diff --git a/lib/utils/create_app.js b/lib/utils/create_app.js
index 024028c..a5c2bcc 100644
--- a/lib/utils/create_app.js
+++ b/lib/utils/create_app.js
@@ -23,4 +23,8 @@ module.exports = function create_app(src, dest, routes, options) {
 	const main = template.replace('__routes__', code);
 
 	fs.writeFileSync(main_built, main);
+
+	// need to fudge the mtime, because webpack is soft in the head
+	const stats = fs.statSync(main_built);
+	fs.utimesSync(main_built, stats.atimeMs - 9999, stats.mtimeMs - 9999);
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/utils/create_compiler.js b/lib/utils/create_compiler.js
index a748355..fef8f4d 100644
--- a/lib/utils/create_compiler.js
+++ b/lib/utils/create_compiler.js
@@ -2,72 +2,52 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const glob = require('glob');
 const webpack = require('webpack');
+const { dev } = require('../config.js');
 const templates = require('../templates.js');
 
 module.exports = function create_webpack_compiler(dest, routes, dev) {
 	const compiler = {};
 
-	const client = webpack(
-		require(path.resolve('webpack.client.config.js'))
-	);
+	function go() {
+		const client = webpack(
+			require(path.resolve('webpack.client.config.js'))
+		);
 
-	const server = webpack(
-		require(path.resolve('webpack.server.config.js'))
-	);
+		const server = webpack(
+			require(path.resolve('webpack.server.config.js'))
+		);
 
-	if (false) { // TODO watch in dev
-		// TODO how can we invalidate compiler.client_main when watcher restarts?
-		compiler.client_main = new Promise((fulfil, reject) => {
-			client.watch({}, (err, stats) => {
-				if (err || stats.hasErrors()) {
-					// TODO handle errors
-				}
+		function client_updated(err, stats, reject) {
+			console.log(stats.toString({ colors: true }));
 
-				const filename = stats.toJson().assetsByChunkName.main;
-				fulfil(`/client/${filename}`);
+			const info = stats.toJson();
+
+			if (err || stats.hasErrors()) {
+				reject(err || info.errors[0]);
+			}
+
+			compiler.client_main = `/client/${info.assetsByChunkName.main}`;
+			compiler.assets = info.assets.map(asset => `/client/${asset.name}`);
+
+			compiler.asset_cache = {};
+			compiler.assets.forEach(file => {
+				compiler.asset_cache[file] = fs.readFileSync(path.join(dest, file), 'utf-8');
 			});
-		});
+		}
 
-		// TODO server
-	} else {
-		compiler.ready = Promise.all([
-			new Promise((fulfil, reject) => {
-				client.run((err, stats) => {
-					console.log(stats.toString({ colors: true }));
+		function server_updated(err, stats, reject) {
+			console.log(stats.toString({ colors: true }));
 
-					const info = stats.toJson();
+			const info = stats.toJson();
 
-					if (err || stats.hasErrors()) {
-						reject(err || info.errors[0]);
-					}
+			if (err || stats.hasErrors()) {
+				reject(err || info.errors[0]);
+			}
 
-					compiler.client_main = `/client/${info.assetsByChunkName.main}`;
-					compiler.assets = info.assets.map(asset => `/client/${asset.name}`);
+			compiler.chunks = info.assetsByChunkName;
+		}
 
-					compiler.asset_cache = {};
-					compiler.assets.forEach(file => {
-						compiler.asset_cache[file] = fs.readFileSync(path.join(dest, file), 'utf-8');
-					});
-
-					fulfil();
-				});
-			}),
-
-			new Promise((fulfil, reject) => {
-				server.run((err, stats) => {
-					console.log(stats.toString({ colors: true }));
-
-					const info = stats.toJson();
-
-					if (err || stats.hasErrors()) {
-						reject(err || info.errors[0]);
-					}
-
-					compiler.chunks = info.assetsByChunkName;
-					fulfil();
-				});
-			})
-		]).then(() => {
+		function both_updated() {
 			const assets = glob.sync('**', { cwd: 'assets', nodir: true });
 
 			const route_code = `[${
@@ -93,12 +73,65 @@ module.exports = function create_webpack_compiler(dest, routes, dev) {
 			// useful for debugging, but the files are served from memory
 			fs.writeFileSync(path.resolve(dest, 'service-worker.js'), compiler.service_worker);
 			fs.writeFileSync(path.resolve(dest, 'index.html'), compiler.shell);
-		});
+		}
 
-		compiler.get_chunk = async id => {
-			return path.resolve(dest, 'server', compiler.chunks[id]);
-		};
+		if (dev) {
+			let client_is_ready = false;
+			let server_is_ready = false;
+
+			let fulfil;
+			let reject;
+
+			const invalidate = () => new Promise((f, r) => {
+				fulfil = f;
+				reject = r;
+			});
+
+			compiler.ready = invalidate();
+
+			client.plugin('invalid', () => {
+				client_is_ready = false;
+				compiler.ready = invalidate();
+			});
+
+			server.plugin('invalid', () => {
+				server_is_ready = false;
+				compiler.ready = invalidate();
+			});
+
+			client.watch({}, (err, stats) => {
+				client_updated(err, stats, reject);
+				client_is_ready = true;
+				if (server_is_ready) fulfil();
+			});
+
+			server.watch({}, (err, stats) => {
+				server_updated(err, stats, reject);
+				server_is_ready = true;
+				if (client_is_ready) fulfil();
+			});
+		} else {
+			compiler.ready = Promise.all([
+				new Promise((fulfil, reject) => {
+					client.run((err, stats) => {
+						client_updated(err, stats, reject);
+						fulfil();
+					});
+				}),
+
+				new Promise((fulfil, reject) => {
+					server.run((err, stats) => {
+						server_updated(err, stats, reject);
+						fulfil();
+					});
+				})
+			]).then(both_updated);
+		}
 	}
 
+	// TODO rerun go when routes are added/renamed
+	// (or webpack config/templates change?)
+	go();
+
 	return compiler;
 };
\ No newline at end of file