diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index a76ab37d3..cfb927bcd 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -51,6 +51,17 @@ var processArgs = function(argv, options) {
     options.reporters = options.reporters.split(',');
   }
 
+  if (helper.isString(options.removedFiles)) {
+    options.removedFiles = options.removedFiles.split(',');
+  }
+
+  if (helper.isString(options.addedFiles)) {
+    options.addedFiles = options.addedFiles.split(',');
+  }
+
+  if (helper.isString(options.changedFiles)) {
+    options.changedFiles = options.changedFiles.split(',');
+  }
   options.configFile = path.resolve(argv._.shift() || 'karma.conf.js');
 
   return options;
diff --git a/lib/helper.js b/lib/helper.js
index 707b3329b..30fc409ea 100644
--- a/lib/helper.js
+++ b/lib/helper.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ exports.isDefined = function(value) {
 exports.isFunction = _.isFunction;
 exports.isString = _.isString;
 exports.isObject = _.isObject;
+exports.isArray = _.isArray;
 
 var ABS_URL = /^https?:\/\//;
 exports.isUrlAbsolute = function(url) {
diff --git a/lib/middleware/runner.js b/lib/middleware/runner.js
index 1a195c3ff..d4b2f187d 100644
--- a/lib/middleware/runner.js
+++ b/lib/middleware/runner.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
  * It basically triggers a test run and streams stdout back.
  */
 
+var path = require('path');
+var helper = require('../helper');
 var log = require('../logger').create();
 var constant = require('../constants');
 var json = require('connect').json();
@@ -43,12 +45,37 @@ var createRunnerMiddleware = function(emitter, fileList, capturedBrowsers, repor
         });
       });
 
-      var clientArgs = request.body.args;
-      log.debug('Setting client.args to ', clientArgs);
-      config.client.args = clientArgs;
+      var data = request.body;
+      log.debug('Setting client.args to ', data.args);
+      config.client.args = data.args;
 
-      log.debug('Refreshing all the files / patterns');
-      fileList.refresh();
+      var fullRefresh = true;
+
+      if (helper.isArray(data.changedFiles)) {
+        data.changedFiles.forEach(function(filepath) {
+          fileList.changeFile(path.resolve(config.basePath, filepath));
+          fullRefresh = false;
+        });
+      }
+
+      if (helper.isArray(data.addedFiles)) {
+        data.addedFiles.forEach(function(filepath) {
+          fileList.addFile(path.resolve(config.basePath, filepath));
+          fullRefresh = false;
+        });
+      }
+
+      if (helper.isArray(data.removedFiles)) {
+        data.removedFiles.forEach(function(filepath) {
+          fileList.removeFile(path.resolve(config.basePath, filepath));
+          fullRefresh = false;
+        });
+      }
+
+      if (fullRefresh) {
+        log.debug('Refreshing all the files / patterns');
+        fileList.refresh();
+      }
     });
   };
 };
diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index c1814c7ed..bce673005 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -58,5 +58,10 @@ exports.run = function(config, done) {
     }
   });
 
-  request.end(JSON.stringify({args: config.clientArgs}));
+  request.end(JSON.stringify({
+    args: config.clientArgs,
+    removedFiles: config.removedFiles,
+    changedFiles: config.changedFiles,
+    addedFiles: config.addedFiles
+  }));
 };
diff --git a/test/unit/cli.spec.coffee b/test/unit/cli.spec.coffee
index 18842f090..5dae993b0 100644
--- a/test/unit/cli.spec.coffee
+++ b/test/unit/cli.spec.coffee
@@ -81,6 +81,18 @@ describe 'cli', ->
       expect(options.reporters).to.deep.equal ['dots']
 
 
+    it 'should parse removed/added/changed files to array', ->
+      options = processArgs [
+        '--removed-files', 'r1.js,r2.js',
+        '--changed-files', 'ch1.js,ch2.js',
+        '--added-files', 'a1.js,a2.js'
+      ]
+
+      expect(options.removedFiles).to.deep.equal ['r1.js', 'r2.js']
+      expect(options.addedFiles).to.deep.equal ['a1.js', 'a2.js']
+      expect(options.changedFiles).to.deep.equal ['ch1.js', 'ch2.js']
+
+
   describe 'parseClientArgs', ->
     it 'should return arguments after --', ->
       args = cli.parseClientArgs ['node', 'karma.js', 'runArg', '--flag', '--', '--foo', '--bar',
diff --git a/test/unit/middleware/runner.spec.coffee b/test/unit/middleware/runner.spec.coffee
index 140ca6772..03d29693c 100644
--- a/test/unit/middleware/runner.spec.coffee
+++ b/test/unit/middleware/runner.spec.coffee
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ describe 'middleware.runner', ->
   createRunnerMiddleware = require('../../../lib/middleware/runner').create
 
   handler = nextSpy = response = mockReporter = capturedBrowsers = emitter = config = null
+  fileListMock = null
 
   beforeEach ->
     mockReporter =
@@ -21,6 +22,10 @@ describe 'middleware.runner', ->
     capturedBrowsers = new BrowserCollection emitter
     fileListMock =
       refresh: -> emitter.emit 'run_start'
+      addFile: -> null
+      removeFile: -> null
+      changeFile: -> null
+
     nextSpy = sinon.spy()
     response = new HttpResponseMock
     config = {client: {}}
@@ -73,6 +78,38 @@ describe 'middleware.runner', ->
     request.emit 'end'
 
 
+  it 'should refresh explicit files if specified', (done) ->
+    capturedBrowsers.add new Browser
+    sinon.stub capturedBrowsers, 'areAllReady', -> true
+    sinon.stub fileListMock, 'refresh'
+    sinon.stub fileListMock, 'addFile'
+    sinon.stub fileListMock, 'changeFile'
+    sinon.stub fileListMock, 'removeFile'
+
+    request = new HttpRequestMock '/__run__', {
+      'content-type': 'application/json'
+      'content-length': 1
+    }
+    request.setEncoding = -> null
+
+    handler request, response, nextSpy
+    message =
+      addedFiles: ['/new.js']
+      removedFiles: ['/foo.js', '/bar.js']
+      changedFiles: ['/changed.js']
+
+    request.emit 'data', JSON.stringify(message)
+    request.emit 'end'
+
+    process.nextTick ->
+      expect(fileListMock.refresh).not.to.have.been.called
+      expect(fileListMock.addFile).to.have.been.calledWith '/new.js'
+      expect(fileListMock.removeFile).to.have.been.calledWith '/foo.js'
+      expect(fileListMock.removeFile).to.have.been.calledWith '/bar.js'
+      expect(fileListMock.changeFile).to.have.been.calledWith '/changed.js'
+      done()
+
+
   it 'should ignore other urls', (done) ->
     handler new HttpRequestMock('/something'), response, ->
       expect(response).to.beNotServed()