diff --git a/lib/Compiler.js b/lib/Compiler.js
index 3c4d40379..a245c4d71 100644
--- a/lib/Compiler.js
+++ b/lib/Compiler.js
@@ -12,13 +12,22 @@ var Resolver = require("enhanced-resolve/lib/Resolver");
 var NormalModuleFactory = require("./NormalModuleFactory");
 var ContextModuleFactory = require("./ContextModuleFactory");
 
-function Watching(compiler, handler, watchDelay) {
+function Watching(compiler, watchOptions, handler) {
 	this.startTime = null;
 	this.invalid = false;
 	this.error = null;
 	this.stats = null;
 	this.handler = handler;
-	this.watchDelay = watchDelay;
+	if(typeof watchOptions === "number") {
+		this.watchOptions = {
+			aggregateTimeout: watchOptions
+		};
+	} else if(watchOptions && typeof watchOptions === "object") {
+		this.watchOptions = Object.create(watchOptions);
+	} else {
+		this.watchOptions = {};
+	}
+	this.watchOptions.aggregateTimeout = this.watchOptions.aggregateTimeout || 200;
 	this.compiler = compiler;
 	this.running = true;
 	this.compiler.readRecords(function(err) {
@@ -75,7 +84,7 @@ Watching.prototype._done = function(err, compilation) {
 };
 
 Watching.prototype.watch = function(files, dirs, missing) {
-	this.watcher = this.compiler.watchFileSystem.watch(files, dirs, missing, this.startTime, this.watchDelay, function(err, filesModified, contextModified, missingModified, fileTimestamps, contextTimestamps) {
+	this.watcher = this.compiler.watchFileSystem.watch(files, dirs, missing, this.startTime, this.watchOptions, function(err, filesModified, contextModified, missingModified, fileTimestamps, contextTimestamps) {
 		this.watcher = null;
 		if(err) return this.handler(err);
 
@@ -145,10 +154,10 @@ module.exports = Compiler;
 Compiler.prototype = Object.create(Tapable.prototype);
 
 Compiler.Watching = Watching;
-Compiler.prototype.watch = function(watchDelay, handler) {
+Compiler.prototype.watch = function(watchOptions, handler) {
 	this.fileTimestamps = {};
 	this.contextTimestamps = {};
-	var watching = new Watching(this, handler, watchDelay || 0);
+	var watching = new Watching(this, watchOptions, handler);
 	return watching;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/node/NodeWatchFileSystem.js b/lib/node/NodeWatchFileSystem.js
index 052a28c6d..832fda6bc 100644
--- a/lib/node/NodeWatchFileSystem.js
+++ b/lib/node/NodeWatchFileSystem.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function NodeWatchFileSystem(inputFileSystem) {
 
 module.exports = NodeWatchFileSystem;
 
-NodeWatchFileSystem.prototype.watch = function watch(files, dirs, missing, startTime, delay, callback, callbackUndelayed) {
+NodeWatchFileSystem.prototype.watch = function watch(files, dirs, missing, startTime, options, callback, callbackUndelayed) {
 	if(!Array.isArray(files))
 		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'files'");
 	if(!Array.isArray(dirs))
@@ -25,14 +25,12 @@ NodeWatchFileSystem.prototype.watch = function watch(files, dirs, missing, start
 		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'callback'");
 	if(typeof startTime !== "number" && startTime)
 		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'startTime'");
-	if(typeof delay !== "number")
-		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'delay'");
+	if(typeof options !== "object")
+		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'options'");
 	if(typeof callbackUndelayed !== "function" && callbackUndelayed)
 		throw new Error("Invalid arguments: 'callbackUndelayed'");
 	var oldWatcher = this.watcher;
-	this.watcher = new Watchpack({
-		aggregateTimeout: delay
-	});
+	this.watcher = new Watchpack(options);
 
 	if(callbackUndelayed)
 		this.watcher.once("change", callbackUndelayed);
diff --git a/lib/webpack.js b/lib/webpack.js
index 20f78c8f0..42a82aab4 100644
--- a/lib/webpack.js
+++ b/lib/webpack.js
@@ -28,12 +28,15 @@ function webpack(options, callback) {
 	}
 	if(callback) {
 		if(typeof callback !== "function") throw new Error("Invalid argument: callback");
-		var watchOptions = options.watch || !Array.isArray(options) ? options : options[0];
-		if(watchOptions.watch) {
-			return compiler.watch(watchOptions.watchDelay, callback);
-		} else {
-			compiler.run(callback);
+		if(options.watch === true) {
+			console.warn("options.watch and options.watchDelay is deprecated: use webpack(options).watch instead");
+			var watchOptions = options.watch || !Array.isArray(options) ? options : options[0];
+			watchOptions = {
+				aggregateTimeout: watchOptions.watchDelay
+			};
+			return compiler.watch(watchOptions, callback);
 		}
+		compiler.run(callback);
 	}
 	return compiler;
 }
diff --git a/test/NodeWatchFileSystem.test.js b/test/NodeWatchFileSystem.test.js
index 1120f4906..a83d7c502 100644
--- a/test/NodeWatchFileSystem.test.js
+++ b/test/NodeWatchFileSystem.test.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+/* globals describe it */
+
 if(process.env.NO_WATCH_TESTS) {
 	describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 		it("tests excluded");
@@ -5,7 +7,7 @@ if(process.env.NO_WATCH_TESTS) {
 	return;
 }
 
-var should = require("should");
+require("should");
 var path = require("path");
 var fs = require("fs");
 
@@ -15,18 +17,12 @@ var fixtures = path.join(__dirname, "fixtures");
 var fileDirect = path.join(fixtures, "watched-file.txt");
 var fileSubdir = path.join(fixtures, "subdir", "watched-file.txt");
 
-function simpleObject(key, value) {
-	var obj = {};
-	obj[key] = value;
-	return obj;
-}
-
 describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 	this.timeout(10000);
 	it("should register a file change (change delayed)", function(done) {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-		var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect], [], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+		var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect], [], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps /*, dirTimestamps */) {
 			if(err) throw err;
 			filesModified.should.be.eql([fileDirect]);
 			dirsModified.should.be.eql([]);
@@ -43,7 +39,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		setTimeout(function() {
 			var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect], [], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect], [], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps /*, dirTimestamps */) {
 				if(err) throw err;
 				filesModified.should.be.eql([fileDirect]);
 				dirsModified.should.be.eql([]);
@@ -58,7 +54,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 	it("should register a context change (change delayed)", function(done) {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-		var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+		var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 			if(err) throw err;
 			filesModified.should.be.eql([]);
 			dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);
@@ -75,7 +71,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		setTimeout(function() {
 			var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-			var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+			var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 				if(err) throw err;
 				filesModified.should.be.eql([]);
 				dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);
@@ -90,7 +86,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 	it("should register a context change (change delayed, subdirectory)", function(done) {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-		var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+		var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 			if(err) throw err;
 			filesModified.should.be.eql([]);
 			dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);
@@ -107,7 +103,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		setTimeout(function() {
 			var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-			var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+			var watcher = wfs.watch([], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 				if(err) throw err;
 				filesModified.should.be.eql([]);
 				dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);
@@ -123,7 +119,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 		setTimeout(function() {
 			var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect, fileSubdir], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect, fileSubdir], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 				if(err) throw err;
 				filesModified.should.be.eql([fileSubdir, fileDirect]);
 				dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);
@@ -141,7 +137,7 @@ describe("NodeWatchFileSystem", function() {
 	it("should sum up multiple changes", function(done) {
 		var startTime = new Date().getTime();
 			var wfs = new NodeWatchFileSystem();
-			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect, fileSubdir], [fixtures], [], startTime, 1000, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
+			var watcher = wfs.watch([fileDirect, fileSubdir], [fixtures], [], startTime, { aggregateTimeout: 1000 }, function(err, filesModified, dirsModified, missingCreated, fileTimestamps, dirTimestamps) {
 				if(err) throw err;
 				filesModified.should.be.eql([fileSubdir, fileDirect]);
 				dirsModified.should.be.eql([fixtures]);