitingQuietPeriod)
+				(false, System.currentTimeMillis)
+			else if (!sourcesModified && awaitingQuietPeriod)
+				(true, lastCallbackCallTime)
+			else
+				(false, lastCallbackCallTime)
+
+		val newState = new WatchState(newCallbackCallTime, fileCount, sourcesModified, if(triggered) count + 1 else count)
+		if(triggered)
+			(true, newState)
+		else
 		{
-			val (lastModifiedTime, fileCount) =
-				( (0L, 0) /: sourceFiles) {(acc, file) => (math.max(acc._1, file.lastModified), acc._2 + 1)}
-
-			val sourcesModified =
-				lastModifiedTime > lastCallbackCallTime ||
-				previousFileCount != fileCount
-
-			val newCallbackCallTime =
-				if (sourcesModified && !awaitingQuietPeriod)
-					System.currentTimeMillis
-				else if (!sourcesModified && awaitingQuietPeriod)
-				{
-					onSourcesModified
-					lastCallbackCallTime
-				}
-				else
-					lastCallbackCallTime
-
 			Thread.sleep(pollDelaySec * 1000)
-			if(!terminationCondition)
-				loop(newCallbackCallTime, fileCount, sourcesModified)
+			if(terminationCondition)
+				(false, newState)
+			else
+				watch(sourcesFinder, pollDelaySec, newState)(terminationCondition)
 		}
-		loop(0L, 0, false)
 	}
+}
+final class WatchState(val lastCallbackCallTime: Long, val previousFileCount: Int, val awaitingQuietPeriod:Boolean, val count: Int)
+object WatchState
+{
+	def empty = new WatchState(0L, 0, false, 0)
 }
\ No newline at end of file