diff --git a/config/config.yml.default b/config/config.yml.default
index 5b9c5a96..2d958d45 100644
--- a/config/config.yml.default
+++ b/config/config.yml.default
@@ -43,3 +43,6 @@ defaultPattern: "all"
 
 # show pattern info by default on the "view all" views
 defaultShowPatternInfo: false
+
+# set idle timeout duration. defaults to 600s if no value is specified
+idleTimeoutDuration: '600'
diff --git a/src/PatternLab/Console/Commands/WatchCommand.php b/src/PatternLab/Console/Commands/WatchCommand.php
index ae772b04..928a4609 100644
--- a/src/PatternLab/Console/Commands/WatchCommand.php
+++ b/src/PatternLab/Console/Commands/WatchCommand.php
@@ -65,10 +65,12 @@ public function run() {
 				
 			} else {
 				
+				$idleTimeoutDuration = Config::getOption("idleTimeoutDuration") ? Config::getOption("idleTimeoutDuration") : 600;
+
 				// a vanilla --watch command needs to have a --no-procs version built
 				// so we don't get caught in while() loops. re-request the console command
 				$commands     = array();
-				$commands[]   = array("command" => $this->build()." --no-procs", "timeout" => null, "idle" => 600);
+				$commands[]   = array("command" => $this->build()." --no-procs", "timeout" => null, "idle" => $idleTimeoutDuration);
 				
 				Console::writeInfo("spawning the watch process...");