diff --git a/.sentry.example.yml b/.sentry.example.yml
index c1e38fe..d15787d 100644
--- a/.sentry.example.yml
+++ b/.sentry.example.yml
@@ -32,3 +32,8 @@ run_args:
 watch:
   - ./src/**/*.cr
   - ./src/**/*.ecr
+
+# The list of patterns of files to ignore from the watched file paths.
+ignore:
+  - /\.swp$/
+  - /^\.#/
diff --git a/CRYSTAL_API.md b/CRYSTAL_API.md
index 5fdb3f6..3dbd9fb 100644
--- a/CRYSTAL_API.md
+++ b/CRYSTAL_API.md
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ process_runner = Sentry::ProcessRunner.new(
   build_args: [], # Array of String
   run_args: [], # Array of String
   should_build: true, # Bool
-  files: [] # Array of String
+  files: [], # Array of String
+  ignore: [] # Array of String
 )
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
diff --git a/src/sentry.cr b/src/sentry.cr
index 27b831b..1431baa 100644
--- a/src/sentry.cr
+++ b/src/sentry.cr
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ module Sentry
       watch: {
         type:    Array(String),
         default: ["./src/**/*.cr", "./src/**/*.ecr"],
+      },
+      ignore: {
+        type:    Array(String),
+        default: [] of String,
       }
     )
 
@@ -59,6 +63,7 @@ module Sentry
       @run = nil
       @run_args = ""
       @watch = [] of String
+      @ignore = [] of String
     end
 
     def display_name
@@ -120,6 +125,7 @@ module Sentry
       self.run = other.run if other.sets_run_command?
       self.run_args = other.run_args.join(" ") unless other.run_args.empty?
       self.watch = other.watch unless other.watch.empty?
+      self.ignore = other.ignore unless other.ignore.empty?
     end
 
     def to_s(io : IO)
@@ -133,6 +139,7 @@ module Sentry
             run:          #{run}
             run_args:     #{run_args}
             watch:        #{watch}
+            ignore:       #{ignore}
       CONFIG
     end
   end
@@ -142,6 +149,7 @@ module Sentry
     property display_name : String
     property should_build = true
     property files = [] of String
+    property ignore = [] of Regex
 
     def initialize(
       @display_name : String,
@@ -150,9 +158,11 @@ module Sentry
       @build_args : Array(String) = [] of String,
       @run_args : Array(String) = [] of String,
       files = [] of String,
+      ignore = [] of String,
       should_build = true
     )
       @files = files
+      @ignore = ignore.map { |regex| Regex.new(regex.strip("/")) }
       @should_build = should_build
       @should_kill = false
       @app_built = false
@@ -190,6 +200,12 @@ module Sentry
       File.stat(file).mtime.to_s("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
     end
 
+    private def ignored?(file : String)
+      @ignore.any? do |regex|
+        regex === file || regex === file.split("/").last
+      end
+    end
+
     # Compiles and starts the application
     #
     def start_app
@@ -204,13 +220,14 @@ module Sentry
       end
     end
 
-    # Scans all of the `@files`
+    # Scans all of the `@files`, expect where matched with `@ignore`
     #
     def scan_files
       file_changed = false
       app_process = @app_process
       files = @files
       Dir.glob(files) do |file|
+        next if !File.exists?(file) || ignored?(file)
         timestamp = get_timestamp(file)
         if FILE_TIMESTAMPS[file]? && FILE_TIMESTAMPS[file] != timestamp
           FILE_TIMESTAMPS[file] = timestamp
diff --git a/src/sentry_cli.cr b/src/sentry_cli.cr
index 014b1ff..9005eff 100644
--- a/src/sentry_cli.cr
+++ b/src/sentry_cli.cr
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ if Sentry::Config.shard_name
     build_args: config.build_args,
     run_args: config.run_args,
     should_build: config.should_build?,
-    files: config.watch
+    files: config.watch,
+    ignore: config.ignore
   )
 
   process_runner.run