diff --git a/.spring.rb b/.spring.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12c701147
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.spring.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Spring.watch 'config/application.yml'
diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 51fdb72f1..6e63b4a32 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -98,8 +98,11 @@ gem 'jquery-ui-rails', '~> 5.0.3'
 
 group :development do
   # dev tools
-  gem 'spring',                '~> 1.3.3'
+  gem 'spring',                '~> 1.3.6'
   gem 'spring-commands-rspec', '~> 1.0.4'
+  gem 'spring-watcher-listen',   # otherwise spring polls the filesystem on every 0.2 seconds
+    github: 'jonleighton/spring-watcher-listen',
+    ref: '7f6003e14f8f9ca178a5194f210c07f54cfb67ec'
   gem 'guard',                 '~> 2.6.1' # run tests automatically
   gem 'guard-rspec',           '~> 4.3.1'
   gem 'guard-rails',           '~> 0.7.0' # run EPP server automatically
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 5d6c0ca3c..22e818e80 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ GIT
       hpricot
       libxml-ruby
 
+GIT
+  remote: https://github.com/jonleighton/spring-watcher-listen.git
+  revision: 7f6003e14f8f9ca178a5194f210c07f54cfb67ec
+  ref: 7f6003e14f8f9ca178a5194f210c07f54cfb67ec
+  specs:
+    spring-watcher-listen (1.0.0)
+      listen (~> 2.7)
+      spring (~> 1.2)
+
 GIT
   remote: https://github.com/rubysec/bundler-audit.git
   revision: f89ef7fae1090bbad825ea76812d56d72b417055
@@ -579,8 +588,9 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   shoulda-matchers (~> 2.6.1)
   simplecov (~> 0.9.1)
   simpleidn (~> 0.0.5)
-  spring (~> 1.3.3)
+  spring (~> 1.3.6)
   spring-commands-rspec (~> 1.0.4)
+  spring-watcher-listen!
   therubyracer (~> 0.12.2)
   traceroute (~> 0.4.0)
   turbolinks (~> 2.5.3)