diff --git a/filenotify/filenotify.go b/filenotify/filenotify.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e042c6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filenotify/filenotify.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+// Package filenotify provides a mechanism for watching file(s) for changes.
+// Generally leans on fsnotify, but provides a poll-based notifier which fsnotify does not support.
+// These are wrapped up in a common interface so that either can be used interchangably in your code.
+package filenotify
+
+import "gopkg.in/fsnotify.v1"
+
+// FileWatcher is an interface for implementing file notification watchers
+type FileWatcher interface {
+	Events() <-chan fsnotify.Event
+	Errors() <-chan error
+	Add(name string) error
+	Remove(name string) error
+	Close() error
+}
+
+// New tries to use an fs-event watcher, and falls back to the poller if there is an error
+func New() (FileWatcher, error) {
+	if watcher, err := NewEventWatcher(); err == nil {
+		return watcher, nil
+	}
+	return NewPollingWatcher(), nil
+}
+
+// NewPollingWatcher returns a poll-based file watcher
+func NewPollingWatcher() FileWatcher {
+	return &filePoller{
+		events: make(chan fsnotify.Event),
+		errors: make(chan error),
+	}
+}
+
+// NewEventWatcher returns an fs-event based file watcher
+func NewEventWatcher() (FileWatcher, error) {
+	watcher, err := fsnotify.NewWatcher()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &fsNotifyWatcher{watcher}, nil
+}
diff --git a/filenotify/fsnotify.go b/filenotify/fsnotify.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4203883
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filenotify/fsnotify.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package filenotify
+
+import "gopkg.in/fsnotify.v1"
+
+// fsNotify wraps the fsnotify package to satisfy the FileNotifer interface
+type fsNotifyWatcher struct {
+	*fsnotify.Watcher
+}
+
+// GetEvents returns the fsnotify event channel receiver
+func (w *fsNotifyWatcher) Events() <-chan fsnotify.Event {
+	return w.Watcher.Events
+}
+
+// GetErrors returns the fsnotify error channel receiver
+func (w *fsNotifyWatcher) Errors() <-chan error {
+	return w.Watcher.Errors
+}
diff --git a/filenotify/poller.go b/filenotify/poller.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a55266d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filenotify/poller.go
@@ -0,0 +1,205 @@
+package filenotify
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
+
+	"gopkg.in/fsnotify.v1"
+)
+
+var (
+	// errPollerClosed is returned when the poller is closed
+	errPollerClosed = errors.New("poller is closed")
+	// errNoSuchPoller is returned when trying to remove a watch that doesn't exist
+	errNoSuchWatch = errors.New("poller does not exist")
+)
+
+// watchWaitTime is the time to wait between file poll loops
+const watchWaitTime = 200 * time.Millisecond
+
+// filePoller is used to poll files for changes, especially in cases where fsnotify
+// can't be run (e.g. when inotify handles are exhausted)
+// filePoller satifies the FileWatcher interface
+type filePoller struct {
+	// watches is the list of files currently being polled, close the associated channel to stop the watch
+	watches map[string]chan struct{}
+	// events is the channel to listen to for watch events
+	events chan fsnotify.Event
+	// errors is the channel to listen to for watch errors
+	errors chan error
+	// mu locks the poller for modification
+	mu sync.Mutex
+	// closed is used to specify when the poller has already closed
+	closed bool
+}
+
+// Add adds a filename to the list of watches
+// once added the file is polled for changes in a separate goroutine
+func (w *filePoller) Add(name string) error {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if w.closed == true {
+		return errPollerClosed
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.Open(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Stat(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if w.watches == nil {
+		w.watches = make(map[string]chan struct{})
+	}
+	if _, exists := w.watches[name]; exists {
+		return fmt.Errorf("watch exists")
+	}
+	chClose := make(chan struct{})
+	w.watches[name] = chClose
+
+	go w.watch(f, fi, chClose)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Remove stops and removes watch with the specified name
+func (w *filePoller) Remove(name string) error {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+	return w.remove(name)
+}
+
+func (w *filePoller) remove(name string) error {
+	if w.closed == true {
+		return errPollerClosed
+	}
+
+	chClose, exists := w.watches[name]
+	if !exists {
+		return errNoSuchWatch
+	}
+	close(chClose)
+	delete(w.watches, name)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Events returns the event channel
+// This is used for notifications on events about watched files
+func (w *filePoller) Events() <-chan fsnotify.Event {
+	return w.events
+}
+
+// Errors returns the errors channel
+// This is used for notifications about errors on watched files
+func (w *filePoller) Errors() <-chan error {
+	return w.errors
+}
+
+// Close closes the poller
+// All watches are stopped, removed, and the poller cannot be added to
+func (w *filePoller) Close() error {
+	w.mu.Lock()
+	defer w.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if w.closed {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	w.closed = true
+	for name := range w.watches {
+		w.remove(name)
+		delete(w.watches, name)
+	}
+	close(w.events)
+	close(w.errors)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// sendEvent publishes the specified event to the events channel
+func (w *filePoller) sendEvent(e fsnotify.Event, chClose <-chan struct{}) error {
+	select {
+	case w.events <- e:
+	case <-chClose:
+		return fmt.Errorf("closed")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// sendErr publishes the specified error to the errors channel
+func (w *filePoller) sendErr(e error, chClose <-chan struct{}) error {
+	select {
+	case w.errors <- e:
+	case <-chClose:
+		return fmt.Errorf("closed")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// watch is responsible for polling the specified file for changes
+// upon finding changes to a file or errors, sendEvent/sendErr is called
+func (w *filePoller) watch(f *os.File, lastFi os.FileInfo, chClose chan struct{}) {
+	for {
+		time.Sleep(watchWaitTime)
+		select {
+		case <-chClose:
+			logrus.Debugf("watch for %s closed", f.Name())
+			return
+		default:
+		}
+
+		fi, err := os.Stat(f.Name())
+		if err != nil {
+			// if we got an error here and lastFi is not set, we can presume that nothing has changed
+			// This should be safe since before `watch()` is called, a stat is performed, there is any error `watch` is not called
+			if lastFi == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			// If it doesn't exist at this point, it must have been removed
+			// no need to send the error here since this is a valid operation
+			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+				if err := w.sendEvent(fsnotify.Event{Op: fsnotify.Remove, Name: f.Name()}, chClose); err != nil {
+					return
+				}
+				lastFi = nil
+				continue
+			}
+			// at this point, send the error
+			if err := w.sendErr(err, chClose); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if lastFi == nil {
+			if err := w.sendEvent(fsnotify.Event{Op: fsnotify.Create, Name: fi.Name()}, chClose); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			lastFi = fi
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if fi.Mode() != lastFi.Mode() {
+			if err := w.sendEvent(fsnotify.Event{Op: fsnotify.Chmod, Name: fi.Name()}, chClose); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			lastFi = fi
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if fi.ModTime() != lastFi.ModTime() || fi.Size() != lastFi.Size() {
+			if err := w.sendEvent(fsnotify.Event{Op: fsnotify.Write, Name: fi.Name()}, chClose); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+			lastFi = fi
+			continue
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/filenotify/poller_test.go b/filenotify/poller_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da946d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filenotify/poller_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+package filenotify
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"gopkg.in/fsnotify.v1"
+)
+
+func TestPollerAddRemove(t *testing.T) {
+	w := NewPollingWatcher()
+
+	if err := w.Add("no-such-file"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have gotten error when adding a non-existant file")
+	}
+	if err := w.Remove("no-such-file"); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have gotten error when removing non-existant watch")
+	}
+
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "asdf")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(f.Name())
+
+	if err := w.Add(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := w.Remove(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPollerEvent(t *testing.T) {
+	w := NewPollingWatcher()
+
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "test-poller")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("error creating temp file")
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(f.Name())
+	f.Close()
+
+	if err := w.Add(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case <-w.Events():
+		t.Fatal("got event before anything happened")
+	case <-w.Errors():
+		t.Fatal("got error before anything happened")
+	default:
+	}
+
+	if err := ioutil.WriteFile(f.Name(), []byte("hello"), 644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := assertEvent(w, fsnotify.Write); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.Chmod(f.Name(), 600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := assertEvent(w, fsnotify.Chmod); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.Remove(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := assertEvent(w, fsnotify.Remove); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPollerClose(t *testing.T) {
+	w := NewPollingWatcher()
+	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// test double-close
+	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case _, open := <-w.Events():
+		if open {
+			t.Fatal("event chan should be closed")
+		}
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("event chan should be closed")
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case _, open := <-w.Errors():
+		if open {
+			t.Fatal("errors chan should be closed")
+		}
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("errors chan should be closed")
+	}
+
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "asdf")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(f.Name())
+	if err := w.Add(f.Name()); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should have gotten error adding watch for closed watcher")
+	}
+}
+
+func assertEvent(w FileWatcher, eType fsnotify.Op) error {
+	var err error
+	select {
+	case e := <-w.Events():
+		if e.Op != eType {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("got wrong event type, expected %q: %v", eType, e)
+		}
+	case e := <-w.Errors():
+		err = fmt.Errorf("got unexpected error waiting for events %v: %v", eType, e)
+	case <-time.After(watchWaitTime * 3):
+		err = fmt.Errorf("timeout waiting for event %v", eType)
+	}
+	return err
+}