diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/command/build_command.dart b/webdev/lib/src/command/build_command.dart
index a250abda9..c34618430 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/command/build_command.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/command/build_command.dart
@@ -3,85 +3,20 @@
 // BSD-style license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
 import 'dart:async';
-import 'dart:io';
-import 'dart:isolate';
+import 'dart:io' show Directory;
 
 import 'package:args/args.dart';
 import 'package:args/command_runner.dart';
-import 'package:stack_trace/stack_trace.dart';
+import 'package:build_daemon/client.dart';
+import 'package:build_daemon/data/build_status.dart';
+import 'package:build_daemon/data/build_target.dart';
+import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
 
+import '../daemon_client.dart';
+import '../logging.dart';
 import 'configuration.dart';
 import 'shared.dart';
 
-const _bootstrapScript = r'''
-import 'dart:io';
-import 'dart:isolate';
-
-import 'package:build_runner/build_script_generate.dart';
-import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
-
-void main(List<String> args, [SendPort sendPort]) async {
-  var buildScript = await generateBuildScript();
-  var scriptFile = new File(scriptLocation)..createSync(recursive: true);
-  scriptFile.writeAsStringSync(buildScript);
-  sendPort.send(p.absolute(scriptLocation));
-}
-''';
-const _packagesFileName = '.packages';
-
-Future<Uri> _buildRunnerScript() async {
-  var packagesFile = File(_packagesFileName);
-  if (!packagesFile.existsSync()) {
-    throw FileSystemException(
-        'A `$_packagesFileName` file does not exist in the target directory.',
-        packagesFile.absolute.path);
-  }
-
-  var dataUri = Uri.dataFromString(_bootstrapScript);
-
-  var messagePort = ReceivePort();
-  var exitPort = ReceivePort();
-  var errorPort = ReceivePort();
-
-  try {
-    await Isolate.spawnUri(dataUri, [], messagePort.sendPort,
-        onExit: exitPort.sendPort,
-        onError: errorPort.sendPort,
-        errorsAreFatal: true,
-        packageConfig: Uri.file(_packagesFileName));
-
-    var allErrorsFuture = errorPort.forEach((error) {
-      var errorList = error as List;
-      var message = errorList[0] as String;
-      var stack = StackTrace.fromString(errorList[1] as String);
-
-      stderr.writeln(message);
-      stderr.writeln(stack);
-    });
-
-    var items = await Future.wait([
-      messagePort.toList(),
-      allErrorsFuture,
-      exitPort.first.whenComplete(() {
-        messagePort.close();
-        errorPort.close();
-      })
-    ]);
-
-    var messages = items[0] as List;
-    if (messages.isEmpty) {
-      throw StateError('An error occurred while bootstrapping.');
-    }
-
-    assert(messages.length == 1);
-    return Uri.file(messages.single as String);
-  } finally {
-    messagePort.close();
-    exitPort.close();
-    errorPort.close();
-  }
-}
-
 /// Command to execute pub run build_runner build.
 class BuildCommand extends Command<int> {
   @override
@@ -98,71 +33,74 @@ class BuildCommand extends Command<int> {
   }
 
   @override
-  Future<int> run() {
+  Future<int> run() async {
     if (argResults.rest.isNotEmpty) {
       throw UsageException(
           'Arguments were provided that are not supported: '
           '"${argResults.rest.join(' ')}".',
           argParser.usage);
     }
-    return runCore('build', extraArgs: ['--fail-on-severe']);
-  }
 
-  Future<int> runCore(String command, {List<String> extraArgs}) async {
     var configuration = Configuration.fromArgs(argResults);
+    setVerbosity(configuration.verbose);
     var pubspecLock = await readPubspecLock(configuration);
-    final arguments = [command]
-      ..addAll(extraArgs ?? const [])
-      ..addAll(buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration));
-
-    stdout.write('Creating build script');
-    var stopwatch = Stopwatch()..start();
-    var buildRunnerScript = await _buildRunnerScript();
-    stdout.writeln(', took ${stopwatch.elapsedMilliseconds}ms');
-
-    var exitCode = 0;
-
-    // Heavily inspired by dart-lang/build @ 0c77443dd7
-    // /build_runner/bin/build_runner.dart#L58-L85
-    var exitPort = ReceivePort();
-    var errorPort = ReceivePort();
-    var messagePort = ReceivePort();
-    var errorListener = errorPort.listen((e) {
-      stderr.writeln('\n\nYou have hit a bug in build_runner');
-      stderr.writeln('Please file an issue with reproduction steps at '
-          'https://github.com/dart-lang/build/issues\n\n');
-      final error = e[0];
-      final trace = e[1] as String;
-      stderr.writeln(error);
-      stderr.writeln(Trace.parse(trace).terse);
-      if (exitCode == 0) exitCode = 1;
-    });
+    final arguments = buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration);
 
     try {
-      await Isolate.spawnUri(buildRunnerScript, arguments, messagePort.sendPort,
-          onExit: exitPort.sendPort,
-          onError: errorPort.sendPort,
-          automaticPackageResolution: true);
-      StreamSubscription exitCodeListener;
-      exitCodeListener = messagePort.listen((isolateExitCode) {
-        if (isolateExitCode is! int) {
-          throw StateError(
-              'Bad response from isolate, expected an exit code but got '
-              '$isolateExitCode');
+      logHandler(Level.INFO, 'Connecting to the build daemon...');
+      var client = await connectClient(
+        Directory.current.path,
+        arguments,
+        (serverLog) {
+          var recordLevel = levelForLog(serverLog) ?? Level.INFO;
+          logHandler(recordLevel, trimLevel(recordLevel, serverLog.log));
+        },
+      );
+      OutputLocation outputLocation;
+      if (configuration.outputPath != null) {
+        outputLocation = OutputLocation((b) => b
+          ..output = configuration.outputPath
+          ..useSymlinks = false
+          ..hoist = configuration.outputInput.isNotEmpty);
+      }
+      client.registerBuildTarget(DefaultBuildTarget((b) => b
+        ..target = configuration.outputInput
+        ..outputLocation = outputLocation?.toBuilder()));
+      client.startBuild();
+      var exitCode = 0;
+      var gotBuildStart = false;
+      await for (final result in client.buildResults) {
+        var targetResult = result.results.firstWhere(
+            (buildResult) => buildResult.target == configuration.outputInput,
+            orElse: () => null);
+        if (targetResult == null) continue;
+        // We ignore any builds that happen before we get a `started` event,
+        // because those could be stale (from some other client).
+        gotBuildStart =
+            gotBuildStart || targetResult.status == BuildStatus.started;
+        if (!gotBuildStart) continue;
+
+        // Shouldn't happen, but being a bit defensive here.
+        if (targetResult.status == BuildStatus.started) continue;
+
+        if (targetResult.status == BuildStatus.failed) {
+          exitCode = 1;
         }
-        exitCode = isolateExitCode as int;
-        exitCodeListener.cancel();
-        exitCodeListener = null;
-      });
-      await exitPort.first;
-      await errorListener.cancel();
-      await exitCodeListener?.cancel();
 
+        if (targetResult.error?.isNotEmpty == true) {
+          logHandler(Level.SEVERE, targetResult.error);
+        }
+        break;
+      }
+      await client.close();
       return exitCode;
-    } finally {
-      exitPort.close();
-      errorPort.close();
-      messagePort.close();
+    } on OptionsSkew catch (_) {
+      logHandler(
+          Level.SEVERE,
+          'Incompatible options with current running build daemon.\n\n'
+          'Please stop other WebDev instances running in this directory '
+          'before starting a new instance with these options.\n\n');
+      return 1;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/command/configuration.dart b/webdev/lib/src/command/configuration.dart
index 0672b16c5..faa4eb937 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/command/configuration.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/command/configuration.dart
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 import 'package:args/args.dart';
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
 
+import '../logging.dart';
 import '../serve/injected/configuration.dart';
-import '../serve/logging.dart';
 
 const autoOption = 'auto';
 const chromeDebugPortFlag = 'chrome-debug-port';
@@ -169,12 +169,12 @@ class Configuration {
     String outputInput;
     if (output != 'NONE') {
       var splitOutput = output.split(':');
-      if (splitOutput.length == 2) {
-        outputInput = splitOutput.first;
-        outputPath = splitOutput.last;
-      } else {
+      if (splitOutput.length == 1) {
         outputInput = '';
         outputPath = output;
+      } else {
+        outputInput = splitOutput.first;
+        outputPath = splitOutput.skip(1).join(':');
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/command/daemon_command.dart b/webdev/lib/src/command/daemon_command.dart
index 6a440cedb..f96a1b828 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/command/daemon_command.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/command/daemon_command.dart
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ import 'package:pedantic/pedantic.dart';
 import '../daemon/app_domain.dart';
 import '../daemon/daemon.dart';
 import '../daemon/daemon_domain.dart';
+import '../logging.dart';
 import '../serve/dev_workflow.dart';
-import '../serve/logging.dart';
 import '../serve/utils.dart';
 import 'configuration.dart';
 import 'shared.dart';
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ class DaemonCommand extends Command<int> {
       var configuration =
           Configuration(launchInChrome: true, debug: true, autoRun: false);
       var pubspecLock = await readPubspecLock(configuration);
-      var buildOptions =
-          buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration, includeOutput: false);
+      var buildOptions = buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration);
       var port = await findUnusedPort();
       workflow = await DevWorkflow.start(
         configuration,
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/command/serve_command.dart b/webdev/lib/src/command/serve_command.dart
index 3d2681c7b..aaf69e84d 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/command/serve_command.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/command/serve_command.dart
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:args/args.dart';
 import 'package:args/command_runner.dart';
 
+import '../logging.dart';
 import '../serve/dev_workflow.dart';
-import '../serve/logging.dart';
 import 'configuration.dart';
 import 'shared.dart';
 
@@ -102,11 +102,10 @@ refresh: Performs a full page refresh.
     var pubspecLock = await readPubspecLock(configuration);
     // Forward remaining arguments as Build Options to the Daemon.
     // This isn't documented. Should it be advertised?
-    var buildOptions =
-        buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration, includeOutput: false)
-          ..addAll(argResults.rest
-              .where((arg) => !arg.contains(':') || arg.startsWith('--'))
-              .toList());
+    var buildOptions = buildRunnerArgs(pubspecLock, configuration)
+      ..addAll(argResults.rest
+          .where((arg) => !arg.contains(':') || arg.startsWith('--'))
+          .toList());
     var directoryArgs = argResults.rest
         .where((arg) => arg.contains(':') || !arg.startsWith('--'))
         .toList();
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/command/shared.dart b/webdev/lib/src/command/shared.dart
index 5c3e4ec3e..12f61a301 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/command/shared.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/command/shared.dart
@@ -46,20 +46,12 @@ void addSharedArgs(ArgParser argParser,
 /// Parses the provided [Configuration] to return a list of
 /// `package:build_runner` appropriate arguments.
 List<String> buildRunnerArgs(
-    PubspecLock pubspecLock, Configuration configuration,
-    {bool includeOutput}) {
-  includeOutput ??= true;
+    PubspecLock pubspecLock, Configuration configuration) {
   var arguments = <String>[];
   if (configuration.release) {
     arguments.add('--$releaseFlag');
   }
 
-  if (includeOutput &&
-      configuration.output != null &&
-      configuration.output != outputNone) {
-    arguments.addAll(['--$outputFlag', configuration.output]);
-  }
-
   if (configuration.verbose) {
     arguments.add('--$verboseFlag');
   }
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/serve/daemon_client.dart b/webdev/lib/src/daemon_client.dart
similarity index 97%
rename from webdev/lib/src/serve/daemon_client.dart
rename to webdev/lib/src/daemon_client.dart
index 37ee6d165..67b67632b 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/serve/daemon_client.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/daemon_client.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import 'dart:io';
 import 'package:build_daemon/client.dart';
 import 'package:build_daemon/constants.dart';
 import 'package:build_daemon/data/server_log.dart';
-import 'package:webdev/src/util.dart';
+
+import 'util.dart';
 
 /// Connects to the `build_runner` daemon.
 Future<BuildDaemonClient> connectClient(String workingDirectory,
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/serve/logging.dart b/webdev/lib/src/logging.dart
similarity index 69%
rename from webdev/lib/src/serve/logging.dart
rename to webdev/lib/src/logging.dart
index 72a33b43c..644698cf9 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/serve/logging.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/logging.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:io/ansi.dart';
+import 'package:build_daemon/data/server_log.dart';
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
 
 var _verbose = false;
@@ -46,3 +47,24 @@ void _colorLog(Level level, String message, {bool verbose}) {
     stdout.writeln('');
   }
 }
+
+/// Trims [level] from [message] if it is prefixed by it.
+String trimLevel(Level level, String message) => message.startsWith('[$level]')
+    ? message.replaceFirst('[$level]', '').trimLeft()
+    : message;
+
+/// Detects if the [ServerLog] contains a [Level] and returns the
+/// resulting value.
+///
+/// If the [ServerLog] does not contain a [Level], null will be returned.
+Level levelForLog(ServerLog serverLog) {
+  var log = serverLog.log;
+  Level recordLevel;
+  for (var level in Level.LEVELS) {
+    if (log.startsWith('[$level]')) {
+      recordLevel = level;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  return recordLevel;
+}
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/serve/dev_workflow.dart b/webdev/lib/src/serve/dev_workflow.dart
index de763d57b..cb0038c4e 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/serve/dev_workflow.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/serve/dev_workflow.dart
@@ -10,20 +10,17 @@ import 'package:build_daemon/data/build_target.dart';
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
 
 import '../command/configuration.dart';
-import '../serve/chrome.dart';
-import '../serve/daemon_client.dart';
-import '../serve/debugger/devtools.dart';
-import '../serve/logging.dart';
-import '../serve/server_manager.dart';
-import '../serve/utils.dart';
-import '../serve/webdev_server.dart';
+import '../daemon_client.dart';
+import '../logging.dart';
+import 'chrome.dart';
+import 'debugger/devtools.dart';
+import 'server_manager.dart';
+import 'webdev_server.dart';
 
 Future<BuildDaemonClient> _startBuildDaemon(
-  String workingDirectory,
-  List<String> buildOptions,
-) async {
-  logHandler(Level.INFO, 'Connecting to the build daemon...');
+    String workingDirectory, List<String> buildOptions) async {
   try {
+    logHandler(Level.INFO, 'Connecting to the build daemon...');
     return await connectClient(
       workingDirectory,
       buildOptions,
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/serve/handlers/dev_handler.dart b/webdev/lib/src/serve/handlers/dev_handler.dart
index 43e080028..91fc2225b 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/serve/handlers/dev_handler.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/serve/handlers/dev_handler.dart
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ import 'package:shelf/shelf.dart';
 import 'package:sse/server/sse_handler.dart';
 import 'package:webkit_inspection_protocol/webkit_inspection_protocol.dart';
 
-import '../../serve/chrome.dart';
-import '../../serve/data/run_request.dart';
-import '../../serve/logging.dart';
+import '../../logging.dart';
+import '../chrome.dart';
 import '../data/connect_request.dart';
 import '../data/devtools_request.dart';
+import '../data/run_request.dart';
 import '../data/serializers.dart' as webdev;
 import '../debugger/app_debug_services.dart';
 import '../debugger/devtools.dart';
diff --git a/webdev/lib/src/serve/utils.dart b/webdev/lib/src/serve/utils.dart
index 986dc61b4..480e23276 100644
--- a/webdev/lib/src/serve/utils.dart
+++ b/webdev/lib/src/serve/utils.dart
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
 import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:io';
 
-import 'package:build_daemon/data/server_log.dart';
-import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
-
 /// Returns a port that is probably, but not definitely, not in use.
 ///
 /// This has a built-in race condition: another process may bind this port at
@@ -25,23 +22,3 @@ Future<int> findUnusedPort() async {
   await socket.close();
   return port;
 }
-
-String trimLevel(Level level, String message) => message.startsWith('[$level]')
-    ? message.replaceFirst('[$level]', '').trimLeft()
-    : message;
-
-/// Detects if the [ServerLog] contains a [Level] and returns the
-/// resulting value.
-///
-/// If the [ServerLog] does not contain a [Level], null will be returned.
-Level levelForLog(ServerLog serverLog) {
-  var log = serverLog.log;
-  Level recordLevel;
-  for (var level in Level.LEVELS) {
-    if (log.startsWith('[$level]')) {
-      recordLevel = level;
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  return recordLevel;
-}
diff --git a/webdev/test/e2e_test.dart b/webdev/test/e2e_test.dart
index 705bc10fc..4ff6e011a 100644
--- a/webdev/test/e2e_test.dart
+++ b/webdev/test/e2e_test.dart
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ void main() {
     await expectLater(
         process.stdout,
         emitsThrough(
-            '[SEVERE] Unable to create merged directory at ${d.sandbox}.'));
+            contains('Unable to create merged directory at ${d.sandbox}.')));
     await expectLater(
         process.stdout,
         emitsThrough(
             'Choose a different directory or delete the contents of that '
             'directory.'));
 
-    await process.shouldExit(73);
+    await process.shouldExit(isNot(0));
   });
 
   group('should build with valid configuration', () {
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ void main() {
 
         var process = await runWebDev(args, workingDirectory: exampleDirectory);
 
-        var expectedItems = <Object>['[INFO] Succeeded'];
+        var expectedItems = <Object>['Succeeded'];
 
         await checkProcessStdout(process, expectedItems);
         await process.shouldExit(0);