diff --git a/features/configuration/read_options_from_file.feature b/features/configuration/read_options_from_file.feature
index 8c067e73d8..b7ce3c9c15 100644
--- a/features/configuration/read_options_from_file.feature
+++ b/features/configuration/read_options_from_file.feature
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Feature: read command line configuration options from files
       """ruby
       describe "formatter set in custom options file" do
         it "sets formatter" do
-          expect(RSpec.configuration.formatters.first).
+          expect(RSpec.configuration.formatters.to_a.first).
             to be_a(RSpec::Core::Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
         end
       end
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Feature: read command line configuration options from files
       """ruby
       describe "formatter" do
         it "is set to documentation" do
-          expect(RSpec.configuration.formatters.first).to be_an(RSpec::Core::Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
+          expect(RSpec.configuration.formatters.to_a.first).to be_an(RSpec::Core::Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
         end
       end
       """
diff --git a/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb b/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb
index 0206da91b0..578397ba38 100644
--- a/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb
+++ b/lib/rspec/core/command_line.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def run(err, out)
         @configuration.output_stream = out if @configuration.output_stream == $stdout
         @options.configure(@configuration)
         @configuration.load_spec_files
+        @configuration.setup_default_formatters
         @world.announce_filters
 
         @configuration.reporter.report(@world.example_count) do |reporter|
diff --git a/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb b/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb
index e86c1d45bb..4d893c5736 100644
--- a/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ def initialize
         @include_or_extend_modules = []
         @mock_framework = nil
         @files_to_run = []
-        @formatters = []
         @color = false
         @pattern = '**/*_spec.rb'
         @failure_exit_code = 1
@@ -294,7 +293,7 @@ def force(hash)
       def reset
         @spec_files_loaded = false
         @reporter = nil
-        @formatters.clear
+        @formatters = nil
       end
 
       # @overload add_setting(name)
@@ -593,28 +592,24 @@ def full_description
       # and paths to use for output streams, but you should consider that a
       # private api that may change at any time without notice.
       def add_formatter(formatter_to_use, *paths)
-        formatter_class =
-          built_in_formatter(formatter_to_use) ||
-          custom_formatter(formatter_to_use) ||
-          (raise ArgumentError, "Formatter '#{formatter_to_use}' unknown - maybe you meant 'documentation' or 'progress'?.")
-
         paths << output_stream if paths.empty?
-        new_formatter = formatter_class.new(*paths.map {|p| String === p ? file_at(p) : p})
-        formatters << new_formatter unless duplicate_formatter_exists?(new_formatter)
+        formatters.add formatter_to_use, *paths
       end
-
       alias_method :formatter=, :add_formatter
 
+      # @api private
       def formatters
-        @formatters ||= []
+        @formatters ||= Formatters::Collection.new(reporter)
       end
 
+      # @api private
+      def setup_default_formatters
+        formatters.setup_default output_stream, deprecation_stream
+      end
+
+      # @api private
       def reporter
-        @reporter ||= begin
-                        add_formatter('progress') if formatters.empty?
-                        add_formatter(RSpec::Core::Formatters::DeprecationFormatter, deprecation_stream, output_stream)
-                        Reporter.new(self, *formatters)
-                      end
+        @reporter ||= Reporter.new(self)
       end
 
       # @api private
@@ -1098,69 +1093,6 @@ def assert_no_example_groups_defined(config_option)
       def output_to_tty?(output=output_stream)
         tty? || (output.respond_to?(:tty?) && output.tty?)
       end
-
-      def built_in_formatter(key)
-        case key.to_s
-        when 'd', 'doc', 'documentation', 's', 'n', 'spec', 'nested'
-          require 'rspec/core/formatters/documentation_formatter'
-          RSpec::Core::Formatters::DocumentationFormatter
-        when 'h', 'html'
-          require 'rspec/core/formatters/html_formatter'
-          RSpec::Core::Formatters::HtmlFormatter
-        when 'p', 'progress'
-          require 'rspec/core/formatters/progress_formatter'
-          RSpec::Core::Formatters::ProgressFormatter
-        when 'j', 'json'
-          require 'rspec/core/formatters/json_formatter'
-          RSpec::Core::Formatters::JsonFormatter
-        end
-      end
-
-      def custom_formatter(formatter_ref)
-        if Class === formatter_ref
-          formatter_ref
-        elsif string_const?(formatter_ref)
-          begin
-            formatter_ref.gsub(/^::/,'').split('::').inject(Object) { |const,string| const.const_get string }
-          rescue NameError
-            require( path_for(formatter_ref) ) ? retry : raise
-          end
-        end
-      end
-
-      def duplicate_formatter_exists?(new_formatter)
-        formatters.any? do |formatter|
-          formatter.class === new_formatter && formatter.output == new_formatter.output
-        end
-      end
-
-      def string_const?(str)
-        str.is_a?(String) && /\A[A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_:]*\z/ =~ str
-      end
-
-      def path_for(const_ref)
-        underscore_with_fix_for_non_standard_rspec_naming(const_ref)
-      end
-
-      def underscore_with_fix_for_non_standard_rspec_naming(string)
-        underscore(string).sub(%r{(^|/)r_spec($|/)}, '\\1rspec\\2')
-      end
-
-      # activesupport/lib/active_support/inflector/methods.rb, line 48
-      def underscore(camel_cased_word)
-        word = camel_cased_word.to_s.dup
-        word.gsub!(/::/, '/')
-        word.gsub!(/([A-Z]+)([A-Z][a-z])/,'\1_\2')
-        word.gsub!(/([a-z\d])([A-Z])/,'\1_\2')
-        word.tr!("-", "_")
-        word.downcase!
-        word
-      end
-
-      def file_at(path)
-        FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(path))
-        File.new(path, 'w')
-      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/rspec/core/formatters.rb b/lib/rspec/core/formatters.rb
index 8d484841f7..b24e38a74d 100644
--- a/lib/rspec/core/formatters.rb
+++ b/lib/rspec/core/formatters.rb
@@ -51,4 +51,114 @@
 # @see RSpec::Core::Formatters::BaseTextFormatter
 # @see RSpec::Core::Reporter
 module RSpec::Core::Formatters
+
+  class Collection
+    def initialize(reporter)
+      @formatters = []
+      @reporter = reporter
+    end
+
+    # @api private
+    def setup_default output_stream, deprecation_stream
+      if @formatters.empty?
+        add 'progress', output_stream
+      end
+      add DeprecationFormatter, deprecation_stream, output_stream
+    end
+
+    # @api private
+    def add formatter_to_use, *paths
+      formatter_class =
+        built_in_formatter(formatter_to_use) ||
+        custom_formatter(formatter_to_use) ||
+        (raise ArgumentError, "Formatter '#{formatter_to_use}' unknown - maybe you meant 'documentation' or 'progress'?.")
+      formatter = formatter_class.new(*paths.map {|p| String === p ? file_at(p) : p})
+
+      if formatter.respond_to?(:notifications)
+        @reporter.register_listener formatter, *formatter.notifications
+        @formatters << formatter unless duplicate_formatter_exists?(formatter)
+      else
+        raise 'Legacy formatter support yet to be implemented'
+      end
+    end
+
+    # @api private
+    def clear
+      @formatters.clear
+    end
+
+    def empty?
+      @formatters.empty?
+    end
+
+    # @api private
+    def to_a
+      @formatters
+    end
+
+  private
+
+    def duplicate_formatter_exists?(new_formatter)
+      @formatters.any? do |formatter|
+        formatter.class === new_formatter && formatter.output == new_formatter.output
+      end
+    end
+
+    def built_in_formatter(key)
+      case key.to_s
+      when 'd', 'doc', 'documentation', 's', 'n', 'spec', 'nested'
+        require 'rspec/core/formatters/documentation_formatter'
+        DocumentationFormatter
+      when 'h', 'html'
+        require 'rspec/core/formatters/html_formatter'
+        HtmlFormatter
+      when 'p', 'progress'
+        require 'rspec/core/formatters/progress_formatter'
+        ProgressFormatter
+      when 'j', 'json'
+        require 'rspec/core/formatters/json_formatter'
+        JsonFormatter
+      end
+    end
+
+    def custom_formatter(formatter_ref)
+      if Class === formatter_ref
+        formatter_ref
+      elsif string_const?(formatter_ref)
+        begin
+          formatter_ref.gsub(/^::/,'').split('::').inject(Object) { |const,string| const.const_get string }
+        rescue NameError
+          require( path_for(formatter_ref) ) ? retry : raise
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    def string_const?(str)
+      str.is_a?(String) && /\A[A-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_:]*\z/ =~ str
+    end
+
+    def path_for(const_ref)
+      underscore_with_fix_for_non_standard_rspec_naming(const_ref)
+    end
+
+    def underscore_with_fix_for_non_standard_rspec_naming(string)
+      underscore(string).sub(%r{(^|/)r_spec($|/)}, '\\1rspec\\2')
+    end
+
+    # activesupport/lib/active_support/inflector/methods.rb, line 48
+    def underscore(camel_cased_word)
+      word = camel_cased_word.to_s.dup
+      word.gsub!(/::/, '/')
+      word.gsub!(/([A-Z]+)([A-Z][a-z])/,'\1_\2')
+      word.gsub!(/([a-z\d])([A-Z])/,'\1_\2')
+      word.tr!("-", "_")
+      word.downcase!
+      word
+    end
+
+    def file_at(path)
+      FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(path))
+      File.new(path, 'w')
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/rspec/core/configuration_spec.rb b/spec/rspec/core/configuration_spec.rb
index e411f120eb..4d11b14a36 100644
--- a/spec/rspec/core/configuration_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/rspec/core/configuration_spec.rb
@@ -806,87 +806,11 @@ def metadata_hash(*args)
       end
     end
 
-    describe '#formatter=' do
-      it "delegates to add_formatter (better API for user-facing configuration)" do
-        expect(config).to receive(:add_formatter).with('these','options')
-        config.add_formatter('these','options')
-      end
-    end
-
-    describe "#add_formatter" do
-      let(:path) { File.join(Dir.tmpdir, 'output.txt') }
-
-      it "adds to the list of formatters" do
-        config.add_formatter :documentation
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "finds a formatter by name (w/ Symbol)" do
-        config.add_formatter :documentation
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "finds a formatter by name (w/ String)" do
-        config.add_formatter 'documentation'
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(Formatters::DocumentationFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "finds a formatter by class" do
-        formatter_class = Class.new(Formatters::BaseTextFormatter)
-        config.add_formatter formatter_class
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(formatter_class)
-      end
-
-      it "finds a formatter by class name" do
-        stub_const("CustomFormatter", Class.new(Formatters::BaseFormatter))
-        config.add_formatter "CustomFormatter"
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(CustomFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "finds a formatter by class fully qualified name" do
-        stub_const("RSpec::CustomFormatter", Class.new(Formatters::BaseFormatter))
-        config.add_formatter "RSpec::CustomFormatter"
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(RSpec::CustomFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "requires a formatter file based on its fully qualified name" do
-        expect(config).to receive(:require).with('rspec/custom_formatter') do
-          stub_const("RSpec::CustomFormatter", Class.new(Formatters::BaseFormatter))
-        end
-        config.add_formatter "RSpec::CustomFormatter"
-        expect(config.formatters.first).to be_an_instance_of(RSpec::CustomFormatter)
-      end
-
-      it "raises NameError if class is unresolvable" do
-        expect(config).to receive(:require).with('rspec/custom_formatter3')
-        expect(lambda { config.add_formatter "RSpec::CustomFormatter3" }).to raise_error(NameError)
-      end
-
-      it "raises ArgumentError if formatter is unknown" do
-        expect(lambda { config.add_formatter :progresss }).to raise_error(ArgumentError)
-      end
-
-      context "with a 2nd arg defining the output" do
-        it "creates a file at that path and sets it as the output" do
-          config.add_formatter('doc', path)
-          expect(config.formatters.first.output).to be_a(File)
-          expect(config.formatters.first.output.path).to eq(path)
-        end
-      end
-
-      context "when a duplicate formatter exists" do
-        before { config.add_formatter :documentation }
-
-        it "doesn't add the formatter for the same output target" do
-          expect {
-            config.add_formatter :documentation
-          }.not_to change { config.formatters.length }
-        end
-
-        it "adds the formatter for different output targets" do
-          expect {
-            config.add_formatter :documentation, path
-          }.to change { config.formatters.length }
+    %w[formatter= add_formatter].each do |config_method|
+      describe "##{config_method}" do
+        it "delegates to formatters#add" do
+          expect(config.formatters).to receive(:add).with('these','options')
+          config.send(config_method,'these','options')
         end
       end
     end
@@ -1493,6 +1417,7 @@ def strategy.order(list)
       it 'causes deprecations to raise errors rather than printing to the deprecation stream' do
         config.deprecation_stream = stream = StringIO.new
         config.raise_errors_for_deprecations!
+        config.setup_default_formatters
 
         expect {
           config.reporter.deprecation(:deprecated => "foo", :call_site => "foo.rb:1")
diff --git a/spec/rspec/core/formatters_spec.rb b/spec/rspec/core/formatters_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a8acc88fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/rspec/core/formatters_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+module RSpec::Core::Formatters
+  describe Collection do
+
+    describe "#add(formatter)" do
+      let(:collection) { Collection.new reporter }
+      let(:output)     { StringIO.new }
+      let(:path)       { File.join(Dir.tmpdir, 'output.txt') }
+      let(:reporter)   { double "reporter", :register_listener => nil }
+
+      it "adds to the list of formatters" do
+        collection.add :documentation, output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(DocumentationFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "finds a formatter by name (w/ Symbol)" do
+        collection.add :documentation, output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(DocumentationFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "finds a formatter by name (w/ String)" do
+        collection.add 'documentation', output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(DocumentationFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "finds a formatter by class" do
+        formatter_class = Class.new(BaseTextFormatter)
+        collection.add formatter_class, output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(formatter_class)
+      end
+
+      it "finds a formatter by class name" do
+        stub_const("CustomFormatter", Class.new(BaseFormatter))
+        collection.add "CustomFormatter", output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(CustomFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "finds a formatter by class fully qualified name" do
+        stub_const("RSpec::CustomFormatter", Class.new(BaseFormatter))
+        collection.add "RSpec::CustomFormatter", output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(RSpec::CustomFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "requires a formatter file based on its fully qualified name" do
+        expect(collection).to receive(:require).with('rspec/custom_formatter') do
+          stub_const("RSpec::CustomFormatter", Class.new(BaseFormatter))
+        end
+        collection.add "RSpec::CustomFormatter", output
+        expect(collection.to_a.first).to be_an_instance_of(RSpec::CustomFormatter)
+      end
+
+      it "raises NameError if class is unresolvable" do
+        expect(collection).to receive(:require).with('rspec/custom_formatter3')
+        expect { collection.add "RSpec::CustomFormatter3", output }.to raise_error(NameError)
+      end
+
+      it "raises ArgumentError if formatter is unknown" do
+        expect { collection.add :progresss, output }.to raise_error(ArgumentError)
+      end
+
+      context "with a 2nd arg defining the output" do
+        it "creates a file at that path and sets it as the output" do
+          collection.add('doc', path)
+          expect(collection.to_a.first.output).to be_a(File)
+          expect(collection.to_a.first.output.path).to eq(path)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when a duplicate formatter exists" do
+        before { collection.add :documentation, output }
+
+        it "doesn't add the formatter for the same output target" do
+          expect {
+            collection.add :documentation, output
+          }.not_to change { collection.to_a.length }
+        end
+
+        it "adds the formatter for different output targets" do
+          expect {
+            collection.add :documentation, path
+          }.to change { collection.to_a.length }
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index a7b197a2b8..11fdde8f69 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -126,6 +126,13 @@ def without_env_vars(*vars)
       :file_path => /spec\/command_line/
     }
 
+    # Use the doc formatter when running individual files.
+    # This is too verbose when running all spec files but
+    # is nice for a single file.
+    if c.files_to_run.one?
+      c.formatter = 'doc'
+    end
+
     c.expect_with :rspec do |expectations|
       expectations.syntax = :expect
     end