diff --git a/lib/guard/listener.rb b/lib/guard/listener.rb
index 0f8620b67..c226c350e 100644
--- a/lib/guard/listener.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/listener.rb
@@ -9,35 +9,80 @@ module Guard
   autoload :Polling, 'guard/listeners/polling'
 
   class Listener
-    attr_reader :last_event, :sha1_checksums_hash
+    attr_reader :last_event, :sha1_checksums_hash, :directory, :callback
 
-    def self.select_and_init
+    def self.select_and_init(*a)
       if mac? && Darwin.usable?
-        Darwin.new
+        Darwin.new(*a)
       elsif linux? && Linux.usable?
-        Linux.new
+        Linux.new(*a)
       elsif windows? && Windows.usable?
-        Windows.new
+        Windows.new(*a)
       else
         UI.info "Using polling (Please help us to support your system better than that.)"
-        Polling.new
+        Polling.new(*a)
       end
     end
 
-    def initialize
+    def initialize(directory=Dir.pwd, options={})
+      @directory = directory.to_s
       @sha1_checksums_hash = {}
+      @relativate_paths = options.fetch(:relativate_paths, true)
       update_last_event
     end
 
+    def start
+      watch directory
+    end
+
+    def stop
+    end
+
+    def on_change(&callback)
+      @callback = callback
+    end
+
     def update_last_event
       @last_event = Time.now
     end
 
     def modified_files(dirs, options = {})
+# <<<<<<< HEAD
+#       files = potentially_modified_files(dirs, options).select { |path| File.file?(path) && file_modified?(path) }
+#       files.map! { |file| file.gsub("#{Dir.pwd}/", '') }
+# =======
       files = potentially_modified_files(dirs, options).select { |path| File.file?(path) && file_modified?(path) }
-      files.map! { |file| file.gsub("#{Dir.pwd}/", '') }
+      relativate_paths files
+    end
+
+    def worker
+      raise NotImplementedError, "should respond to #watch"
+    end
+
+    # register a directory to watch. must be implemented by the subclasses
+    def watch(directory)
+      raise NotImplementedError, "do whatever you want here, given the directory as only argument"
+    end
+
+    def all_files
+      potentially_modified_files [directory + '/'], :all => true
+# >>>>>>> b12769d2bf385b3c69973721144cae3d5d8fbed9
     end
 
+    # scopes all given paths to the current #directory
+    def relativate_paths(paths)
+      return paths unless relativate_paths?
+      paths.map do |path|
+        path.gsub(%r~^#{directory}/~, '')
+      end
+    end
+
+    attr_writer :relativate_paths
+    def relativate_paths?
+      !!@relativate_paths
+    end
+
+
   private
 
     def potentially_modified_files(dirs, options = {})
diff --git a/lib/guard/listeners/darwin.rb b/lib/guard/listeners/darwin.rb
index c6eb055c3..17bf48ebc 100644
--- a/lib/guard/listeners/darwin.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/listeners/darwin.rb
@@ -2,25 +2,23 @@ module Guard
   class Darwin < Listener
     attr_reader :fsevent
 
-    def initialize
+    def initialize(*)
       super
       @fsevent = FSEvent.new
     end
 
-    def on_change(&callback)
-      @fsevent.watch Dir.pwd do |modified_dirs|
-        files = modified_files(modified_dirs)
-        update_last_event
-        callback.call(files)
-      end
+    def worker
+      @fsevent
     end
 
     def start
-      @fsevent.run
+      super
+      fsevent.run
     end
 
     def stop
-      @fsevent.stop
+      super
+      fsevent.stop
     end
 
     def self.usable?
@@ -36,5 +34,15 @@ def self.usable?
       false
     end
 
+  private
+  
+    def watch(directory)
+      worker.watch directory do |modified_dirs|
+        files = modified_files(modified_dirs)
+        update_last_event
+        callback.call(files)
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/guard/listeners/linux.rb b/lib/guard/listeners/linux.rb
index 2d53b6209..041ae31ed 100644
--- a/lib/guard/listeners/linux.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/listeners/linux.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 module Guard
   class Linux < Listener
-    attr_reader :inotify, :files, :latency, :callback
+    attr_reader :inotify, :files, :latency
 
-    def initialize
+    def initialize(*)
       super
 
       @inotify = INotify::Notifier.new
@@ -12,24 +12,16 @@ def initialize
 
     def start
       @stop = false
+      super
       watch_change unless watch_change?
     end
 
     def stop
+      super
       @stop = true
       sleep latency
     end
 
-    def on_change(&callback)
-      @callback = callback
-      inotify.watch(Dir.pwd, :recursive, :modify, :create, :delete, :move) do |event|
-        unless event.name == "" # Event on root directory
-          @files << event.absolute_name
-        end
-      end
-    rescue Interrupt
-    end
-
     def self.usable?
       require 'rb-inotify'
       if !defined?(INotify::VERSION) || Gem::Version.new(INotify::VERSION.join('.')) < Gem::Version.new('0.5.1')
@@ -49,6 +41,19 @@ def watch_change?
 
   private
 
+    def worker
+      @inotify
+    end
+
+    def watch(directory)
+      worker.watch(directory, :recursive, :modify, :create) do |event|
+        unless event.name == "" # Event on root directory
+          @files << event.absolute_name
+        end
+      end
+    rescue Interrupt
+    end
+
     def watch_change
       @watch_change = true
       until @stop
@@ -61,8 +66,7 @@ def watch_change
 
           unless files.empty?
             files.uniq!
-            files.map! { |file| file.gsub("#{Dir.pwd}/", '') }
-            callback.call(files)
+            callback.call( relativate_paths(files) )
             files.clear
           end
         end
diff --git a/lib/guard/listeners/polling.rb b/lib/guard/listeners/polling.rb
index bf5a17bfa..2f61a6d71 100644
--- a/lib/guard/listeners/polling.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/listeners/polling.rb
@@ -1,22 +1,20 @@
 module Guard
   class Polling < Listener
-    attr_reader :callback, :latency
+    attr_reader :latency
 
-    def initialize
+    def initialize(*)
       super
       @latency = 1.5
     end
 
-    def on_change(&callback)
-      @callback = callback
-    end
-
     def start
       @stop = false
+      super
       watch_change
     end
 
     def stop
+      super
       @stop = true
     end
 
@@ -27,11 +25,15 @@ def watch_change
         start = Time.now.to_f
         files = modified_files([Dir.pwd + '/'], :all => true)
         update_last_event
-        callback.call(files) unless files.empty?
+        callback.call(relativate_paths(files)) unless files.empty?
         nap_time = latency - (Time.now.to_f - start)
         sleep(nap_time) if nap_time > 0
       end
     end
 
+    def watch(directory)
+      @existing = all_files
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/guard/listeners/windows.rb b/lib/guard/listeners/windows.rb
index e6d888a9d..b048ce446 100644
--- a/lib/guard/listeners/windows.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/listeners/windows.rb
@@ -7,20 +7,13 @@ def initialize
       @fchange = FChange::Notifier.new
     end
 
-    def on_change(&callback)
-      @fchange.watch(Dir.pwd, :all_events, :recursive) do |event|
-        paths = [File.expand_path(event.watcher.path) + '/']
-        files = modified_files(paths, {:all => true})
-        update_last_event
-        callback.call(files)
-      end
-    end
-
     def start
+      super
       @fchange.run
     end
 
     def stop
+      super
       @fchange.stop
     end
 
@@ -32,5 +25,20 @@ def self.usable?
       false
     end
 
+  private
+
+    def worker
+      @fchange
+    end
+
+    def watch(directory)
+      worker.watch(directory, :all_events, :recursive) do |event|
+        paths = [File.expand_path(event.watcher.path) + '/']
+        files = modified_files(paths, {:all => true})
+        update_last_event
+        callback.call(files)
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/listener_spec.rb b/spec/guard/listener_spec.rb
index 5206a716c..ac3801c60 100644
--- a/spec/guard/listener_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/listener_spec.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,39 @@
       Guard::Linux.should_receive(:new)
       subject.select_and_init
     end
+
+    it "forwards its arguments to the constructor" do
+      subject.stub!(:mac?).and_return(true)
+      Guard::Darwin.stub!(:usable?).and_return(true)
+
+      path, opts = 'path', {:foo => 23}
+      Guard::Darwin.should_receive(:new).with(path, opts).and_return(true)
+      subject.select_and_init path, opts
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#all_files" do
+    subject { described_class.new(@fixture_path) }
+
+    it "should return all files" do
+      subject.all_files.should =~ Dir.glob("#{@fixture_path}/**/*")
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#relativate_paths" do
+    subject { described_class.new('/tmp') }
+    before :each do
+      @paths = %w( /tmp/a /tmp/a/b /tmp/a.b/c.d )
+    end
+
+    it "should relativate paths to the configured directory" do
+      subject.relativate_paths(@paths).should =~ %w( a a/b a.b/c.d )
+    end
+
+    it "can be disabled" do
+      subject.relativate_paths = false
+      subject.relativate_paths(@paths).should == @paths
+    end
   end
 
   describe "#update_last_event" do
@@ -91,4 +124,39 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe "working directory" do
+
+    context "unspecified" do
+      subject { described_class.new }
+      it "defaults to Dir.pwd" do
+        subject.directory.should == Dir.pwd
+      end
+      it "can be not changed" do
+        subject.should_not respond_to(:directory=)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "specified as first argument to ::new" do
+      before :each do
+        @wd = @fixture_path.join("folder1")
+      end
+      subject { described_class.new @wd }
+      it "can be inspected" do
+        subject.directory.should == @wd.to_s
+      end
+      it "can be not changed" do
+        subject.should_not respond_to(:directory=)
+      end
+
+      it "will be used to watch" do
+        subject.should_receive(:watch).with(@wd.to_s)
+        @listener = subject # indeed.
+        start
+        stop
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
+
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/listeners/darwin_spec.rb b/spec/guard/listeners/darwin_spec.rb
index c6d54eb57..25c26f36c 100644
--- a/spec/guard/listeners/darwin_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/listeners/darwin_spec.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 describe Guard::Darwin do
   subject { Guard::Darwin }
 
+  if windows?
+    it "isn't usable on windows" do
+      subject.should_not be_usable
+    end
+  end
+
   if linux?
     it "isn't usable on linux" do
       subject.should_not be_usable
@@ -15,61 +21,9 @@
       subject.should be_usable
     end
 
-    describe "#on_change" do
-      before(:each) do
-        @results = []
-        @listener = Guard::Darwin.new
-        @listener.on_change do |files|
-          @results += files
-        end
-      end
-
-      it "catches a new file" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("newfile.rb")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_false
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        stop
-        File.delete file
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/newfile.rb']
-      end
-
-      it "catches a single file update" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_true
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
-      end
-
-      it "catches multiple file updates" do
-        file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/folder2/file2.txt")
-        File.exists?(file1).should be_true
-        File.exists?(file2).should be_true
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file1
-        FileUtils.touch file2
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'spec/fixtures/folder1/folder2/file2.txt']
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-private
-
-  def start
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.update_last_event
-    Thread.new { @listener.start }
-    sleep 1
-  end
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener that reacts to #on_change"
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener scoped to a specific directory"
 
-  def stop
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.stop
-    sleep 1
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/listeners/linux_spec.rb b/spec/guard/listeners/linux_spec.rb
index 1f7c27e29..fca924c5c 100644
--- a/spec/guard/listeners/linux_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/listeners/linux_spec.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@
     end
   end
 
+  if windows?
+    it "isn't usable on windows" do
+      subject.should_not be_usable
+    end
+  end
+
   if linux? && Guard::Linux.usable?
     it "is usable on linux" do
       subject.should be_usable
@@ -37,95 +43,24 @@
         stop
         @listener.should_not be_watch_change
       end
-
     end
 
-    describe "#on_change", :long_running=> true do
-      before(:each) do
-        @results = []
-        @listener = Guard::Linux.new
-        @listener.on_change do |files|
-          @results += files
-        end
-      end
-
-      it "catches a new file" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("newfile.rb")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_false
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        stop
-        File.delete file
-        @results.should == ['fixtures/newfile.rb']
-      end
-
-      it "catches a single file update" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_true
-        start
-        File.open(file, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
-      end
-
-      it "catches multiple file updates" do
-        file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/folder2/file2.txt")
-        File.exists?(file1).should be_true
-        File.exists?(file2).should be_true
-        start
-        File.open(file1, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
-        File.open(file2, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'fixtures/folder1/folder2/file2.txt']
-      end
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener that reacts to #on_change"
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener scoped to a specific directory"
 
-      it "catches a deleted file" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_true
-        start
-        File.delete file
-        stop
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        @results.should == ['fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
-      end
+    # Fun fact: File.touch seems not to be enough on Linux to trigger a modify event
 
-      it "catches a moved file" do
-        file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/movedfile1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file1).should be_true
-        File.exists?(file2).should be_false
-        start
-        FileUtils.mv file1, file2
-        stop
-        FileUtils.mv file2, file1
-        @results.should == ['fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'fixtures/folder1/movedfile1.txt']
-      end
-
-      it "doesn't process a change when it is stopped" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_true
-        start
-        @listener.inotify.should_not_receive(:process)
-        stop
-        File.open(file, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
-      end
+    it "doesn't process a change when it is stopped" do
+      @listener = described_class.new
+      record_results
+      file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
+      File.exists?(file).should be_true
+      start
+      @listener.inotify.should_not_receive(:process)
+      stop
+      File.open(file, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
     end
-  end
-
-private
-
-  def start
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.update_last_event
-    Thread.new { @listener.start }
-    sleep 1
-  end
 
-  def stop
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.stop
-    sleep 1
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/listeners/polling_spec.rb b/spec/guard/listeners/polling_spec.rb
index 258783c70..90d389f77 100644
--- a/spec/guard/listeners/polling_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/listeners/polling_spec.rb
@@ -3,60 +3,9 @@
 
 describe Guard::Polling do
 
-  before(:each) do
-    @results = []
-    @listener = Guard::Polling.new
-    @listener.on_change do |files|
-      @results += files
-    end
-  end
+  subject { Guard::Polling }
 
-  describe "#on_change" do
-    it "catches a new file" do
-      file = @fixture_path.join("newfile.rb")
-      File.exists?(file).should be_false
-      start
-      FileUtils.touch file
-      stop
-      File.delete file
-      @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/newfile.rb']
-    end
-
-    it "catches a single file update" do
-      file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-      File.exists?(file).should be_true
-      start
-      FileUtils.touch file
-      stop
-      @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
-    end
-
-    it "catches multiple file updates" do
-      file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-      file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/folder2/file2.txt")
-      File.exists?(file1).should be_true
-      File.exists?(file2).should be_true
-      start
-      FileUtils.touch file1
-      FileUtils.touch file2
-      stop
-      @results.should =~ ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'spec/fixtures/folder1/folder2/file2.txt']
-    end
-  end
-
-private
-
-  def start
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.update_last_event
-    Thread.new { @listener.start }
-    sleep 1
-  end
-
-  def stop
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.stop
-    sleep 1
-  end
+  it_should_behave_like "a listener that reacts to #on_change" 
+  it_should_behave_like "a listener scoped to a specific directory" 
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/listeners/windows_spec.rb b/spec/guard/listeners/windows_spec.rb
index b0d945e10..133dc8396 100644
--- a/spec/guard/listeners/windows_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/listeners/windows_spec.rb
@@ -21,70 +21,9 @@
       subject.should be_usable
     end
 
-    describe "#on_change" do
-      before(:each) do
-        @results = []
-        @listener = Guard::Windows.new
-        @listener.on_change do |files|
-          @results += files
-        end
-      end
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener that reacts to #on_change" 
+    it_should_behave_like "a listener scoped to a specific directory" 
 
-      it "catches a new file" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("newfile.rb")
-        if File.exists?(file)
-          begin
-            File.delete file
-          rescue
-          end
-        end
-        File.exists?(file).should be_false
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        stop
-        begin
-          File.delete file
-        rescue
-        end
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/newfile.rb']
-      end
-
-      it "catches a single file update" do
-        file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        File.exists?(file).should be_true
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
-      end
-
-      it "catches multiple file updates" do
-        file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
-        file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/folder2/file2.txt")
-        File.exists?(file1).should be_true
-        File.exists?(file2).should be_true
-        start
-        FileUtils.touch file1
-        FileUtils.touch file2
-        stop
-        @results.should == ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'spec/fixtures/folder1/folder2/file2.txt']
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
-private
-
-  def start
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.update_last_event
-    Thread.new { @listener.start }
-    sleep 1
-  end
-
-  def stop
-    sleep 1
-    @listener.stop
-    sleep 1
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/listener_helper.rb b/spec/support/listener_helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..897f57300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/support/listener_helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+private
+
+  def start
+    sleep 1
+    @listener.update_last_event
+    Thread.new { @listener.start }
+    sleep 1
+  end
+
+  def record_results
+    @results = []
+    @listener.on_change do |files|
+      @results += files
+    end
+  end
+
+  def stop
+    sleep 1
+    @listener.stop
+    sleep 1
+  end
+
+  def results
+    @results.flatten
+  end
+
+shared_examples_for 'a listener that reacts to #on_change' do
+  before(:each) do
+    @listener = described_class.new
+    record_results
+  end
+
+  it "catches a new file" do
+    file = @fixture_path.join("newfile.rb")
+    if File.exists?(file)
+      begin
+        File.delete file
+      rescue
+      end
+    end
+    File.exists?(file).should be_false
+    start
+    FileUtils.touch file
+    stop
+    begin
+      File.delete file
+    rescue
+    end
+    results.should =~ ['spec/fixtures/newfile.rb']
+  end
+
+  it "catches a single file update" do
+    file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
+    File.exists?(file).should be_true
+    start
+    File.open(file, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
+    stop
+    results.should =~ ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt']
+  end
+
+  it "catches multiple file updates" do
+    file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
+    file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/folder2/file2.txt")
+    File.exists?(file1).should be_true
+    File.exists?(file2).should be_true
+    start
+    File.open(file1, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
+    File.open(file2, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
+    stop
+    results.should =~ ['spec/fixtures/folder1/file1.txt', 'spec/fixtures/folder1/folder2/file2.txt']
+  end
+
+  it "not catches a deleted file" do
+    file = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
+    File.exists?(file).should be_true
+    start
+    File.delete file
+    stop
+    FileUtils.touch file
+    results.should =~ []
+  end
+
+  it "not catches a moved file" do
+    file1 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/file1.txt")
+    file2 = @fixture_path.join("folder1/movedfile1.txt")
+    File.exists?(file1).should be_true
+    File.exists?(file2).should be_false
+    start
+    FileUtils.mv file1, file2
+    stop
+    FileUtils.mv file2, file1
+    results.should =~ []
+  end
+
+end
+
+shared_examples_for "a listener scoped to a specific directory" do
+  before :each do
+    @wd = @fixture_path.join("folder1")
+    @listener = described_class.new @wd
+  end
+  it "should base paths within this directory" do
+    record_results
+    new_file = @wd.join("folder2/newfile.rb")
+    modified = @wd.join("file1.txt")
+    File.exists?(modified).should be_true
+    File.exists?(new_file).should be_false
+    start
+    FileUtils.touch new_file
+    File.open(modified, 'w') {|f| f.write('') }
+    stop
+    File.delete new_file
+    results.should =~ ["folder2/newfile.rb", 'file1.txt']
+  end
+end
+