diff --git a/src/core/build.js b/src/core/build.js
index aaf6999..89fdfe2 100644
--- a/src/core/build.js
+++ b/src/core/build.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import mkdirp from 'mkdirp';
 import rimraf from 'rimraf';
-import * as compilers from './utils/compilers.js';
+import get_compilers from './get_compilers.js';
 import create_app from './utils/create_app.js';
 import generate_asset_cache from './generate_asset_cache.js';
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export default function build({ dest, dev, entry, src }) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		const { client, server } = compilers.get_compilers(); // TODO refactor
+		const { client, server } = get_compilers();
 
 		client.run((err, client_stats) => {
 			handleErrors(err, client_stats);
diff --git a/src/core/utils/create_routes.js b/src/core/create_routes.js
similarity index 93%
rename from src/core/utils/create_routes.js
rename to src/core/create_routes.js
index bf8d351..3a32870 100644
--- a/src/core/utils/create_routes.js
+++ b/src/core/create_routes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as path from 'path';
+import glob from 'glob';
 
-export default function create_routes(files) {
+export default function create_routes({ src, files = glob.sync('**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', { cwd: src }) }) {
 	const routes = files
 		.map(file => {
 			if (/(^|\/|\\)_/.test(file)) return;
diff --git a/src/core/generate_asset_cache.js b/src/core/generate_asset_cache.js
index ce82339..4a6ce9d 100644
--- a/src/core/generate_asset_cache.js
+++ b/src/core/generate_asset_cache.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import glob from 'glob';
 import { create_templates, render } from './templates.js';
-import * as route_manager from './route_manager.js';
+import create_routes from './create_routes.js';
 
 function ensure_array(thing) {
 	return Array.isArray(thing) ? thing : [thing]; // omg webpack what the HELL are you doing
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ export default function generate_asset_cache({ src, dest, dev, client_info, serv
 	const service_worker = generate_service_worker({ chunk_files, src });
 	const index = generate_index(main_file);
 
+	const routes = create_routes({ src }); // TODO rename update
+
 	if (dev) {
 		fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dest, 'service-worker.js'), service_worker);
 		fs.writeFileSync(path.join(dest, 'index.html'), index);
@@ -34,7 +36,8 @@ export default function generate_asset_cache({ src, dest, dev, client_info, serv
 				return lookup;
 			}, {}),
 
-			routes: route_manager.routes.reduce((lookup, route) => {
+			// TODO confusing that `routes` refers to an array *and* a lookup
+			routes: routes.reduce((lookup, route) => {
 				lookup[route.id] = `/client/${ensure_array(client_info.assetsByChunkName[route.id])[0]}`;
 				return lookup;
 			}, {}),
@@ -54,10 +57,10 @@ export default function generate_asset_cache({ src, dest, dev, client_info, serv
 function generate_service_worker({ chunk_files, src }) {
 	const assets = glob.sync('**', { cwd: 'assets', nodir: true });
 
-	route_manager.update({ src }); // TODO refactor
+	const routes = create_routes({ src }); // TODO refactor
 
 	const route_code = `[${
-		route_manager.routes
+		routes
 			.filter(route => route.type === 'page')
 			.map(route => `{ pattern: ${route.pattern} }`)
 			.join(', ')
diff --git a/src/core/utils/compilers.js b/src/core/get_compilers.js
similarity index 87%
rename from src/core/utils/compilers.js
rename to src/core/get_compilers.js
index 9c10cab..c835229 100644
--- a/src/core/utils/compilers.js
+++ b/src/core/get_compilers.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as path from 'path';
 import relative from 'require-relative';
 
-export function get_compilers() {
+export default function get_compilers() {
 	const webpack = relative('webpack', process.cwd());
 
 	return {
diff --git a/src/core/index.js b/src/core/index.js
index ee0513c..b07a0b1 100644
--- a/src/core/index.js
+++ b/src/core/index.js
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-import * as route_manager from './route_manager.js';
 import * as templates from './templates.js';
-import * as compilers from './utils/compilers.js';
 
 export { default as build } from './build.js';
 export { default as export } from './export.js';
 export { default as generate_asset_cache } from './generate_asset_cache.js';
+export { default as get_compilers } from './get_compilers.js';
+export { default as create_routes } from './create_routes.js';
 export { default as create_app } from './utils/create_app.js';
-export { default as create_routes } from './utils/create_routes.js';
 
-export { compilers, route_manager, templates };
\ No newline at end of file
+export { templates };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/route_manager.js b/src/core/route_manager.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d559b4..0000000
--- a/src/core/route_manager.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import glob from 'glob';
-import create_routes from './utils/create_routes.js';
-
-export let routes;
-
-export function update({ src }) {
-	routes = create_routes(
-		glob.sync('**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', { cwd: src })
-	);
-
-	return routes;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/utils/create_app.js b/src/core/utils/create_app.js
index 003aa41..26c72a5 100644
--- a/src/core/utils/create_app.js
+++ b/src/core/utils/create_app.js
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import * as route_manager from '../route_manager.js';
-import { create_templates } from '../templates.js';
+import create_routes from '../create_routes.js';
+// import { create_templates } from '../templates.js';
 
 function posixify(file) {
 	return file.replace(/[/\\]/g, '/');
 }
 
 function create_app({ src, dev, entry }) {
-	// const { routes } = route_manager;
-	route_manager.update({ src });
-	const { routes } = route_manager;
+	const routes = create_routes({ src });
 
 	function create_client_main() {
 		const template = fs.readFileSync('templates/main.js', 'utf-8');
@@ -68,31 +66,31 @@ function create_app({ src, dev, entry }) {
 	create_server_routes();
 }
 
-export function start_watching({ src }) {
-	const chokidar = require('chokidar');
+// export function start_watching({ src }) {
+// 	const chokidar = require('chokidar');
 
-	const watch = (glob, callback) => {
-		const watcher = chokidar.watch(glob, {
-			ignoreInitial: true,
-			persistent: false
-		});
+// 	const watch = (glob, callback) => {
+// 		const watcher = chokidar.watch(glob, {
+// 			ignoreInitial: true,
+// 			persistent: false
+// 		});
 
-		watcher.on('add', callback);
-		watcher.on('change', callback);
-		watcher.on('unlink', callback);
-	};
+// 		watcher.on('add', callback);
+// 		watcher.on('change', callback);
+// 		watcher.on('unlink', callback);
+// 	};
 
-	watch('templates/main.js', create_app);
+// 	watch('templates/main.js', create_app);
 
-	watch('routes/**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', () => {
-		route_manager.update({ src });
-		create_app();
-	});
+// 	watch('routes/**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', () => {
+// 		route_manager.update({ src });
+// 		create_app();
+// 	});
 
-	watch('templates/**.html', () => {
-		create_templates();
-		// TODO reload current page?
-	});
-}
+// 	watch('templates/**.html', () => {
+// 		create_templates();
+// 		// TODO reload current page?
+// 	});
+// }
 
 export default create_app;
diff --git a/src/middleware/create_watcher.js b/src/middleware/create_watcher.js
index 6ae8f08..c0a61e4 100644
--- a/src/middleware/create_watcher.js
+++ b/src/middleware/create_watcher.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
-import { compilers, generate_asset_cache } from 'sapper/core.js';
+import { generate_asset_cache, create_routes } from 'sapper/core.js';
 import { dest } from '../config.js';
 
 function deferred() {
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ function deferred() {
 	return d;
 }
 
-export default function create_watcher() {
+export default function create_watcher({ compilers, src, onroutes }) {
 	const deferreds = {
 		client: deferred(),
 		server: deferred()
@@ -59,6 +59,36 @@ export default function create_watcher() {
 		});
 	}
 
+	const chokidar = require('chokidar');
+
+	function watch_files(pattern, callback) {
+		const watcher = chokidar.watch(pattern, {
+			ignoreInitial: true,
+			persistent: false
+		});
+
+		watcher.on('add', callback);
+		watcher.on('change', callback);
+		watcher.on('unlink', callback);
+
+		// watch('templates/main.js', create_app);
+
+		// watch('routes/**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', () => {
+		// 	route_manager.update({ src });
+		// 	create_app();
+		// });
+
+		// watch('templates/**.html', () => {
+		// 	create_templates();
+		// 	// TODO reload current page?
+		// });
+	}
+
+	watch_files('routes/**/*.+(html|js|mjs)', () => {
+		const routes = create_routes({ src });
+		onroutes(routes);
+	});
+
 	const watcher = {
 		ready: invalidate(),
 		client: watch_compiler('client'),
diff --git a/src/middleware/index.js b/src/middleware/index.js
index aadb35e..29d7ae6 100644
--- a/src/middleware/index.js
+++ b/src/middleware/index.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import mkdirp from 'mkdirp';
 import rimraf from 'rimraf';
 import serialize from 'serialize-javascript';
 import escape_html from 'escape-html';
-import { route_manager, templates, create_app, compilers, generate_asset_cache } from 'sapper/core.js';
+import { create_routes, templates, create_app, get_compilers, generate_asset_cache } from 'sapper/core.js';
 import create_watcher from './create_watcher.js';
 import { dest, dev, entry, src } from '../config.js';
 
@@ -14,7 +14,16 @@ function connect_dev() {
 
 	create_app({ dev, entry, src });
 
-	const watcher = create_watcher();
+	const compilers = get_compilers();
+
+	let routes;
+
+	const watcher = create_watcher({
+		compilers,
+		on_routes_update: _ => {
+			routes = _;
+		}
+	});
 
 	let asset_cache;
 
@@ -55,7 +64,7 @@ function connect_dev() {
 			fn: pathname => asset_cache.client.chunks[pathname]
 		}),
 
-		get_route_handler(() => asset_cache),
+		get_route_handler(() => asset_cache, () => routes),
 
 		get_not_found_handler(() => asset_cache)
 	]);
@@ -76,6 +85,8 @@ function connect_prod() {
 		server_info: read_json(path.join(dest, 'stats.server.json'))
 	});
 
+	const routes = create_routes({ src }); // TODO rename update
+
 	const middleware = compose_handlers([
 		set_req_pathname,
 
@@ -100,7 +111,7 @@ function connect_prod() {
 			fn: pathname => asset_cache.client.chunks[pathname]
 		}),
 
-		get_route_handler(() => asset_cache),
+		get_route_handler(() => asset_cache, () => routes),
 
 		get_not_found_handler(() => asset_cache)
 	]);
@@ -132,7 +143,7 @@ function get_asset_handler(opts) {
 
 const resolved = Promise.resolve();
 
-function get_route_handler(fn) {
+function get_route_handler(get_assets, get_routes) {
 	function handle_route(route, req, res, next, { client, server }) {
 		req.params = route.exec(req.pathname);
 
@@ -204,8 +215,9 @@ function get_route_handler(fn) {
 
 		resolved
 			.then(() => {
-				for (const route of route_manager.routes) {
-					if (route.test(url)) return handle_route(route, req, res, next, fn());
+				const routes = get_routes();
+				for (const route of routes) {
+					if (route.test(url)) return handle_route(route, req, res, next, get_assets());
 				}
 
 				// no matching route — 404
diff --git a/test/unit/create_routes.test.js b/test/unit/create_routes.test.js
index 2ece078..e2828ed 100644
--- a/test/unit/create_routes.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/create_routes.test.js
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ const { create_routes } = require('../../core.js');
 
 describe('create_routes', () => {
 	it('sorts routes correctly', () => {
-		const routes = create_routes(['index.html', 'about.html', '[wildcard].html', 'post/foo.html', 'post/[id].html', 'post/bar.html']);
+		const routes = create_routes({
+			files: ['index.html', 'about.html', '[wildcard].html', 'post/foo.html', 'post/[id].html', 'post/bar.html']
+		});
 
 		assert.deepEqual(
 			routes.map(r => r.file),
@@ -19,7 +21,9 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('generates params', () => {
-		const routes = create_routes(['index.html', 'about.html', '[wildcard].html', 'post/[id].html']);
+		const routes = create_routes({
+			files: ['index.html', 'about.html', '[wildcard].html', 'post/[id].html']
+		});
 
 		let file;
 		let params;
@@ -38,7 +42,9 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('ignores files and directories with leading underscores', () => {
-		const routes = create_routes(['index.html', '_foo.html', 'a/_b/c/d.html', 'e/f/g/h.html', 'i/_j.html']);
+		const routes = create_routes({
+			files: ['index.html', '_foo.html', 'a/_b/c/d.html', 'e/f/g/h.html', 'i/_j.html']
+		});
 
 		assert.deepEqual(
 			routes.map(r => r.file),
@@ -50,8 +56,12 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('matches /foo/:bar before /:baz/qux', () => {
-		const a = create_routes(['foo/[bar].html', '[baz]/qux.html']);
-		const b = create_routes(['[baz]/qux.html', 'foo/[bar].html']);
+		const a = create_routes({
+			files: ['foo/[bar].html', '[baz]/qux.html']
+		});
+		const b = create_routes({
+			files: ['[baz]/qux.html', 'foo/[bar].html']
+		});
 
 		assert.deepEqual(
 			a.map(r => r.file),
@@ -66,16 +76,22 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 
 	it('fails if routes are indistinguishable', () => {
 		assert.throws(() => {
-			create_routes(['[foo].html', '[bar]/index.html']);
+			create_routes({
+				files: ['[foo].html', '[bar]/index.html']
+			});
 		}, /The \[foo\].html and \[bar\]\/index.html routes clash/);
 
 		assert.throws(() => {
-			create_routes(['foo.html', 'foo.js']);
+			create_routes({
+				files: ['foo.html', 'foo.js']
+			});
 		}, /The foo.html and foo.js routes clash/);
 	});
 
 	it('matches nested routes', () => {
-		const route = create_routes(['settings/[submenu].html'])[0];
+		const route = create_routes({
+			files: ['settings/[submenu].html']
+		})[0];
 
 		assert.deepEqual(route.exec('/settings/foo'), {
 			submenu: 'foo'
@@ -87,7 +103,9 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('prefers index routes to nested routes', () => {
-		const routes = create_routes(['settings/[submenu].html', 'settings.html']);
+		const routes = create_routes({
+			files: ['settings/[submenu].html', 'settings.html']
+		});
 
 		assert.deepEqual(
 			routes.map(r => r.file),
@@ -96,7 +114,9 @@ describe('create_routes', () => {
 	});
 
 	it('matches deeply nested routes', () => {
-		const route = create_routes(['settings/[a]/[b]/index.html'])[0];
+		const route = create_routes({
+			files: ['settings/[a]/[b]/index.html']
+		})[0];
 
 		assert.deepEqual(route.exec('/settings/foo/bar'), {
 			a: 'foo',